NOV 19- A Day of tears

It is difficult to stay up beat and happy when you are so very sad (not to mention the people around you).
Leaving this place is more difficult then I thought it would be. Everything about this trip was perfect, yet there is so much left  to do and see. So much to explore .
Packing has been a chore to say the least. Not sure how I accumulated all this stuff LOL
I packed, unpacked and repacked several times. I had to finally narrow it down to stuff I would be needing or using soon. So lets left behind the clothes...who needs them LOL
I acquired some rather heavy stuff, that of course will have to stay behind. No matter how well I pack, weight is still a factor. So gifts had to go in first, then things I purchased to use in the near future. NO matter what I did, I still had left overs that HAD to go home with  me.
I called about an extra bag.$200 would be best spent on other things. Forget mailing anything. The cost to mail from NZ is unbelievable. Rainer finally mentioned the fact that he had often seen business people with carry on, plus purse, plus computer bag. He just happen to have a rather large one, sooooo.

That little one was put inside the big purple one and I packed more around it.That top purple one was my carry on and the black computer bag also made it aboard. Missing is a huge tote I passed off as a purse LOL Can you say "over weight"...I doubt I would have pulled that off on the American end but once Air NZ allowed it United was sort of stuck for the last leg. This picture conjures up bitter sweet feelings. One one end I can look at it and smile because I was there, on the other, it reminds me of a very, very sad day.
I cannot say enough about Air NZ. The planes are immaculate and they treat you like you are the only passenger .

That flight attendants would be Susan, my guardian angel. I was struck with horrible leg cramps on the way home and she managed to create a bed for me so I could lay straight. I think I used every pillow aboard.
The food was fabulous and the crew was unbelievably friendly and caring. Not to mention super professional both in dress and mannerism. Other airlines should take lessons form them.

The trip home on UNITED was a horror. The only passengers they seemed interested in were the business class. The rest of us paid through the nose for dry sandwiches and snacks. Movies were $7.99 do you believe that? I was certainly spoiled by Air NZ where I wasn't charged for ANYTHING...Heck, we even had to pay $5 for a luggage trolley.

Who could carry all that?
Once home I had to try and unpack as fast as possible because we had to attend Krista's Confirmation 2 days later.
It has taken me a few weeks to bring this to a close. Partly because I was too sad to deal with it and partly because with Christmas right on top of me, I haven't had time to catch my breath. I will continue to add little notes to this BLOG so check back now and again.
I took a lot of pictures and there was far too much to say in a daily BLOG. Everyone gives me a look when I say I will return to NZ. But there is just too much left unseen and undone , not too.
Check back......this life adventure is not over.