Statistics on today's journey from Christchurch to Nashville:
28 hours door-to-door
4 different airplanes
4 pilots announcing, "Flight attendants, please prepare for departure and cross-check."
5 major cities: Christchurch, Auckland, Los Angeles, Dallas, Nashville
2 Wednesday-morning sunrises (one in Christchurch, one off the coast of Los Angeles)
1 major itinerary gaffe, leading to . . .
1 brand new international ticket on Qantas Airlines
3 climates (winter cold in Christchurch, L.A. neutral, and heavy summer heat in both Dallas and Nashville)
1 extraordinary friend picking me up at the airport by surprise
2 heavy bags, now unpacked
23 varieties of penguin souvenirs (finger puppets, wooden carvings, books, stuffed animals, necklaces, snowglobes, etc.)
2 T-Mobile hot spots (only had to pay once!)
1 extremely happy cat at Colorado Avenue, looking as penguin-esque as ever and purring up a storm
All good wishes go out to everyone who kept up with my trip, and all the Kiwis and Aussies who kept me company and helped me along the way. Special thanks to Theresa who took gentle care of the very temperamental Steve, and also sent me e-mail updates. Many thanks to sweet Lily G. for introducing me to Flat Stanley and helping me create Flat Lily, my faithful traveling companion. Thanks to A.-J. and the Sisters of Sion for the amazing Australian adventure. I am most grateful to Gail, Kelly, and little Nikita for making 10 Ballance Street feel less like a bed and breakfast and more like a second home. Thank you for folding me into your life there and making my days so comfortable and fun. I am glad to be home, but I will miss my little life in Christchurch, a paradise even in the midst of winter, a place I hope to see again very soon.
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