Serendipity

Yesterday, on our 6th month anniversary, I had a chance encounter on the side of the road with two of my very good girlfriends who I left behind in Tauranga.

Last Monday I got a text to say that they were in Te Anau enroute to walk the Milford Track with their husbands & if by chance we were there, we could meet for lunch. I knew they were doing the track, they had to book nearly a year in advance, but I thought they had done it in March. As luck would have it we were in Te Anau. We arrived in from Milford late that morning but unfortunately the text didn’t come through in time and when I called they were already out of range (I found out later they saw us pass as they drove to Te Anau Downs to meet the boat)

I left a message to say we weren’t sure how long we’d be in Te Anau but to call when they got back & hopefully we’d be able to touch base. I got a text yesterday to say they were back but sadly we had left Te Anau earlier in the morning and were parked up in Athol (again) 90kms away on the main highway to Queenstown.

I thought they might have had a rental car & I knew they’d be flying back to Tauranga out of Queenstown, so texted to see if they might like to stop on their way past. No, they were on the Ultimate Hikes bus and it didn’t have a toilet stop in Athol.

OK, so I’d park out on the road and wave to them as they roared past, “what time?” Back came the reply, “2-2:15pm, where will you be parked?”. So there I was parked on a rough gravel car park outside the Athol Country Hall, just inside the 80kph speed sign so I knew the bus would slow down, and in the middle of a long straight so I’d see them coming.

And sure enough around the bend and running 10 minutes behind time came a big blue & grey bus. As it got nearer I could see a figure standing in the stair well wildly waving, it could only be my crazy friend Kerry. And then it slowed right down & I thought that’s great, it’ll do a slow drive past and I’ll be able to see Jane at the window. But no, the bus, loaded up with passengers and with a mad lady dancing about in the the front window, pulled right on in and stopped!

Kerry burst out the door and we had a big hug, then the driver invited me up the stairs to see Jane who was a couple of seats back at the window. How embarrassing was that, all these eyes looking at me wondering what on earth was going on. But hey, it made my day!

I could just hear Kerry telling them all about it afterwards (she has that personality, not like Jane & myself; we’re shrinking violets) Jane texted later to say sure enough, Kerry told the whole bus and the Americans behind them couldn’t believe it.

So a huge thankyou Mr Bus Driver for taking a moment out of a timed schedule to make three ladies very happy.

And then they were gone.

(PS- there was no time for photos! )