John is snoozing next to me in our hotel, which is music to my ears after the rough day, or days, we had getting over here. Finally some rest.
First, Sunday, Christmas Day, the day of our departure, we woke up feeling ill. In hindsight we think it was food poisoning or something. But since our flight wasn’t until the evening, we had left much packing and cleaning for that day. So we had to, amidst feeling terrible, firing out both ends and needing frequent breaks, drudge ahead, packing cases, cleaning the fridge out, moving cars around, etc. At one point I literally shit my pants, which is an unwelcomed first for me. We toughed it out, got some semblance of our packing done, and made it to the airport. Finally, we thought- the hard part is over.
Apart from the occasional annoying barf or two, or having to walk around seatac in feverish delirium, or being too miserable to do anything but stare at the seats in front of us on the first leg, we did get a brief break from trouble. Until we learned in San Fran Isco that there would likely be a mixup with one of our three bags, and that we wouldn’t be seated together on our 10 hour flight. Terrific.
And by this point I can’t keep any food down, but also get very emotional while hungry, so I’m trying to hold it together but crying at every little thing, a long line here, and new girl there… John is, as always, being a sweetheart, a rock, a nurturer.. Even though he himself is feeling terrible.. And of course the long ass flight was uncomfortable and lonely, and of course the airline food was terrible and made us nauseated… But we eventually made it to Fiji and then, finally New Zealand. (As a hilarious aside, we were stoked we finally got to sit together by the looks of our seats on the last leg of the journey, but we really ended up across from each other. Go figure!)
We were greeted with news here that not one bag but all 3 bags didn’t make it here, and that nobody knows anything about them. So the clothes we have been barfing and shitting in since Christmas are the ones we will be in until further notice. Also, my once used $100 hiking boots, since they are not clean, might be thrown out, (biohazard apparently) along with some honey we brought as a gift. Ugh.
As good as it feels to complain, things have really turned around here since we left the airport. John is handling right hand drive well, our airport shuttle driver was charming, our studio is cute, we went to the supermarket and made delicious steak salads, and watched some New Zealand tv and then some Star Trek. I apologized for throwing fits and john is over it. Actually he’s not only over it, he has nothing but good things to say. “Nono- you did good. I’ve seen you without food before and you did really good today.”) he would be ridiculously sweet about all this… And best of all, we have a fan in the room, so john can sleep. I’m sure I will be too, before long.
I come away from this thinking that we really earned this trip, and that we are really tough and can get through anything. I’m so glad we chose a long duration for this trip, I’m so glad we are resting and most of all I’m so glad I have john.
When we got into town, we went for a walk along the waterfront before crashing to bed. 
