NZ Lesson 3 – The journey is the destination

Manaia Mountain

Parents know these words very well “are we there yet?” I vividly remember my dad saying: “Just over the next hill”. What a sight to at last see the deep cool blue sea water over the next hill.

As kids we thought these vacations only started the moment when you dove into that first wave. My mom knew better. For her it started with the first batch of cookies and rusks weeks before we left, with the “padkos”, the boiled eggs, the chicken drums, the coffee…

For her it was all about the journey.

Living in a strange new land is a daunting experience. I am 52 and for many years I have been asking “am I there yet”. As I am writing this, it suddenly gets clearer to me. It’s not about getting there. Sit back, enjoy the ride. The adventure is now and not around the next corner.