Welp. I just got back to Shanghai after two incredible weeks in New Zealand and am experiencing a severe case of post-travel blues. Leaving New Zealand has left me heartbroken and sad and I don’t know what to do with myself except mope around the apartment and wantonly edit my photos in a daze.
First of all, Linda was the best travel partner I could have ever asked for. She was a trooper who rolled with punches and made friends with ease. She is not only my mother-in-law-to-be but my friend and I was so grateful for her wonderful company. Our 8-day bus tour around the north island was incredibly challenging and out of our comfort zone but ended up being one of the best experiences of my life. We visited some of the most beautiful and breathtaking places I have ever seen and met some amazing people along the way. Ugh jetlag is making me sad and not very eloquent so here is a quick briefing:
We visited some beautiful places. Like really beautiful.
We climbed mountains and accomplished incredible physical feats (like an 8 hour walk over an active volcano).
We met amazing and unique people who became our close friends in a short amount of time. I will miss these friendships most of all :-(.
Most importantly, we had fun! We took in the beauty around us and opened ourselves up to new experiences. It was hard at times but so rewarding. This is why I love to travel and this is why it is so hard to come home again.
Now the problem is I have so many pictures to share and not enough time so write such detailed accounts. Plus I still have wonderful photos from Ireland, London, and France that are still on the back burner. I am drowning in photos and want to get them all out there but it will take time. So who knows how the heck I will post these photos but so help me I will do it!!! They are too amazing to keep hidden in the recesses of my files.
Just need to shed a few tears first…
