Ready for the South

Dec. 22

This was the day that Gareth, Jolie and the children were arriving. John had made a reservation to stay at a motel near the airport so that Sue could get the house organized to have their family stay. Besides, Gareth et al were coming in on a flight near midnight and John's flight to Dunedin was leaving at 8am on the 23rd.

So, John packed me and suitcase up, and took off the bedding to help Sue. John and Derek then set off, first to go to Lynley's again to pick up his hat and glasses. Lynley and Dave were painting a fence when John arrived so he got to say his farewells again.

Sue had suggested that Derek show John, Lake Pupuke. It is a small lake in Milford, right next to Takapuna and the school where Julie, Derek and Sue's daughter, teaches. John noticed a pattern. Hans and Pris had taken John to some of his most favourite places when he lived in Auckland. Derek and Sue had taken John to wonderful places he had missed while living here.

John also bought some souvenirs and a box from NZ Post to ship home the souvenirs and some extra clothes he did not need as well as a wonderful book on New Zealand history that Derek and Sue had wrapped as a Christmas gift to him. Sending them all home by parcel post, would make more space in his overloaded suitcase and poor old me! He bought Sue some flowers to thank her for her kindness.

When they got back, Sue prepared a delicious lunch - a gourmet sandwich with marinated red bell peppers and so much more. It was like a sandwich that they had had while travelling in China. After the lunch John packed the box and Derek took him down to mail it off. $100 for surface mail! Well they don't do the old surface mail anymore. It goes faster than that. Derek helped John to write on the customs declararion in a way that should help Canada Customs to understand that none of the stuff is subject to duty.

After posting that off, Derek and John walked down to Julie and Paul's house. Ben had asked John to come and see his toys on the first day so this was the right time for that visit. It is a super modern spacious home, with a high slanted ceiling overlooking large decks and a natural preserve. Derek, John and Ben went down to his playground (constructed by Paul) in the woods. It has a Thomas the Tank Engine, a big slide, and a rickety bridge - perfect for a small boy. Derek played an ogre while Ben and John ran. There was also a billy goat gruff at one point. Ben is such a delightful little boy - full of imagination and fun but very, very kind and good hearted.

Then after supper, it was time to go to the motel and the airport. John had never met Gareth but had known about him for decades, so he asked to tag along at the airport just to meet the last members of Derek and Sue's family.

They went first to John's motel. It was in Onehunga and turned out to be far away from the airport in a fairly desolate area. It was clean and functional but did not fill John with confidence. But it was only for one night and it was very cheap by comparison to the other motels. They then went off to the airport where they also met Jolie's Mum who was also there to welcome them home. It was lovely to see the family reunion when it happened. Gareth drove with Derek, Sue and John and they had a nice talk on the way to the motel.

As John got into bed he realized that the motel was on a major road for trucks who roared by all night, sometimes their brakes would hiss. The motel lights outside were bright enough to see the room as if it were daylight. But then John would only have time for about a 5 hour nap anyway and so it was a good choice.

TRB