Back to Auckland
Woke up today in a world of pain.
Actually let’s back up a bit.. I had such a hard time falling asleep because I was in a world of pain. My knee hurt, my ego ached, my ass was screaming, my shoulders and neck were tight.. and all of this was making me hot and feverish from pain. I think after praying and groaning for what seemed like at least an hour, I finally went into a coma-like sleep.
Then today when I woke up, it’s like I sliced some of the pain right back open. Why do people willingly do this to themselves?, I remember asking myself. And then I also remembered that I also did this to myself repeatedly. As much as everything hurt, I also had a delicious sense of accomplishment and a new core memory unlocked. I guess as long as none of this pain is permanent, it was worth it.
However, Laura did mention yesterday 3 of her fingers were numb and she couldn’t really use her hand anymore, so we looked that up and it seems that it’s called ‘handlebar palsy’ and is common. Reportedly, it commonly goes away within 24-72 hours, but we’re a bit stressed since it’s her drawing and painting hand. So whether this excursion was worth it is still tbd, because I wouldn’t trade her talents for a single fucking experience in the world.
Uncle Von and Jo arrived at the farm to pick us up around 11, and we looked outside and Uncle Von and Norm were all smiles playing with his ATV looking 4 wheeler. How are these men not hurting like the rest of us? What the hell are they made of? We all went outside to try our own hand at riding the ATV when Uncle Von casually mentions he’d rather drive the big fertilizer spreading tractor instead. And of course Norm immediately, and almost too casually, agrees. So just like that next hour or so was spent playing with Norm’s toys and getting a farm tour.
It was very interesting to see the carrot harvest going through the washing and sorting plant, to it then getting bagged for sale and consumption. As you can tell, me and Laura still look pretty destroyed, from our lack of any attempt to look presentable. Laura looks like she forgot to put on pants and I look like a balding man. As we were walking through, since I had just woken up I decided to grab myself a carrot for breakfast because it looked so fresh and also—why not? It did feel pretty comical to be walking around looking like an Indian boy with electrocuted curly hair with a carrot in my hand like I owned the place, much to the confusion of the staff.
Falls for the dangling carrot 10/10 times
Exposing myself with this hair.. but you have to be able to laugh at yourself I guess.
I think I need to further expose myself here.
40 yr old Vanita
4 yr old Vanita… How is the face the exact same.
Kerry convinced Aunt Jo and Uncle Von to stay for a quick lunch, which was perfect for me so that I could make myself look a little more presentable. While everyone ate, I got a chance to hangout with PawPaw (Maxine’s grandma) and she is one cool lady. By the end of the conversation I was swooning a little and had a bit of a crush on her as well.
Vanita ‘swooning’ face
After lunch we finally left and on our way home Aunt Jo wanted to show me a place called Blue Springs. I had never heard of this tourist site in any of my research so I was excited to see something new. She mentioned there’s many New Zealanders who don’t even know about this place or have never seen it, so that got me even more restless to check this place out, and man it did not disappoint.
Nature was alive here, the silence not empty. It was so breathtaking, that your breath didn’t just pause or hitch—you quite literally wanted to hold your breath so as to not disturb the tranquility. The ferns towered the banks like guardians of the Te Waihou river. The water itself was a paradox—so clear it seems invisible, yet glowing with an ethereal gemstone luminosity. Beneath the glassy surface,the current combed through long hypnotic strands of aquatic flora, while bright patches of watercress thrive along the margins, their emerald leaves vivid against the aquamarine depths. The different species of trees complimented our guardians in a chaotic architecture of rough gnarly trunks, towering canopies and weeping tussocks— creating a secluded world where the earth exhales in cool washes of blue and green.
The water of the ‘Blue Springs’ is constantly at a temperature of 11 degrees year round. This is because this water originates from Malaki Plateau and it takes 50-100 years for the water to filter down through the rock layers and travel underground before it finally bursts out of the spring. Because it spends decades below ground, it is basically temperature controlled to the earths internal temperature of 11 degrees.
Standing at the waters edge, I felt small in the most beautiful way, crushed under the weight of a hidden wonder of the world. But my awe pierced a sharp, quiet ache in my heart that I couldn’t share this with you him.
I would’ve given anything for you to witness this magic in your lifetime, Dad.
This trip and the last trip, Uncle Von has done so much for us, planning adventures for me and Laura like he truly understands our spirit; but this gift was from Aunt Jo, like she understood my soul.
