I’m walking down the street early this afternoon. I’ve just had a successful meeting. Things are going well.

Suddenly, there’s a lemon tree, complete with lemons, vibrant orange-yellow lemons. Completely out of context. How bizarre to see a fruit tree in the middle of the city. I was torn between being delighted and feeling slightly stupid. I’d walked past about 30 minutes earlier – and didn’t notice the lemons. Did someone just put them there? How could I have not noticed them?

Quite simply, there’s no explanation. I guess I was looking at something else, travelling somewhere else in my mind. Not paying attention, at least not to unexpected citrus trees.

Meanwhile, precious, beautiful, life slinks past. Just glides away. Vanishes. Unnoticed. Ignored…

Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans. — John Lennon

Manifesto
05. Every day is now. The present moment.
17. Every day look through a new lens.
28. Every day you will be tested.

We only part to meet again.
John Gay

As a young girl I spent a lot of time at passenger departure lounges, at both airports and wharves, saying good-bye to people as they left our shores permanently or temporarily. These departures were always a big occasion and everyone in our ethnic community would turn up to say their good-byes. You were conspicuous by your absence. Everyone dressed up in their best clothes – even the people who were travelling. There was lots of talking, lots of hugs, kisses and copious tears.

I’ll never forget the feelings associated these good-bye especially when it was someone that meant a lot to me.

Those were very different times. Travel was a big deal and options were limited. To get from New Zealand to anywhere else in the world took a long time – months by boat, days (even a week) by plane – and a lot of money. Added to this communication options were very limited so keeping in touch primarily happened by mail which was also slow at reaching its destination.

Funnily, I don’t have many memories of greeting people as they arrived back from their travels. However, today I had an arrival experience that warmed my soul and made me instantly forget the pain of being apart.

As I walked through the arrivals gate at London’s Heathrow Airport this afternoon after 26 hours of flying I walked straight into the arms of my oldest daughter Zofia. The minute we spotted each other the tears started to stream. We raced towards each other and just hugged so tight. We were completely oblivious to the obstruction we were causing, all that mattered in that moment was that we were together at last. This could have been a scene out of the movie Love Actually.

Once my daughter and I composed ourselves we became practical.

‘Here is your tube map and your oyster card,’ said Zofia as she handed over the items.

The confusion began for me. Very quickly I realised I was no longer in New Zealand.

On one of my earlier flights a man I was sitting next to expressed dismay that I had never been to London before. He thought this was a rite of passage for every New Zealander as they were growing up. Somehow I missed out and I’m very aware of that as I have sat through numerous conversations over the years about various people’s London experiences. I smiled at the man and thought, ‘better late than never’.

Now I can say I have arrived. I am in London with my husband and daughter. Let the adventures and learning begin.

By the way … the cover of the tube map is an art work – Untitled (Tube Map) by Barbara Kruger, 2009 – commissioned by Art on the Underground:

The image shows a section of the Tube map in which the station names have been replaced by words that relate to Kruger’s experience of that part of London. Taking the very familiar visual language of the map, she keeps the main image intact but changes the words – still in the classic New Johnston Font – and liberates them from their daily function. St James’s Park is momentarily renamed ‘Fame’, Westminster station becomes ‘Reason’ and Victoria station as ‘Pride’ completes a humorous triangle/set of three.

Manifesto
02. Every day is an opportunity for a new beginning.
18. Every day express love. Some people need to hear it. Most people need to see it. Don’t take it for granted.
44. Every day remember how far you have come.

Light tomorrow with today!
– Elizabeth Barrett Browning

He was arriving on the last flight from Auckland. It was due to land at 10pm. I couldn’t wait to see him.

As I was driving to the airport I passed through the city. It was buzzing. People were everywhere. I hadn’t seen it so alive for a while. There is a big event happening in town tomorrow and you could tell.

As I pulled up at the airport it was a completely different story. There were lots of empty parked cars but no people anywhere. Walking into the airport building I was struck by the emptiness of the place. It was such an odd feeling. Only the cleaners around – picking up after everyone and getting the place ready for others to use. You could tell that people had been there but they were now all long gone.

