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Published: October 29th 2008
Yes -- we are still here in NZ, and doing well! We've had reports that people back home had become concerned about our welfare, given our 'absence' from the blog. Word has it that we may actually have several posts this evening, as we do have a little bit of downtime now, at the end of our first day of R&R. (In our view, nearly eight full days of fatigue and sore muscles from the Build deserve just a little tender care and recuperation!)
We finished our time on the Build yesterday - and allocated some time for Steve to proudly give us a tour of his land. As we got ready to leave for our hike, Steve described the upcoming adventure as a 'moderate 10 minute walk.' His definition of 'moderate' was considerably different than that of at least a few of the 'more mature' members of the group whose description would have been more like an hour's strenuous slide down a muddy (cow pies?), steep, slippery slope, followed by a rigorous climb up a mile long cliff. Our efforts were rewarded when we reached the bottom as we meandered along the crystal clear stream and paused to admire
the beautiful waterfalls that we'd listened to during the week as we worked.
We all took just a few moments to inspect and enjoy our 'finished' product. Yes, while the interior of the house is not totally complete, our work is in fact finished. There was a bit of talk about wanting to stay longer, to truly finish the whole thing, but then we thought of our aching bodies, and loved ones at home, and decided maybe it would be OK for us to just give Steve, his sons, and our Affiliate team members that honor.
After a bit of time to do laundry and shower, we loaded our vans to drive to a local cafe for a farewell dinner hosted by our NZ team members. It was an evening filled with emotional highs and lows. Highs - as we reflected on our accomplishments , celebrated our new friendships, and met the spouses of the great people with whom we'd worked side-by-side (and sometimes even more closely) all week. Lows as we closed the evening with lots of hugs and a number of moist eyes, recognizing that we'd likely not see many of our new best friends ever
again.
It was then back to camp to pack for an early departure this morning. The first van was to be on the road at 6 AM with the group who had signed up for a swim with the dolphines tour. A second van had an entire extra hour for final clean-up and loading luggage before we departed for our day's adventures in kayaking and sightseeing. A good time was had by all, and we are again back at our new digs - exhausted as usual, but with an even greater and renewed appreciation of the beautiful world around us.
As this is written tonight, laughter abounds as various groups share their experiences and stories from the day. We continue to be amazed by the beautiful views that await us at every turn, the friendliness of the people we encounter and the energy with which they work and play. As a personal observation, this writer cannot help but comment specifically on the intense greenery, beautiful flowers, and most amazing and efficient toilets that I've encountered. (Today, a number of us even had the opportunity to explore the 'world famous' toilets at KawaKawa. If you are lucky, the team
members may even share a picture of them with you - complete with a live model!) Seriously though, the USA has a bit to learn about conservation and efficient use of water from our world neighbors here!
Now that you have this fodder for thought, we'll close, but not before saying, "God Bless, and Good Night!"
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Terri Gafford
non-member comment
WOW!
Wow -- Team New Zealand ROCKS! You accomplished amazing things on your trip. God Bless You...and safe travels home!