I’ve never been very good with directions, but I think I experienced my all time low the second day of the New Zealand Open, when LPGA player/Nature girl/Ice cream connoisseur Katie Futcher asked if I’d like to accompany her on a little walk in the nearby town of Sumner. First, a walk for me is the seven feet between my couch and my television, not a hike up a beachside cliff. Second, even that gets me winded. Anyway, after my morning round on Friday, we took a shuttle to Katie’s hotel where I changed into my walking clothes and left my clubs. We then took a Metrobus to Sumner. I’d love to say we took in the beautiful sights and sounds, but I’m afraid the majority of the walk was filled with my incessant complaining about my feet, the wind, the sand in my pores, the animals judging me, etc.
After our “walk,” we took the bus back to downtown Christchurch, where Katie was staying. I had planned on grabbing my clubs and taking the bus six blocks north to where I was staying. Of course with me, something always goes wrong. I not only took the wrong bus, I also took it the wrong direction. After about 45 minutes, I was the last person left on the bus and the bus driver eyed me critically in her mirror. Finally she opened the doors and said the words no passenger wants to hear: “Uh, This is the last stop. You need to get out.” Rushing into panic mode, I frantically told her I had gotten on the wrong bus and was completely lost, and had no idea where to even begin to get back to my motel. After a hearty laugh (at my expense) she told me to wait half an hour before she restarted her route and she’d get me to where I needed to go.
Barb (at this point we were on a first name basis) and I had a great 30 minute chat during this time, in which she educated me on Kiwi slang and told me the hoppin’ spots to take public transportation to. Finally, after about two hours, one and a half Cadbury chocolate bars, and three panicked texts to Katie, I arrived at my motel with a thorough knowledge of Christchurch. So yeah, it was a good trip.
Hey Barb, if you happen to be someone who enjoys perusing rookie blogs on the LPGA site and are reading this, thanks for being my BFF that day. Oh, and you were right. That gondola ride in Lyttelton was “SWEET AS.”
*I wrote this on a plane flying home to Los Angeles. I didn’t know, but at the time, a 6.3 magnitude earthquake had just hit Christchurch. The epicenter was in Lyttelton. If you get a chance and want to help, please go to http://www.salvationarmy.org.nz/giving-back/donate-online/disaster-appeals/canterbury-earthquake-appeal/.
Also, visit the Red Cross website to see how you can donate to both the efforts in Christchurch and Japan.
“Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” James 2:17
T-Joh out!
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Topics: Rookie Blog, Joh, Tiffany