All the shops, eating areas and bars were closed. All the check-in counters were deserted. The escalators were still. Lights were dimmed in places. No one sitting around waiting – for anything or anyone. A normally bustling place was almost breathing a sigh of relief – it was taking some time out to recharge and refresh before the next onslaught, the next flight to arrive or depart.

As I wandered towards the gate where his plane was due to arrive I noticed that even the tarmac was deserted. Where were all the planes? Was I at the airport?

Looking through all the glass windows – into the various waiting areas where passengers are herded prior to boarding a plane, out on to the tarmac which is generally like a motorway with planes coming and going but was now quiet, and out beyond to the night lights and the night sky – I felt at peace and it felt good. This was time to be alone, to think and just be.

Through the tiredness at the end of a long day I love this opportunity to be quiet, to reflect on what was, what is over with for now, and the joy of having some rest so that tomorrow I am ready to start again – only new and different. I realised this evening that no matter how much I may want today to end it does have an impact on my tomorrow. The good part is that I control what that impact is. Everything is connected and all of it matters. Taking time out to just be at one with ourselves and our world is so vital if we are understand what that connection is.

Manifesto
23. Every day retain your personal power. It belongs to you. No one else.
36. Every day be still. Connect to your inner being. Listen and be guided by it.
42. Every day celebrate. Who you are. What you have achieved. Things that matter to you.

Until today I had never heard of a shemozzle. As soon as I read the word in a banner draped across a building – “Hunterville Shepherds’ Shemozzle Today” – I had to say it out loud.

“Shemozzle. Shemozzle. Shemozzle.” Saying it once was not enough. It rolled off the tongue so easily and it sounded like fun.

We were driving through a normally very quiet township, Hunterville – the sort that you blink and you’ve missed it – but today it was bustling with activity and people.

“Do you want to stop?” asked Lynsey.

I was tempted but I was also very keen to reach our destination – a friend’s holiday home on the shores of Lake Taupo. Lynsey and I were both feeling so exhausted and I was harbouring a killer headache.

“No, let’s keep going,” I said. I did however sit there wondering what on earth a shemozzle is.

This gruelling cross country obstacle event is centred around the Shepherds and their Huntaway dogs competing over an endurance and obstacle course. Previous years have seen competitors swallowing raw eggs, munching on dry weetbix washed down with a can of warm beer, huhu bugs with cold cooking oil or a sheep’s eye and cream!

The route and finer details of the Shepherds’ Shemozzle are not revealed to contestants until the Shepherd’s meeting minutes before the race … Who knows where it will start and finish this year? – the only thing that organisers can guarantee is that the Shepherds’ Shemozzle will be just that “A Shemozzle”.

Source: Hunterville Huntaway Festival

We did however stop a bit later for a break and something to eat in Taihape. As we pulled into an angle car park on the main drag I noticed that we were the only ordinary car in sight. All the others were these huge, overbearing four wheel drive beasts. I had to smile as I looked at them. For the first time I saw evidence that the owners of these vehicles were using them for the purpose they were intended – as farm utility vehicles, or as I like to think of them, as beasts of burden. These vehicles we were parked next to were all covered in mud. They looked like they lived a rugged life and were worked hard. I am so used to seeing four wheel drive vehicles in the City primarily being used as vehicles to transport the family around. In many respects they are considered a status symbol but I could never understand this.

As we ordered our lunch we asked the young man serving us why there were so few people around. “They’re all at the shemozzle or they’re heading there,” he said.

I love being in the country. It is so down to earth. The people are different. Their priorities are different. Everything is different. It is all about the earth and our connection to it. It feels great to take in the beauty that is our land and be reminded that there is so much more to life than our jobs and the closeted existence we can so easily live in the city.

Manifesto
09. Every day learn something new.
29. Every day eat, drink, rest, work, exercise, play, love, create for your own good. And the good of others.
49. Every day is a good day.