New Zealand 2023
Kristin Pitoniak
Bay State Connection Dragons
April 8, 2023 was the day we embarked on our epic journey to New Zealand. We
all came together, each person bringing their own individual strengths and
experiences. We are breast cancer survivors and supporters who joined Bay
State Connection Dragons (BSCD) with the goal to participate in the Dragon
Boat Festival at Lake Karapiro, New Zealand. Many years of planning and
organizing led us to this moment.
We trained, we prepared, we packed, and we took off on our monumental plane
flight from Boston to Houson to New Zealand. A long trip and busy airports led
us to one of the most beautiful places on earth. We crossed the international
dateline, and here we are two days later at the Trinity Wharf Hotel in Tauranga.
It had stunning sunsets behind the infinity pool. We were exhausted but
anxiously preparing ourselves to unify as one team to paddle together, to have
exciting excursions together, and to support one another.
We set off on April 11 for practice day. With paddles in hand and hope in our
hearts, we boarded the bus. The nerves were ironed out as we paddled through
the New Zealand water together. A break in the training lets us look around to
see our surroundings, to pinch ourselves, and to say, “oh my gosh here we are
in breathtaking New Zealand. It’s just like a postcard picture.”
The bus ride showed us endless farmland, countless cows, and infinite sheep
grazing in open land. We reached our destination that afternoon which was a
tour of the Hobbiton film set. Picturesque little houses with so much detail
were all there for everyone to see. The die hard Hobbit fans were in their
element, remembering specific scenes from the movies that showed these
elaborate houses and set landscapes.
The scenery from the bus rides just kept going and going. We had a unique
opportunity to see Rotorua and to visit the Te Puia geothermal park. The pools
and geysers opened up and steamed up the backdrop allowing for some
gorgeous photos.
We saw a kiwi sleeping in the Kiwi Conservation Centre. We had a loud, fun
time on the bus but were able to keep quiet long enough for a walk in the dark
to see an actual kiwi. Many of us said the kiwis were bigger than we thought.
(We didn’t miss an opportunity to sing Sweet Caroline), however, in the
transport trolleys back.
Seeing Maori crafts hand chiseled at the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts
Institute gave us a little taste of the history, the culture, and the Maori
language. Day moved into evening so fast and we were soon at the Maori
village. We enjoyed a homemade barbecue, a Maori traditional dance
performance, and a discussion about culture and language and its meaning,
tradition, and preservation.
A hike up Mt. Maunganui was fantastic. It was a clear, sunny, day overlooking
the vast endless Pacific Ocean. If you stopped every time you saw something
picture worthy you would never finish. Each view was more beautiful than the
last. A Glow Worm canoe and kayak guided ride/tour topped off that evening.
There were millions of glow worms lighting our path. We saw the Southern
Cross in the sky that night. Everything about that moment felt so unreal.
The parade of countries was a moment for each of us to stop and to realize how
far we had come, why we came, what we set out to accomplish, and who we
wanted around us when we met our goals. A parade of nations culminated at
Cambridge Town Center. The opening ceremony at Cambridge City Green
showed all of us how far reaching breast cancer is, and the countries people
are willing to traverse to support each other. No one dances and parties like a
group of breast cancer survivors and supporters.
There were understandable nerves and a whole lot of anticipation when we
arrived at Lake Karapiro for race day. Our survivor BSCD race team paddled
two 500 meter races that first day and one 200 meter race on the second day.
The supporter team had a phenomenal race that second day. We were always
first in our lane. The closing ceremony was a sea of pink, with tons of positivity
and promise.
On the South Island, we rode on the steamship the TSS Earnslaw, and sang
songs like, “She’ll be Coming around the Mountain” while the pianist played.
We had a fantastic barbecue dinner at Walter Peak farm and saw some sheep
shearing and herding techniques. The Wanaka Tree, which is frequently
photographed, was one of our other destinations. The Gibbston Valley Winery
tour and tasting let us see where they make some of the best wines in the
world.
It was a long winding trip to Milford Sound but well worth it. The Milford
Sound Nature cruise was amazing. The waterfalls, the mountains, and the open
air was like nothing we had ever seen before.
A trip up in the gondola in Queenstown was frightening but the view was
spectacular. Another ride up on the ski lift led us back down on the mountain
coasters. It was truly an experience like no other. We had a little time for
shopping, time to get everything Manuka Honey. A favorite among our travel
group was Manuka Honey ice cream. The food was excellent, the coffee was
good, the public areas were clean, and the native New Zealanders were helpful,
gracious, and kind.
Everything about New Zealand was extraordinary, but would have been less so
without the people we came with, the purpose we had, and the potential we
reached. Everyone remembers the same experience in different ways. Bay
State Connection Dragons (BSCD) means something different to each of us.
Each day new memories come to the surface and we focus on what is
important. Breast Cancer Survivors Continue Determined( BSCD) or Because
Supporters Can Deliver (BSCD). We did it together—-one team, one goal, and
many memories with one BSCD.
Kristin, 2023
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