A Ride with a View; Then Fond Farewells

Like many, I took the free day to ride the Queenstown gondola, which delivers the most spectacular view I’ve ever seen. I’ve often joked that New Zealand is where God goes on vacation, and this view has to be proof! With the bright sun and blue sky all around me as I stood on the viewing deck, I felt like I could fly. Shortly thereafter, I really did fly, as we took a trip on the luge run at the top of the summit.

After a morning on the mountain, we hopped a city bus—a double-decker bus no less—to Arrowtown, a quaint little village just a few minutes away. We wandered the sleepy streets shopping and chatting, and I bought a great detail map of New Zealand that will help me always remember this amazing trip. We ate lunch at a great restaurant called Pannikins, where I savored a classic New Zealand dish: the mincemeat pie. Delish!

Later, we returned to our hotel to get ready for our closing dinner together. These closing events are always bittersweet for me. I love coming together for food, fun, and the chance to reminisce about the trip and compare notes about our individual adventures. But it also means a well-earned escape is nearing its end (and a long plane ride is just around the corner!). Everyone was dressed to the nines for our dining experience at Prime, a top restaurant on the waterfront.

I’m sure the wait staff was bowled over by our group—no one stayed seated (we were all busy roaming around the restaurant laughing and hugging), and we were so noisy! So much happy laughter and squeals of delight. Once everyone got settled and the servers could sort out who-ordered-what, we enjoyed a fabulous four-course meal… the restaurant still stayed pretty noisy, but that was part of the fun. At the close of the meal, I surprised my dear friend and CTMH Vice President Monica Wihongi with a birthday cake and we all sang and celebrated. I didn’t want it to end!

But of course, it did, and the next morning, everyone was packed and ready to head to the airport for other destinations or home. David and I hopped a flight to Auckland on the north island, where the Wihongis graciously introduced us to Hamilton, Jody’s childhood home. They stayed with us for a day, helping us get acclimated and introducing us to some of their dear friends who made us feel like family during the few relaxing days we were able to spend there.

Before we knew it, we bid farewell to this island paradise at the bottom of the world and headed home. I was sad to see the trip end, but so grateful and happy to return to the life waiting for me in Utah. It was a long flight. It was an exhilarating adventure. It was a celebration of incredible people who worked consistently and with focus to earn this unforgettable experience. Thank you, Close To My Heart incentive trip earners, for providing me so many, many reasons to celebrate!