41. Goodbye NZ

While taking the bus from Hastings to Wellington Airport, before getting off, I had the chance to meet an Indian man. He was about my age and was going back to India that evening. While we were waiting to board our flight at the airport, we got to know each other better. He mentioned that he owns a small shop in Hastings, which he just started not long ago, but it seemed to be doing well.

I feel good every time I get the chance to talk to someone who has their own business like this, and knowing that they are about the same age as me makes me even more motivated to want to create something of my own. My plan at that time was to go back to build mixed farming on my own land. I just wanted a shady spot, and I enjoy seeing the growth and changes of the trees (let's put that aside for now).

While waiting to check in, we got up from our seats to find a scale to check our luggage weight. However, when we walked back to find our seats again, it became a bit difficult because the number of people had noticeably increased in the evening. My new friend suggested we sit on the floor, which made me feel a bit shy because apart from the two of us, no one else was doing that. Even though I was worried about how people passing by would look at us, this Indian guy said, "If we don't pay attention to them, it won't matter." That was indeed a very useful piece of advice and event for me. In the meantime, he talked about setting up his shop, the profits from selling each item, hiring employees, etc. I really enjoyed having the opportunity to listen to these stories.

After saying goodbye to him in the early evening, I looked for a place to rest, using a quiet corner of the sofa as my hideout. Around four in the morning, I got up to take a shower, and this airport had all the facilities ready, which I found impressive. When it was time to check in, I smoothly went through all the procedures, and my visa expired on the same day I was flying, marking one year and three months of fully utilizing my visa quota.

The feeling of getting on the plane and being a little closer to home like this made me feel a bit excited and fulfilled that everything had finally gone well. While waiting for my connecting flight in Australia, I had the opportunity to use the internet, so I messaged the owner of the backpackers' hostel to ask if anyone had come to pick up the van. When she said she hadn't seen anyone, I messaged that Dutch person. She said she had consulted her father and decided to forfeit her right. I thought she might not be confident about this, but what could I do? If I were in her situation, it would also seem a bit risky to accept such a strange offer.

But that wasn't a problem at all. My heart had already let go of this car. No matter who the new owner is, it doesn't matter. So, I messaged the backpacker owner and asked her if she wanted to keep the car, and she gladly accepted. I think after knowing each other for more than a year, it should be easy for her not to think much about receiving my gift like this.

In summary, all the issues that once troubled me in NZ have been resolved. I continued my journey to Asia with peace of mind. Although reaching Singapore was not yet my homeland, it was very close.