New Zealand will make you love life

And to think it started on a plane ride from Cape Town to Johannesburg in 2017 when an Australian banker said, “South Africa is the second most beautiful country in the

world.” He gave me a New Zealand contact number and remarked his bank had tried to do business with New Jersey. “Corrupt,” he said. I gave him my card and suggested a book called “The Soprano State”. That was forgotten until I was sailing off the coast of Maine and a dude from Texas told me “I always wanted to go to New Zealand.”

Who plans a long trip with someone you hardly know? Several people on that boat actually and a few others joined in. Talk about your motly crew.

COVID and three years later, we gathered from all over in Auckland. It was spring at home but a beautiful fall in New Zealand.

The dude from Texas decided we would take on “vacation names” for the trip. His was Miguel because he loves Mexican food. Later we would all have them. Miguel and I posed by a hot springs beside a “danger sign” and I put it on line with a note we were celebrating Hug A Journalist Day. “I told him I was Walter Cronkite,” I joked. Thereby my traveling moniker, “Cronk.” We found Kilkenny Irish Ale, which before I only had when in Rome. It was at Father Ted’s Original Irish Pub in Auckland. The real deal. Our traveling Ted, a gifted photographer, became Father Ted. And we went back for more ale. Joining us in the name game were Chardonnay, Chief, Jersey Girl, The Sisters, Mariana, Miguel’s wife, etc. Each had a story. Even the shy joined in. We were like a bunch of high schoolers away from home unsupervised.

Miguel told me if I didn’t go off a high bridge over a river he would automate a daily 4 am call to say “Chicken!” Getting closer I started making up phony excuses why I couldn’t. A person who has known me most of my life said privately, “I know you’re kidding. Once you made the commitment I knew you were going off the bridge.” Her moniker is Rocky because she took a nasty spill off a bike in Wellington but got up with bruises, black eye and pain all over to keep going. When she joined us later we hummed the theme from “Rocky” the Stallone movie.

Over land, sea, air, we moved along taking in the culture, the sights, comparing the public toilets — they all had personalities — watching glow worms. We got tired of scrambled eggs and bacon not cooked crisp like we do it. Meat pies are a thing. I ran of peanut butter crackers I take on trips and couldn’t find the snacks we have. We had bread only at breakfast. The coffee cups were way too small. Less seafood than expected and less lamb.

But who cares?

If I had gone alone it would have been a life-changing experience. But with this crew it is unforgettable. I’ve have downloaded New Zealand rock group Six60’s Maori greeting song “Pepeha” on my Apple and Amazon feeds. When I listen I will think of my pals. And those wonderful Kiwis, the people. (The birds kiwi are non-flying night birds about the size of a chicken, hard to find but I got to see some in a special darkened habitat.) I also learned to sheer sheep, sat in the co-pilot seat while flying through a mountain range, strolled along the Tazman Sea, walked through caves and raced boats on a river.

My mother passed away in February. We were close. I considered canceling but thought I can’t do that after getting this going. So I went not knowing what to expect. My pals — from the US, Canada, Australia and England — looked after me, took care of me and made me laugh from one end of New Zealand to the other. Some things like Miguel’s gate bet that cost me $58 in Scotch had me rolling on the floor. The farmer who drove us three to the highest pasture I ever saw couldn’t stop laughing either. He wanted a photo to remind him of that day. For lifting my spirits I am enternally grateful. I needed this trip more than I knew.

When the first two of us left for the airport we three stood at the hotel door and cried. I went back to my room and Rocky came over to ask something. “Your eyes are watery, do you have a cold?”

“I just said goodbye to two friends and I am no good at goodbyes.”

“That makes you human,” Rocky said.

New Zealand has that effect on you.