Kaylen squeezed the last item of clothing she could into the backpack and put her sleeping bag on top before doing up the straps. She had a made a decision and what a decision it was. Kaylen was not going to sit back and let the world pass her by anymore, she was going to make a concerted effort to take part in life and everything it had to offer. She was feeling a fairly large amount of animosity about leaving England; Kaylen had only ever gone once before on a family visit to France to see an Aunt who had moved there.
What did she know about anything? What made her think that she would possible be able to survive on her own overseas? Nothing. That was her answer but she was sticking to her resolution. Some people doubted that Kaylen would actually leave. Never before had she shown this kind of spark to make a huge decision like this and stay the course. Shaking off those views she sold her car, quit her job, transferred her inheritance from its high earning account to her normal account and bought herself a one-way ticket to New Zealand. Why New Zealand? Because it was as far away from England as she could think of without going to Antarctica, and what other reason was needed. A beautiful country with beautiful people was the experience Kaylen needed.
Well, that was an interesting moment I had last night, and of course no one was here to share it with me. Why? Because I never let anyone help me, I have never just exhaled like I did then and emptied my soul of all the pain and torture that has been stored there over the last year. I need a change of perspective and a change of purpose. I think, and don�t hold me to this, but I think it is time I experienced the world. I have a Master�s degree in English but all I am doing is sitting here waiting for the great literature of the world to come to me through some great Library. I need to go to the source of it all before I can go any further. I need to put something back into this world and I need to take some action. I think I have completely decided to take off from this place of dank dark surroundings and go somewhere nice and warm, or at least nice. I will go and I will see all there is to see. It will be an adventure�an adventure? That�s it! I will go to these wonderful places (and those that aren�t wonderful) and write about them! I will write a book and that can be my return to literature. I must have learnt something over the past five years that I can help me to effectively put into words all those things I see and hear� A real adventure!
The decision was made, the computer was sold and a laptop and plane ticket bought. Boarding the plane on that early November afternoon was one of the hardest things Kaylen had ever done. She could not control what would happen from this point onwards. New experiences and troubles were ahead of her and no more looking back would be allowed. Strength would be needed and decisions Kaylen made would ultimately only affect her and what she had for breakfast. Family and friends waved her off as she walked down the gangway toward the plane that would take her away from her past and plunge her into the unknowing future. The dark red haired (from the hairdressers), brown eyed, and creamy brown completion of Kaylen were taking the first steps completely on their own as a young women experiencing the world for the first time.
A quick twenty-plus hour long flight and Kaylen arrived in Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand with a population of about one million. All she wanted to do was find a nice back-packer�s hostel and sleep for a few days and then explore the city and country. Kaylen�s room was fairly small, with two bunk beds, a small sink and a lock up cupboard. She took her backpack off, put it on one of the beds and looked out of the window at the city�s landscape. This place seemed so simple and uncluttered compared to any of the cities back home. This was the largest city in New Zealand and the CBD seemed about as big as a block of buildings in London. Had she made a mistake? At least Kaylen didn�t know anyone here and the chances of meeting up with people from home seemed fairly small. She couldn�t wait to explore, but wait she would for the jet lag was setting in and sleep was required.
Two hours later three girls entered the room and Kaylen was woken from her slumber. The women apologised and introduced themselves. There were Averill Lewis and Lucy Field from Australia, and Rachel Housley from Canada. They were all fellow travellers who had met each other in Fiji and continued their travels onwards through the Pacific and had been in New Zealand for a month. Kaylen had now met her roommates. She introduced herself and decided she was hungry. Averill agreed with her and the four women went off in search of a nice cheap restaurant from which to gain sustenance.
The next day the girls ventured out to show Kaylen the sights and sounds of Auckland City. They went down to the Viaduct to watch the America�s Cup yachts leave for their day�s racing and then walked up through the city to the Domain and the stayed in the Museum for the rest of the day. That night they decided to treat themselves to some fun and frivolity and act their ages, time to sample the Auckland nightlife.
