The New Zealand Affair

Captain Treasure Hound says:

Okay, I told you about going to NZ to see my Dad when he worked there

And my Mom was visiting him too

Captain Hookah says:

yep

Captain Treasure Hound says:

And my parents had done this famous hike on the South Island

The Milford Track

They went with a guide and stayed in bunkhouses

Where meals were prepared for them and all

So no carrying tents or food

Maybe not even bedding - can't remember

And the hiking is a little rigorous, but not as rigorous as it is when you have to carry everything

And you go over these mountains and past these big waterfalls and clear rivers and so on

So they offered a chance for me to do this trip when I was there, they had loved it so much

And notice I said it was /guided/

Captain Hookah says:

Your making me jealous, i soooo wanted to go NZ when i was in Oz

Captain Hookah says:

uh oh!

Captain Treasure Hound says:

NZ is the best! When shall we go?

Captain Hookah says:

2moro!

Captain Treasure Hound says:

It's a geologist's dream!

Captain Hookah says:

hehe!

Captain Treasure Hound says:

Or you can come here and go to Yellowstone!

Also very cool for a geologist!

Captain Hookah says:

yeah, always wanted to go there too

Captain Treasure Hound says:

*honeymooned there*

Captain Hookah says:

wow!!

Captain Treasure Hound says:

Anyway, the guide was, of course, this cute outdoorsy kiwi.

And I was the only young cute chick in my group.

There were all these older ladies who were total snots

But it was this guy Grant's job to be nice to us all, right?

So how could I tell if he was being extra nice to me, when slogging up the mountain sopping wet in the pouring rain, he met me with a mug of cocoa from his thermos? I mean, he was doing that for everyone!

And we had these nice little chats

But I also thought he had to do that with everyone

So I went through the whole hike

Which was great

With prolly a little crush on him

Not huge, but you know, just sort of wistful or something

Captain Hookah says:

If he was a hiking guide, it musta been a good view for you walking behind him!!

Captain Treasure Hound says:

Hee!

I think there was a whole lotta backpack there, is what there was

But then the last two nights of the trip after the hike was over, he was more like a real person again, just coordinating the group in the two hotel stays to get us back where we started

So remember, I am with my MOM on this trip

And we are all in the hotel bar, the night after we hiked in

And it's festive to be back in civilization again

And Grant is more and more like a regular guy

And my mom says she's going off to bed, but I should feel free to stay and enjoy the party....

And then Grant and I head out to the lake....

And he and I talk

Captain Hookah says:

oh no, at your suggestion??!!

Captain Treasure Hound says:

I don't remember

I don't think so

Captain Hookah says:

Thought you were working you magic there!

Captain Treasure Hound says:

I think I waited for him to make the move, as I really wasn't sure about whether he was just being friendly for the job or not

Anyway, he certainly made his move pretty fast outside

We were talking and then maybe kissing, and then I think his hands were all sorts of places

(well, one place in particular)

Awfully darn quick

Captain Hookah says:

Well he is a guide, knows all the best places!!

Captain Treasure Hound says:

I was a bit surprised

Captain Treasure Hound says:

Hee!

*LAUGHS*

That was a good one

Oh dearie me

Captain Treasure Hound says:

So we ended up in his room

And it was all quite nice

Except for when I had to go back to my room

Shared with my mother

At like 6 in the morning

Knowing she is a light sleeper

Bear in mind by this point I am guessing my mom knows I have slept with boyfriends

But we don't talk about it

Captain Hookah says:

best way!

Captain Treasure Hound says:

Yeah

So I'm thinking that a one-night stand with the guide is maybe in a different category?

And she might have something to say about this?

So I was a little hesitant about the whole going back to the room thing.

But I decided to go ahead and face the music.

And when I went in, she gave me the PERFECT out!

She said, "Oh, did the party move to someone's room afterwards?"

And I kind of wanted to say yes

Captain Hookah says:

Ahhhh!!

Captain Treasure Hound says:

To that

But either I felt too dishonest

or I was afraid that she'd make comments to the others on the trip about the late party

And they'd give her puzzled looks

Which would lead to possible public disgrace

Or both

Captain Hookah says:

hehe!!

Captain Treasure Hound says:

But anyway, what I said was

Yes, but it was actually more of a two person kind of a party

Good line, huh?

Captain Hookah says:

OMG!!

Captain Treasure Hound says:

And that after not very much sleep

Captain Hookah says:

Nooooooooo!!!

Captain Hookah says:

What about you just went to chat somewhere, and with a few drinks and all, just fell asleep!!

