Flashback

September 2010 – Christchurch, New Zealand

As I strolled through the bustling streets of Christchurch, my eye catches a shop window and I read “STA Travel.” The door jingles as I walk through, and I take a seat in front of Fiona, a cool and calm travel agent who immediately offers me her time and unwavering attention.

“I'm looking for a flight from Sydney, Australia to Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, “ I say.
“No worries, let me check that for you,” she responds with a smile.

Two hours later, I've booked an April flight from Sydney to LA with a ten day layover in Nadi, Fiji. I've decided that, with seven more months of travel, I just might be ready to go home for a visit come Easter. So, with a freshly printed itinerary in hand, I step back out into the ebb and flow of the city streets. I'm officially going home! How much fun would it be to keep it a surprise? Buckets o' fun, I'd say!

October 2010 – Omarau, New Zealand

I'm on the hostel computer reading the latest email from Mom. She had a grand time during her trip to Germany and Poland with my Aunt Carol and has promised to send mountains of photos soon! I read further:

“When Carol and I were in Germany, we met a good friend of cousin Klaus and his daughter, Melina. Melina is interested in coming to the United States after her high school graduation and possibly staying for the summer. I ran an idea by Dad and Cate about potentially hosting Melina during her stay, but I also wanted to check with you on what your plans were. Of course, if you're planning on being home for the summer, we wouldn't give up your bedroom, but if it's open, would it be okay if Melina stayed there? When is it that you're planning on coming home again??”

I chuckled to myself as I considered how to reply.

“Dear Mom,

It's great that you are thinking of hosting Melina for the summer! My plans for after Australia are still pretty up-in-the-air, so if i were to give you my thoughts right now, I'd say I'm 80-90% sure that I'll be off to Southeast Asia after my Australian visa expires. And, most likely, I'll be there for 3 months at least, so I'd expect to come home around, oh, October of next year? Obviously, I haven't booked any flights yet, so nothing is set in stone, but that's kinda what I'm planning out in my head. Keep me posted on plans with Melina!

Love, Anna”

My reasons for giving up my bedroom for the summer was two-fold. 1.) I liked the idea of paying forward all of the gracious traveling karma that I had and was still receiving during my backpacking travels, and 2.) I'd have the once in a lifetime chance to see my family's faces when I walked through the door unannounced – and it would be so worth it.

*~*~*~*

For anyone who knows my Mom, it makes a whole lotta sense that the “surprise the bejesus out of your mother after you've been gone for months” gene runs in my blood. And although my Mom gets a kick out of surprising others, it's no simple task to try and surprise her. That's what made this challenge that much more intoxicating. Over the next several months, I began to create an intricate and convincing back story that evolved more and more as my parents continued to ask me further questions about my travel plans – why was I traveling to Fiji? Vacationing of course! Are you sure you can't come home for Christmas? How would June work instead? What are you're plans for Easter? I'll be celebrating with the Etheridges in Sydney! My advice to secret keepers? Seven months is too damn long!

*~*~*~*

February 2011, Christchurch, New Zealand

For Christmas, my mom and dad graciously offered to fly me home for a visit – a visit that they would like to see happen as soon as possible. Seeing as I haven't told them that I've already purchased a ticket home, I've put myself in a bit of a pickle. I'm bound and determined to keep this surprise a secret no matter what obstacles are thrown at me. So on my last night in New Zealand, I design a very official looking flight itinerary and set my arrival date for June 23rd, 2011. I send the itinerary off in an email to my parents with the subject line reading “I'M COMING HOME!!!” and far too many exclamation points scattered throughout the message box. It doesn't take long before I find out that our home calendar reads, “Anna Home!” on June 23rd – in dark, non-erasable pen.

Monday, April 18th, 2011 – Los Angelos, California

“Hi Mom and Dad!

I'm back from Fiji and finally bedbug free! I'm couchsurfing in Sydney for the next few days until I meet up with the Etheridges to celebrate Easter up at their beach house. The weather in Sydney is gorgeous! I just got back from a walk in the Botanical Gardens this afternoon. There are Flying Foxes everywhere! Would you, dad, and Cate be around for a skype date on Thursday around 6:00pm? It'd be great to see you and wish you all a Happy Easter!

Love, Anna”

Three days later, I am on a plane from LA to Minneapolis/St. Paul. Our Thursday “skype date” is going to be brilliant! :-D