Goodbye New Zealand, Hello Asia

6:00am NZ Time Thursday, December 11

So I am currently sitting in the Auckland International Terminal waiting to board my flight out of New Zealand. I have nothing really major to say on this huge change. It doesn’t feel real, just feels like this is what I’m doing today – going on vacation or something. Part of this could be because my life in New Zealand ended weeks ago when I ended my job, got rid of my flat, and went on holiday with my parents. When I came back these last few days I tried to see as few people as possible – it’s no fun to have to say goodbye again – and actually stayed out of Auckland most of the time.

I guess the only real thing I feel as I’m leaving New Zealand is how easy it is to let a year of your life pass. Having big changes in your life like this, at least for me, makes me really think about where I am at this point (age) in my life. I am almost 25, I am leaving NZ today, and I have been here for the last year.

I spent an entire year in NZ.

And it went by so quickly, I just can’t believe it.

Last summer in the Coromandel feels like a lifetime ago, I have done and seen so many things here in NZ, but what have I really accomplished?

I have recently been thinking more and more about what I am really doing away from home. I am not on a career path, I am not saving any money, I am not accomplishing any of those things that I want to accomplish by a later date in my life. I am happy traveling, I am enjoying myself, but I don’t want to show back up in America in 10 years and have nothing to show of my time away and nothing that a 35 year old should have – no husband, no house, no career. I do not want to stop traveling, but my net job I am going to try to get on some sort of “career path,” at least management experience.

Okay, I will finish this later, I have not slept in 23 hours and our journey is just beginning. I need to get to the plane and into my seat so I can sleep!

Best!

12:20 pm Singapore Time (5:20pm NZ time) Thursday, December 11

Well I have now slept quite a bit since earlier. We took mini-naps before our first flight. Then pretty much slept our entire first flight. We were both out like a light as soon as we sat down, before the flight took off, slept all through takeoff, customs forms, beverage service. No sleep in 24 hours can do that to you! Had a nice lunch in Melbourne waiting for this flight and then again on this flight to Singapore, out like a light. This flight we are in the last row of our section, in front of the bathrooms, and thus we can recline totally guilt free, it’s awesome. Plus, the headrest bend to support your head, best sleeping arrangement in economy class, that’s for sure!

Anyways, back to the real purpose of this post. It still just doesn’t feel real that we’ve left Auckland but I know it will very soon when we land in Singapore in about 4 hours. It’s amazing that I will soon set foot on my 4^th continent – I have already been to North America, Europe, and Australia. But when I think about what I have left behind I just feel crazy. Great friends, a beautiful country, a nice life – what was I thinking?! I guess I can just think to myself that it was time for a vacation, I can always go back to NZ (well not technically with all the visa issues but I can probably figure out a way to get back there if I want to). But that world is so big and it’s a good idea for me to keep going, keep looking, seeing what else is out there.

I am starting to get sad, but it’s probably easier since I’m with Elizabeth – a great connection to NZ – and not all alone.

That’s all for now, back to napping again!

Signing off from somewhere between Singapore and Australia, probably over the ocean right now approaching Indonesia.

Best!

10:00 pm Singapore Time Thursday, December 11 (3:00am Friday, December 12)

We have arrived in Singapore. Our flight landed about 5 hours ago. We got through customs and immigration without a problem, took a taxi to our hotel, and then headed to Chinatown for dinner. I would love to write more now but I have a terrible headache - brought on I'm sure by a mix of exhaustion and dehydration. With that I am off to bed, I will post more tomorrow. 

To summarize, amazing and surreal. 

Night!