Captain Treasure Hound says:

Well, that's kind of what she thought

At first

That the group in general

Captain Hookah says:

Or, you had been back, then out again for a morning stroll

Captain Treasure Hound says:

had been too noisy in the bar

Or the bar had closed or something

No, she is a light sleeper and would have known I wasn't there in the night

But anyway, there's more to this

So she asked, oh, who were you with?

Like it was no big deal!

And all I could think was, Oh boy, she doesn't care!

And if I were my sister, she would be FREAKING out

Because she thinks my sister (well at the time)

uses poor judgment and does stupid things

But I was always the golden child

So apparently even a one-night stand must have been a wise, considered decision if /I/ were doing it!

Honestly!

Captain Hookah says:

hehe!!

Captain Treasure Hound says:

I never realized how little wrong I could do until that moment

So anyway, I told her Grant

And she said, oh, he seems very nice

Like I had brought him home for tea or something!

Not like he had just wildly bedded me or anything!

Can you believe this?

So then the next night, the last night, I went off to the hot tub with Grant, and then to his room

And just told my mom not to expect to see me until the morning

Captain Hookah says:

Really?!!

Captain Treasure Hound says:

Yes!

And it was all fine!

Captain Hookah says:

Woah!

Captain Treasure Hound says:

She even tried to think of ways to help me stay there longer

Although I wasn't sure Grant had any long term interest like that

Captain Hookah says:

I cant even begin to think of ways that I'd say don’t expect me till morning with straight face!

Captain Treasure Hound says:

She thought I might want to see if things would keep going

Yeah, well, this was all kind of surprising to me, let me tell you!

If it had been a long term boyfriend, maybe

Like I might actually have shared a hotel room with my boyfriend Bob at my sister's wedding.

But this was a whole different category

And ESPECIALLY when you know

that my mom was traveling and studying in Europe

and got pregnant at 17

With my sister

by this Australian guy

I thought she would be much more uptight about making sure we didn't do those sorts of things

Although maybe she just understood

Captain Hookah says:

yeah, but then I guess she knows

Captain Treasure Hound says:

But really I think it had to do with it being me

Seriously, I asked her, what if Vicky were here doing this!

And she had this whole other response!

So I was truly the golden child.

Anyhow, there's a little more

One interesting thing to me was that as I was falling asleep with Grant but still talking to him, I was seeing things in my mind in a theme of pictures - like all cartoon

It was sort of an altered state

No drugs, though

And not dreaming

Captain Hookah says:

hee!

Captain Treasure Hound says:

As I was awake

This happened to me both nights I was with him

And I don't think I have experienced it any other time - maybe once or twice

Anyhow, that was bizarre but kind of magical

And the other oh, two more things

One is, I was having a hard time leaving the next morning

As I would never see him again

And we were in bed so cozy

And it was early

And we hadn't slept so very much and all

And so I was running to catch the bus

And the whole group was on it

And all the ladies were smirking

So the public humiliation happened after all

But I didn't really care

as I was pretty happy!

Captain Hookah says:

Well you should be the one smirking!

Captain Treasure Hound says:

Right!

Just so!

So the end of this story is happier than the Pat story although still bittersweet.

I wasn't sure I really mattered to Grant, as he knew I was only around two more days when this whole thing took fire

But he wrote me letters and things!

And they were great, real letters

I was so impressed

Captain Hookah says:

Wow, he musta cared then to make that effort

Captain Treasure Hound says:

And he really came through as a decent guy

And told me all about how he was learning to pilot helicopters and things

And so I thought very seriously about going to NZ for my training

Just to see if maybe...../maybe/

And also because NZ is awesome, Grant or no Grant

And my parents would have supported me to do that

BUT just as I had the chance to do this

I was getting to know Jim

And I had to choose

Did I think something was happening here that was real and important?

Or was it worth chasing a dream, a fairly improbable dream, all the way across the world?

And I stayed.

The End

Captain Hookah says:

Musta been a tough choice!

Captain Hookah says:

How long more did you hear from Grant?

Captain Treasure Hound says:

It was, kind of

A couple more letters.

Not many

But nice ones

I was the one who didn't write back

I still feel badly about that

I mean, it seemed unlikely that anything long term would /really/ happen with us.

And I knew there was something tangible and meaningful with Jim that even felt like destiny was involved, I hate to say it but there it is.

So the choice wasn't that hard.

Captain Hookah says:

Any altered states with Jim though!!!

Captain Treasure Hound says:

But I can look back at Grant as "the road not taken"