The past couple of days have been a little difficult – saying goodbye to the good friends you’ve made isn’t fun. Someone told me that the more times you say goodbye to people that briefly come into your life, the easier it gets, but I beg to differ.
In just two and a half short months I have fallen head over heels in love with Wellington and with New Zealand in general. Currently I am sitting on the Blue Bridge Ferry, crossing the Cook Strait (considered one of the most dangerous stretches of water in the world) on my way to the South Island.
I’d just like to take a moment though to speak about my internship and how much I have truly loved being a part of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in New Zealand. I could not have asked for a more accepting and accommodating bunch of fellow staff members and I will cherish my time there for many years to come. I’m also extremely proud to know that I had such a big role in the creation of ‘Challenge 55’, which I am sure will be an extremely successful campaign and will raise a ton of much needed money for the ongoing protection efforts of Maui Dolphins. It has been really interesting to be part of such a project, and it’s offered me some interesting opportunities, from speaking with TV stars to liaising with members of the All Black’s coaching staff. It’s been nothing short of epic.
An extra special thanks must go to my boss at WWF; Greg Millar, who welcomed both my friend Emilija and I into his home during our final three weeks in Wellington. Greg and his family were just wonderful and it was the first time whilst being on my travels that I genuinely felt like I was in a home away from home. Thank you guys.
Now it’s time for some new adventures and to finally see for myself what magic New Zealand’s South Island has to offer. First up is a night in Picton before heading down to Christchurch tomorrow morning. Once in Christchurch I am super excited to be picking up a rental car. It’s going to be the first time in over a year and half that I’ve gotten behind the wheel. Boy-oh-boy how I’ve missed it so badly. The freedom it’ll give me to explore as much of the South Island as possible is going to be immense.
Unfortunately, my time here on the south island is worryingly short – with only seven days to see as much as possible – but as I sit here in one of the ferries many cafes, watching The Lion King on a big screen (I know right? AMAZING), I feel ready to tackle anything! Stay tuned for some EPIC adventures – I’ve got so much cool stuff lined up for this week and I can’t wait to share it all with you.
P.S. I’m gonna vlog it all.
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You make me very home sick Anthony – and you will just love that ferry trip..:)