A huge THANK YOU!

We arrived home this Monday night, after one whole month on the road. Both Gary and I are so enthralled by the beauty of the North Island; we’re feeling privileged to live in such a stunningly diverse and breathtaking country. (I did have to drag Gary away from studying real estate brochures at times). Now several days after arriving home to Nelson, I am missing the nomadic lifestyle, but in particular the gift of friendship with strangers.
 
What a trip! 3000 kms. Beginning from the West Coast of the North Island from Waverley, all the way north to Pukekohe, then back down and around the Coromandel, the Bay of Plenty to Gisborne, then south to Carterton, where last Saturday I gave my 25th and last talk of the tour.

​I am so grateful to all the librarians who went to so much trouble in promoting my talk on Facebook, in local papers, on the radio and mailing invitations to those who had read my books. I appreciated all the newspaper interviews, the photos, posters, the morning, afternoon and evening teas that you organised, as well as all the extra ‘out of hours’ time spent in setting up listening spaces to make my talks so enjoyable for everyone.
 
I have so many poignant memories of the people I met, the stories I was told, from the many who had been to Alaska, had family there, or who were about to head there; from those to the Māori whānau in Te Kūiti, where Dad had just returned from whaling in Barrow, Alaska. Wow, what a privilege to meet you all. I sincerely hope to meet up with you again.Thank you so much for your interest in my stories, and for sharing yours.

By the way, our third passenger, our recently rescued greyhound Jody, was equally thrilled by the trip.  So much so that on our return, where she was finally able to tear around our large yard in freedom, after doing so, she immediately climbed back into the caravan and refused to get out.  “Where next?” she seemed to say.
 
 Yes we are heading north again, but not till next May, and yes I am writing another book.