Jamie, The Family's, 18 year old first born has left for his gap year. Even I, male used to a son travelling the world, was a bit on the choked side as Jamie got on the plane for his first unaccompanied flight via Auckland, Los Angeles and London Heathrow to Edinburgh before going on to Switzerland for the winter's skiing season (working) and then China to do a course learning Chinese.
The last hour had not been without drama when a problem with the visa waiver for the USA transit was discovered but with the help of the wonderful Air New Zealand staff at Napier Airport all was sorted in time for the first leg of the flight.
 |
| That's Jamie in the blue T-shirt |
 |
| Poor light through a plate glass window at 30x is my excuse for the poor quality |
 |
| Looks happy! |
 |
| Ready for the off |
 |
| Left behind! |
Posts
Wishing Jamie all the best for the adventures ahead - and for the family left behind.
ReplyDeleteThanks Meike. It'll be very funny without him.
DeleteI so remember the day that Kate left for Australia - all on her own - but 13 months later, after having many adventures and after landing up in your house in New Zealand, to what she called the best hospitality for a couple of days AND drinking real wine and eating "proper" cheese, she returned to a grateful and happy mum and dad. She was older and very much wiser than when she went and I am sure that Jamie will be the same. To Wendy I would say "You have let him go and however hard it seems at the moment, he will be back for sure. We wish him well on his great adventure.
ReplyDeleteThanks Pat. I remember Kate's first visit as if it was yesterday. It seems almost to have been annual since then although it's not. Now she is a mature, sophisticated young lady with a responsible job who has travelled the world. Who would ever have known back then? I'll pass the message on.
DeleteI think is a GREAT series of photos from a distance and through a glass window! They express the situation and all the emotions involved (for him and those he leaves behind) even without words. May Jamie enjoy his adventures... And with all the modern means of communications he'll no doubt be able to stay in touch. Even from China.
ReplyDeleteThanks Monica. Yes. Despite Frances and her post on us not needing inventions since the 1970s I'd hate to go back the the communications of that time.
Deletebeen there - reaping the rewards of the delightful mature and helpful young man that has returned :)
ReplyDeleteMay the road rise up to meet him :)
Yes and thanks, Fiona, and I hope that Jamie's blog is as informative as Alex's was.
DeleteOh gracious... those are like a series of stills from the last 30 seconds of a movie - and it would be a real tear-jerker!
ReplyDeleteA case of 'every series of pictures tells a story' I suppose Katherine. What has surprised me is how I've felt!
DeleteI have (in my brain and with my talk) been encouraging each of my three to 'see the world' since they were zero. If it were to actually happen.. I know I would really, really miss them!!
ReplyDeleteGetting up and visiting lots of countries isn't the only way of 'seeing the world' though is it Katherine? I never had any ambition to travel and I still haven't seen much of the world even though I've been to quite a few countries. They have all been safe and 'civilised' places and I have spared myself the deprivations of Africa and India and the far east.
DeleteBest of luck to Jamie on his solo travels....he'll be okay.....they always are. We often find it hard to let go, and let them fly with their own wings, but when they do, they always surprise us don't they? He'll be fluent in Chinese when he returns...smile.
ReplyDeleteSafe and happy trails to Jamie as he leaves his family behind...if only for a while,
Thanks Virginia. Switzerland is a wonderful place as is Scotland. China will be an experience but he has been there before briefly so at least has some idea what to expect.
Delete