We've been in New Zealand for almost 3 years and at first our plan was to come to NZ and after a year got back to SA for a holiday, but for anyone who has experienced immigration they can understand the desperate need to go back to the place you call home and to weigh up the options (both financially and emotionally) of a long trip back home or staying where you are and building the foundation you need to make it in your new surroundings. Well, it took us 2 and a half years to finally be able to go home and as soon as we could we got our ickets and set our plans for our trip home.
After 17 weeks our time for our "long trek" finally came. Because I'd done the long 3 and a half hour flight via Dubai on Emirates we decided there was no way we were gonna do that and so booked through Qantas and flew via Sydney. Our flight was a 7am flight and so we had to be at the airport at about 5am, but with the Festive season already underway and the airports so hectic (we were told by a few people that they were lat checking in even though they were 2 hours before their fligt) so we decided we would get to the airport as early as possible. So we got onto the airport shuttle about 3.30am (100% lack of sleep that night, with doing last minute packing and such) and were at the airport by about 4am. I hate airports, I absolutely hate airports! I am a very nervous traveller (bad experiences at Heathrow airport which has scarred me for life) so I was very very pleased that all went well at check in! Our flight to Sydney wasn't to bad, Air NZ is a wonderful airline (giving props where it's due) but one of the worst airports I've ever flown into is Syndey International. The place is a mad house! We got off the plane 3hrs later and were advised that connecting passengers needed only to go to the Transfer desk, BUT they don't tell you which Transfer desk out of the few hundred desks in the airport!!! Anyway, I kid you not when I say 80% of the people on the Air NZ Auckland to Sydney flight were all transferring to Qantas Sydney to Johannesburg! So we're standing in the line right, for about half an hour (which is like a day in airport time) and one of the gentlemen in the line asks one of the airport staff if we're in the right line. Guess what, we weren't! He directed us to another transfer desk which was on the other side of the airport altogether. Thankfully because most of the passengers were all together there was no way they were gonna let the plane go! And, well we had about an hour to go anyway! But I digress, we finally got checked in and finally borded our 14 hour flight to Johannesburg! After about 6 hours we had had it, and the damn travel agent had ordered Cameron a "Special Diet" so every meal on every flight Cameron was receiveing low-fat, low-carb meals, and guess who had to eat that!!! It was so funny! At first we were wondering what the hell was happening, at first I thought maybe it could be a mix up (and thought maybe it was me but then realised my passport is in my maiden name - Bonhomme - so the "Pillay" meal was definitely for him. Side note: only on our return trip did he realise that he "might've mentioned" this to the travel agent!) Anyway, 14 hours later we arrived in Johannesburg! I was slightly disappointed when we arrived because when I went back to SA on my first trip to NZ 6 years ago, the overwhelming feeling of "FINALLY I'M HOME" was not there! Maybe it was because the trip was really long (and the plane was so old, I'm used to each seat having a tv and you can watch whatever you like, but this flight was like straight out of the 90's, with tv screens dropping out of the ceiling and everyone watching the same old movie). Needless to say we didn't watch the movies and slept all the way, so maybe that's why we didn't have that excited feeling when we disembarked. But when we saw Poovi & Reshme, that all changed! Cameron was so excited to see Poovi & when we actually got onto the roads in JHB and realised that "Wow, we're home" we finally got that excited feeling.
Poovi & Resh have an amazing home and the most beautiful little boy, Kailash. It was so nice just sitting around and catching up with them and finally getting to play with the little munchkin, who we had never seen besides in pictures. Poovi went all out & cooked up a storm and Wayne & Tish came over and we finally got to enjoy what we had been missing for so long. Wayne & Tish have only been together since we've been in NZ and so we never got to meet her either and we so enjoyed spending time with her and getting to know her. The boys so enjoyed being together again. Cameron & Wayne have been friends for over 20 years and Cameron & Poovi have been friends for about 17 years. And they, along with the rest of the crew (Kumaran, Lloyd, Niven and others) have been friends for so long and have been a huge part of Cameron's life and now mine. All the wives & girlfriends get on and they are all part of our extended family.
These are a few pics of our first night in SA.
Cameron & Poovi
The Boys, Poovi, Cam & Wayne
Reshme, me & Tish
We divided our time in Johannesburg at Poovi & Reshme and with Wayne & Tish. We literally partied all night and slept all day and it didn't help us in terms of jet lag. The first few days in JHB were a blur, needless to say but I can and will say we thoroughl we enjoyed it. Here's a few pics of our time in JHB:
And the thing I missed most (besides my family & friends) was Beacon Marshmallows. No offence to NZ but there is no better marshmallow and definitely the standard I've found in NZ and Australia is far below that of a Beacon Marshmallow. Tish came to my rescue (after dear Reshme went on a marshmallow hunt on our way from the airport) and had these gorgeous marshmallows in her cupboard... girl after my own heart!
One of my faves is the coconut covered marshmallow...
And yes, I ate marshmallows my whole holiday through. My dear mother had them ready and waiting for me cos she knows how much I love me a good marshmallow!!!
Anyway, after our fun-filled weekend in JHB we finally flew to Durban and got see our families. Cam's parents, my mum, sister-in-law & niece & nephew, and my dad (his wife and their son, Zack) came to see us at the airport. It was so good to see everyone, and the tears ran as we saw everyone! I will admit the excitedness came once we got on Durban soil. As we were going to collect our luggage from the carousel, I heard my mum and nephew call out my name and the butterflies started!!! We were so happy to be home! After catching up at the airport we headed off to Cam's parents place and had the WHOLE family come through to see us which was awesome!
1 comment:
enjoyed reading this .... i know the feeling of butterflies all too well though mine always hit me the first sight of south african land. i can't believe its been 5yrs since i have been home:( will catch up more later (of to get ready for church!!!)
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