Oh, Oh big ol' jet airliner-Don't carry HER to far away.

FEBRUARY 2, 2013
For Dummies: Getting to Middle Earth
Yeah sure it might be Middle Earth. The beautiful and wondrous country we have all watched in films and read in books… it should be as simple as that right? Wrong. Somewhere in my reflecting i have come to realize that both me and Moriah had to be tested to prove our worthiness for this great country… and tested we were.
If i could choose three words to describe the whopping 30 hours i spent traveling to New zealand i would say chaotic, Messy, and Un-expected.
I arrived at DIA at about 1:00p on january 31st. My whole family had come with me to show me off. In the time it took to mearly check-in, my mother had burst into tears 3 times. Im not gonna lie, up until that point i was feeling very numb. But when it came time to go through security i got so nervous and frantic that they let my father walk to my Gate with me, even though Im a of age adult. While going through security, my father set off the alarm, and was pulled into the secret room to be fondled by 2 elderly gentlemen (not the exact start i had planned on). But the found nothing and we continued on. I got to my gate just as they were calling final boarding. I squeezed my father goodbye and climbed aboard. Now, i should say that I’m not a good flyer. I have tremendous anxiety when it comes to planes. Knowing this, my plane pulled away from the gate and seemed to be about to take off, but right as I clamped down on my seat the plane stalled out and we continued to sit on the run way for 30 minutes while they “rebooted the system” (scary right?!). but finally we took off. The flight took a surprisingly short amount of time. Now LAX is one of the biggest airports, and not exactly the most easily navigated, But i had a 5 hour layover. I stumbled around for what felt like the better part of an hour and finally came to the Tom Bradley International terminal. But as it turns out, the check-in for Air Pacific wasn’t even open for another hour. I wandered in a circle for about another 20 minutes, before I convinced myself to go outside and calm my nerves. After killing time for 4 hours, i decided to head to my gate. i was still waiting to hear from Moriah, and when they started boarding the plane and she still wasn’t there my heart began to race. I was half pushed half walked onto the plane and sat in my seat on the upper deck. I called Moriah and hysterically was talking to her and the confused flight attendants. They made me sit down and turn my phone off. I was so scarred when that plane lifted off the ground, and i looked out knowing I was leaving the states for the first time.. and I was leaving alone. Within 5 minutes we were already flying over the ocean and the real adventure had begun. An hour and a half later they began to hand out refreshments. I drank 3 glasses of wine within 20 minutes and finally stared to relax. I dozed off into the strangest sleep i have ever had, and woke about 2 hours out of Fiji. We landed at about 5:15a, it was still heavily dark outside, but it was unusually Hot and humid. while stepping off the plane i looked to my right, and did the biggest double take i have ever done (always tweaked my neck out doing it hehe). Of all the billions and billions of people in the world my brother friend Matt Koch was standing 5 people over from me. ( now everyone should know that i run into Matt everywhere! concerts, stores, Electric Forest, and now Fiji!!) we instantly struck up a conversation and man did it feel wonderful to see a familiar face. It turned out he was headed for NZ as well and we were on the same flight with a 5 hour layover before it. we went to the waiting room and sat down. To our right was a bar, and only then did we remember we weren’t in America. our eyes popped open like those of children on christmas day. we both ran over and started drinking local brews (delicious by the way- if your ever in Fiji try their ‘Fiji Gold’). When it came time to boarding i was feeling very tipsy but luckily was able to switch seats and sit with Matt. We continued to drink the whole 3 hours to Auckland, and so when we finally landed i was hazy and only had 2 hours to say goodbye to Matt, run through customs, re-check my bag and walk the beautiful 15 minutes outside to the domestic terminal. when i got to my gate I had 10 minutes before boarding. I hadn’t had wifi/service since i left LA( i hadn’t even had contact with Moriah), so i made a rushed ‘tango’ call to my dad to let everyone know i was okay. Luckily the beautiful soul called Moriah had been in contact with not only our host family but both of our parents as well. I was apparently being picked up in Christchurch. I boarded my final plane and was so relieved when i landed at about 5:20p on February 2nd. I went to go meet my first host family and collect my bag. I got to where i was supposed to get my bag, i sat and waited.. I waited till there wasn’t even any bags on the conveyor belt anymore. i was so confused. I then turned around and i was the only one in that area. my host family was no where to be seen. I was so exhausted, Nervous, and now completely scared to the point that i sat down on the ground a cried. i was balling so hard the a security guard came over and tried to sooth me. We figured out that my luggage got put on the wrong flight and wasn’t getting to Christchurch until later that night. he then made an announcement on the speakers telling where i was in the airport. within 5 minutes my host mother arrived with her darling children. We drove back to there house which was a breathtaking 35 minute drive outside of the city and to the country. Her husband, Carlos, then went and picked up my bag when it got to the airport. My first night here I got a tour of their beautiful land and my host mother Rachelle made a delicious salmon salad with all fresh ingredients from their garden. They are a wonderful and kind family, who have already made me feel like part of their home. I have been relaxing with with them, their children, Sebastian and Luca are major chatter boxes but adorable none the less. Moriah is supposed to get in at about 2:30p today and we will all go to pick her up.
Im so thankful to be here, in a beautiful country, in a warm home, with gentle people. I’m so thankful that i will be joined by the wonderful Moriah, and that this adventure through middle earth can finally begin. I am also thankful for all the amazing support i feel from back home as well as all my saviors i have met along the way here. i would not be here without all and everyone of you being there for me in my heart.
much love till next time -Amber