35 years ago, on 13 March 1980, I flew out of New Zealand for the very first time. On Friday, 13 March 2015, but perilously close to the 14th (perilous only for the purposes of this post, mind you), I returned to my home country, for the 64th time. Sixty-four times I’ve left the country, though not yet 64 countries (50 and, I hope, still counting). It seems hard to fathom that I’ve left New Zealand that many times, almost always with (though there are a few, work-related exceptions) excitement and anticipation.
64 times I’ve returned, and had my (five regular, one diplomatic) passports stamped back in and heard “welcome back” from a New Zealand immigration official, and 64 times I’ve gone through agricultural control, with 64 forms asking me how long I was away and if I had walked in a forest, 64 times a cute dog (though probably not sixty different dogs) has sniffed my luggage for contraband (the type of contraband New Zealand is most concerned about – fruit and other food items, not to mention the mud on your shoes), and 64 times I’ve walked through the gates into New Zealand, glad to be home.
A challenge – can you name the 35 featured countries?
I’m glad to be home now too, so I could write this addendum here on my blogging home. Appropriately for a numbers post, after six years, two months, and 12 days, posting approximately every 4 ½ days, this is my 500th post here on A Separate Life.
Great collection of photos and travels. Looks like a lot of amazing adventures!
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Amazing stats hun, I wish I were able to name, with confidence more of them, but sadly I can’t. I could guess, but more to the point, I can dream!
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Oh, how wonderful. Thank you, Mali!
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And were my passport even the tiniest bit like yours…
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Happy 500!! Impressive numbers all round!
I don’t even want to attempt to guess the number of times I crossed the border between the U.S. & Canada, growing up. That’s what happens when your dad is from a border town on the Canadian side & your mom is from 20 miles south. 🙂 Of course, it used to be a much easier & simpler process than it is today 😦 — no passports required, and probably not even any other ID, particularly since my parents used to know some of the agents personally, and one was actually a distant cousin of my mom’s.
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Wonderful!
I can see photo of lovely Lake Bled too!!!
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You are quite a traveler, not to mention blogger!
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I’m going to hazard a guess that one of them is Thailand :).
And, wow, 500 posts, congratulations… you are a prolific peregrinator and poster!
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You would be right. And you win the prize, because you’re the only person to hazard a guess at even one. There are several countries there that you have visited I know.
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Awesome! What a lot of journeys. Very inspiring.
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