An Emotional Farewell to Southland

Hitch-Hiking Desperation..

Successfully escaping from Christchurch alive (by leaving at 5am... meh) we returned to Omarama for Monique to start work at 10am. I on the other hand went straight back to bed (mwahaha) only emerging sleepily at 3pm. Win. Since arriving in New Zealand Monique has become one of my absolute best friends of all time and with my flight to the North Island rapidly approaching we made the most of our remaining time together and I have to say it was magical! On Wednesday evening finally after about 4 months of persuasion Monique played and sang a song she had written on guitar. Unbelievable. Before long we were manically song writing away till her fingers hurt from being forced to repeat it. Early next morning I was called from the warmth of my bed to come and witness a solar eclipse hanging low over the hills in the early morning. I'm not really a believer in 'fate', but bloody hell, an eclipse a few hours before I say goodbye. Magic. We arrived at her work early to jam out her song with me on the piano and, quite frankly, we're awesome. And modest too. It was an emotional farewell causing me to begin hitch hiking looking like some kinda sleep starved vagrant. People always give lifts to sleep starved vagrants. NOT. In the end I did make it to Queenstown and now the patient wait to hear if my flight will brave the mighty ash cloud (or as I refer to it, a little bit of dust) begins. Wish me luck!

So this is my official farewell to everyone I met on the South Island, whereever you are, I love you, you have all played a massive part in my New Zealand experience and my life in general. I will never forget any one of you and I thoroughly look forward to seeing you all at random places round the planet! I will visit the South Island many times in my future I know, because I have yet to find a place in the world more friendly, magical and simply epic. If I ever find something better I'll let you know, but I'll be damned if I do, it'd have to be heaven.