Last Full Day

27-4-2014

     Last day. We have everything packed up. We've weighed our bags and we have everything arranged within a few grams of the weight limits. It's close, but at least we fit it all into our two bags. We only get one per person, and it's $150 per extra bag. The US may allow two bags per person for international flights, but New Zealand doesn't. Thank goodness we can get by without it.

     We've said our goodbyes. We finished work on Thursday, since Friday was Anzac Day. It's almost the equivalent of Veterans Day in the US, only Anzac Day seems like a bigger deal. Every business closes down like it's Christmas. 

     Like Veterans Day, Anzac Day celebrates all veterans. But it also celebrates the day the Kiwis, Aussies, and Brits invaded Gallipoli, Turkey in WW1. It was very bloody, and it was the first of all the casualties for Australia and New Zealand in the war. Today it's one of the few things the Kiwis and Aussies share feelings of camaraderie about. Otherwise they seem pretty competitive. There's even a huge ceremony in Turkey for it every year, and thousands of people go to it, even more watch it on TV. It's pretty interesting. 

    Despite the holiday, I still managed to finish all my gift shopping this last weekend. I had to ship a few things home right from the store, since I can't carry any more in my luggage. 

    I'm all set now. Totally ready. Now I just have to manage my small amount of ridiculous stress about possibly missing the plane. Not having a van anymore does have it's downsides, and I don't completely trust intercity transport (aka our bus) in this small town. However, I know we have a few other options if that falls through, so I'm attributing my shaking nerves to excitement about going home. 

     I sure miss home. The food here is similar but it doesn't taste the same, and I find I'm homesick for things that taste how my mind thinks they're supposed to. Like hamburgers with beef and only beef, and juicy beef at that. Mmmm. 

      Not to mention I can't wait to see my family. Only two more days. (The flights are really long).