The girls sat down at the bar and gave their drink orders to the barman. After getting their drinks, Rachel moved into the throng of people with Lucy and Averill stayed behind with Kaylen. Averill had been studying in Australia before she came home one day and found her long-term boyfriend in bed with her flatmate. She decided then and there to pack up her stuff and take a trip around the world, having cashed in his credit card for a few thousand dollars worth of travel gear that he wouldn�t miss because he was that rich. Kaylen was pleased because this gave her the chance to have a laugh at some other person�s expense. Usually it was her who provided the humour for her friends.
Kaylen remembered a time back at home a couple of years ago when at university her roommate came home at some ungodly hour of the morning after a night out on the town. She was not alone but because they were living in a University Hostel and had single beds, after they had done the deed he ended up alseep in Kaylen�s bed (who had been out at a party and didn�t arrive home until it was light outside). When Kaylen did return home she was very drunk and threw off her clothes and jumped into bed, yes with the naked man that had fallen into an alcohol induced coma. She jumped up with a start after ploughing into and damaging his man bits, which woke him up and the ensuring screams woke up her roommate. The alcohol Kaylen had consumed then wanted to make a hasty return and she was left to run down the hall to the bathroom, still naked, to make it to the safety of the toilet. Kaylen�s friends had teased her about that one for weeks. If she hadn�t been so drunk then she would have seen the sign on the door saying not to come inside.
The two girls looked up to see a man walk towards them at the bar. He was about six feet tall, with just the right amount of hair, ears and eyebrows. Alexander Haverty introduced himself to the two women standing between him and the bar. Kaylen and Averill laughed to each other behind closed hands as Alex ordered his drink in his strongly British accent. Kaylen could not escape home that easily.
Kaylen
The beauty of it all escapes me. Here I am thousands of miles and kilometres away from home but I feel at peace, sitting here on this hill in Auckland. I�m sitting here just watching and waiting for the weather to change its mind once more and for the sun to come out again. Even in the rain and drizzle this place is amazing. I can see out over the city but most importantly out to the Harbour with the many islands. I will have to go out to Waiheke, it must be amazing. There is Rangitoto and from here I can see many of the other volcanoes around the Auckland landscape. I could quite happily stay here forever.
Last night was great. I had a wonderful time out with the girls. And then there was that guy, what was his name � Alex. He was a laugh. Some preppy guy from England, taking time out to explore the world before he goes to work at his father�s company or something like that. We ended up staying out until it was this morning, had breakfast at this little caf� in Ponsonby in the same clothes we wore out last night, it rocked! That guy is really funny. He was telling us stories about when he was in USA and was stopped at the airport as a suspected terrorist because he had dropped a bag in the terminal, accidentally of course.
Everything is falling into place; it feels so comfortable here � like a comfy sofa. I am so glad I made the decision to come here. It is so peaceful, and if this is the big city � what will the rest of the country be like? The girls and I are heading �up north� tomorrow to some place called Paihia, which is supposed to be like the place to go. I think I might take that ferry out to Waiheke today. The weather looks like it might clear. At least at home it is rainy all day or sunny, none of this four seasons in one day.
Alex
Well, I have not done that for a while, what would my mother say if she could see me now? Staying up to the next day with four women all to myself. I don�t know whether she would laugh or cry, probably the latter because she is a bit of a prude. Dad would be proud of me! That Kaylen girl was fairly cool to the touch, wonder what is going on with her. Some people just need to take a chill pill, although she did put away a few drinks and got a bit more rowdy as the night wore on. I might have to see if I can get to know her a bit better, out of the four girls two had boyfriends, and the one called Averill seems a bit man hating at the moment. Getting to know the chilled out side of Kaylen could be fun, she is a bit of a looker from where I was standing, she seemed keen as well. I might give her a call, or I could just �tag along� when they head up north. I could be their tour guide, having been there before.
