Today is the last day of traveling. I am sitting at the VIP lounge for New Zealand; we’ve been here now for hours. Unfortunately, we got in around noon and Carol had to be at the airport by 5 p.m. to catch her flight. The shuttle into town was an hour so it really wasn’t worth it to head into town.
This lounge is exceptional! There is tons of food and alcohol, chairs for napping and internet access. I was even able to get a head and foot massage! It definitely makes waiting at the airport tolerable.
Yesterday was a bomb. I was supposed to take a helicopter flight to a glacier and then head to Milford Sound. The company called me to do a weather check first thing and said we were on hold. He was supposed to call back around noon, but I never heard back. Carol and I were supposed to go hang gliding later that afternoon, but the weather was still wasn’t good enough.
Carol was able to do her tour of rafting and jet boating and had a great time. At least one of us got to take advantage of the adrenaline tours. That night we had plans to take the gondola up the hill to see a Moari show and dinner.
I ran out of methadone a couple of days ago so I started feeling like I was coming down with something. I was getting hot and cold sweats and was in major back pain. I went to the town clinic to see what they could do to help and just to be on the safe side to get more methadone. The last thing I wanted was to be in worse back pain and sweats on a 12 hour flight to L.A. Thankfully, I was in and out pretty quickly. I had paperwork drawn up at Cancer Treatment Centers of America before I left so it was easier to get a script, even though methadone is a controlled substance.
We almost missed the pharmacy open hours, but thankfully luck was on our side, finally! The clinic was very nice and the people were very helpful. By the time the whole escapade was finished it was time to go to the show. We ended up missing it, but was still able to do the dinner and gondola ride. It was nothing like I expected. I had these visions of a touristy buffet. It was far from that. The decor was modern, clean bathrooms, large lounge area to enjoy the views and the food was pretty tasty. There were seven different types of food stations including salads, seafood, hot side dishes, cheese board, meats, soup and desserts. I still wasn’t feeling that great so I didn’t eat except for a roll with butter, a couple spoonfuls of soup, and a mini tart for dessert. I think Carol got her money worth from the buffet, but even just to pay to check out the views was worth it. Our table was a prime location by the window. It was a little too romantic for Carol and I, but it was a great way to spend our last night in Queenstown.
Leaving Queenstown was really sad. We really wanted to stay at least one more day. It was sprinkling when we got up this morning and on the way to the airport the sun started peaking through the clouds. There was a beautiful rainbow over the water. The whole scene was magical. I hope someday that I have the ability to visit again. Hopefully next time I will be able to take advantage of some of the adrenaline tours offered.
I was hoping that this trip would be a time of reflection and change. I think it was. Before I left I felt like I was in some sort of funk. It was nice to get away even if it was just for a short while.
You see, the thing about traveling (especially to far places away from the comforts of home) is that it makes the world seem like a much smaller place. We are all in a tangled web together and no matter where you go you will find the good and the bad. I did find myself feeling sad at certain points of the trip. I kept thinking that there are only more and more places now that I need to explore and it would be nice to have a companion to share it with. I also thought that I am too young to not be able to continue living these experiences. I am thankful to Greg and Holly for giving me the upgrade. It made the trip on the plane enjoyable. I felt like I was actually able to relax and not worry about blood clots and pain.
Also, this past year and a half I haven’t been able to drink very much alcohol. For some reason it doesn’t taste good to me anymore. I used to love wine, beer and Kettle One with soda. Fortunately, one night I tried a local beer called Macs Gold. I am in love with it! This could actually be my gateway drink! I have been missing kicking back, having some cocktails and waiting for the relaxation buzz to kick in. It was a good feeling to be able to sip on some beer and enjoy.
-To see photos and read other blog posts from Melissa visit:
www.themelissawaller.com/blog