It can be said it was a long awaited wedding. The big day for my daughter Naomi’s wedding in Otaki, New Zealand was originally set for January 9, 2021. But there was a thing called COVID, New Zealand was in lockdown. And the wedding was postponed until January 2022. There were still a lot of border restrictions, which meant wedding attempt number two was also postponed. Between February and May 2022, the New Zealand Government gradually eased border restrictions, public gathering limits, and vaccine mandate requirements. Meanwhile, while the travel restrictions were in place, Naomi ended up starting her family. On 15 August 2023, the New Zealand Government lifted all remaining COVID-19 restrictions. The 3rd attempt for my daughters wedding was January 7th, 2024. And it was a go.

I really dislike air travel. I did have a very traumatic airport security experience way back on 1984. But nowadays I also feel an enormous amount of guilt from flying due to its high carbon pollution footprint. In 2016 I flew to New Zealand for Naomi’s graduation from teachers college. The last time I had previously been to New Zealand was 1988, when I got married there. For Naomi, she has none of her own family close by, so when she invited me to come to her grad, I felt this was very important. I would be there for three weeks and really wanted to make the most of my time with her there. There was her graduation, and we also did a massive amount of adventure travel around the South Island. Heaps of hiking epic trails and even a bit of mountain climbing. It was hard to leave.

It was my hope that my next trip to New Zealand would involve a longer stay to help justify both the financial and environmental costs. In the end, my visit to New Zealand ended up being just over two weeks during school Christmas break. At the end of school year last June, my school crossing guard job position was eliminated by my municipality. After a massive protest by the community through emails, phone calls and hundreds of signatures on a petition, my position was reinstated for the new school year. Knowing what just happened, I pretty much knew if I took any amount of time at all off, my job wouldn’t be there when I arrived back home to Canada.

My goal once again was to make the most of my short time there. This time it didn’t involve wander-lusting around New Zealand. I have two grandchildren in New Zealand, a three year old and a one year old in whom I have never met. Plus with Naomi’s wedding, family was where my priority was. The other priority on arrival in New Zealand was a quick side trip up to see my wife’s 90 year old mom. Although my wife has visited with her mom a few times, it has been over 15 years since I have last seen her in person when she last visited us in Canada.

At the Auckland airport we rented an Electric Vehicle. The rental agency had first offered us a sporty Mustang EV. My wife who was the driver didn’t want the bigger size for the winding New Zealand roads. For me I didn’t want to associate myself with a brand that often is connected with excess speed and driver aggression. I see enough of that at my crosswalk each day. We both didn’t want it for different reasons and were asking “Do you not have anything else”? The man at the desk sounded a bit embarrassed when he answered, “Well we do have a little Fiat EV”. In unison we both said, “We’ll take it”.

We had a lovely drive up to see my wife’s mom. Stopped to visit Lynne’s cousin enroute, whom I haven’t seen since I got married 36 years ago. Her cousin Andrew and wife Trish each have a Tesla. We took the scenic route. The drive was so extremely spectacular. Eventually we made it up to beautiful Snells Beach. My first visit there. Lynne’s parents purchased the house there 25 years ago. Much has happened since then, including the passing of my wife’s dad in 2015.

We were just at Lynne’s mom for one night. A priority for Lynne was to go for an early morning walk down on the beach. This was a daily routine for Lynne each time she goes and visits her mom. We had the beach pretty much all to ourselves. The ocean is so dear to my wife’s heart. It was very precious to spend that time together.

Later that day Lynne and I made it to my daughters Naomi’s place. I was about to meet my two New Zealand grandchildren for the very first time. I was very nervous. How would they react to this tall stranger called Grandpa. As much as I wanted to hug them to pieces, I restrained myself. Hopefully in time they would warm up to me.

Archie, my 3 year old grandson warmed up to me quickly. He loved being outdoors. I had some wonderful times walking him to the nearby park which had a big green space and lots of room to kick a ball around. Other times we would be in the back yard playing water games, chasing each other or sneaking a lemon from the tree and have it for our snack. I cherished these times together. I loved spending time in the New Zealand summer sun. But I had to be very careful. It is so easy to get a major sunburn. New Zealand has the highest skin cancer rate in the world. It has to do with a depleted ozone layer in that region. The incidence of melanoma in New Zealand and Australia is around four times higher than in Canada, the US and the UK.

Little one year Arlia was a lot more unsure of me. But you have to remember I was just one of many strange people to her that were hanging around. There were many others who came from Canada for the wedding, including several of Naomi’s friends. Naomi’s Canadian friends are really cool. Some go right back to elementary school. Others from high school. And others from university. Despite living in New Zealand the past 8 years, she has kept these friendships strong.

Although much was centered around Naomi’s final details for the wedding, we still managed to partake in some local activities. One day we went to a local pick your own blueberry farm. Another day we walked the kids across town to a playground park and water park. Just very basic and simple activities. Yet wonderful memories were created. The grandkids love being outdoors. It did my heart so much good.

Another day we went to the local sports plex where I watched the grandkids go swimming at the Levin Aquatic Centre. My grandkids are far better swimmers than their 65 year old Grandpa. With everyone in New Zealand being in close proximity to water, through the school system all students will have had opportunities to learn basic aquatic skills by the end of year 6. The New Zealand education website states, “Around 1300 schools, or 60% of schools, have pools. Those schools that don’t have pools use community or council swimming pools. Schools without a pool can use their operations grant funding to help take students to a nearby swimming pool”. This is pretty cool.

Our one bigger excursion was to Wellington. It’s the capital city of New Zealand, about 100 kilometers away. The focal point of that excursion was the Wellington Zoo. I’m not a big zoo person. It’s just my opinion, but I don’t think any zoos are ethical. They hold animals captive, restrict their natural behaviors, and exploit them for profit. However some zoos treat their animals far better than other zoos. And some zoos attain their animals through actively prioritizing the safe rescue and care of vulnerable animals. Wellington Zoo is a member of WAZA (World Association of Zoos and Aquariums) which follow their commitments to excellence in animal welfare and conservation. It is also the world’s first Carbon Net Zero certified zoo. Plus the zoo is a not-for profit-charitable trust. The animals appeared healthy. There were loads of space for the animals in each exhibit including places of refuge where they could retreat from the penetrating, gawking eyes of humans. Many exhibits the animals were in fact making use of those places of refuge and were completely out of sight.

A couple of days before the wedding was intentionally a quiet day so the kids would be more rested for the rehearsal the next day and wedding the day after. Naomi suggested that I have a day for myself and go running and immerse myself in nature. She knows me very well. My luggage going to new Zealand was only a 9 pound daypack, mostly running gear. Though my suit for the wedding was in my wife’s luggage. I hadn’t yet had a run to that point in New Zealand. Naomi suggested The Kohitere Trig, a local hotspot for hikers, trail runners and mountain bikers. It was close by, just six kilometers out of town. It was supposed to be very rugged, challenging and beautiful. There was a nice separated cycling/walking/running path off the road from Levin to the Trig. Which was nice. In fact, before Naomi had children, she said she used to hike up there most weekends.

Naomi drew me a map and I was good to go. But when I arrived, sadly the Trig was closed and gated due to logging operations. I could have run some roads, but I don’t enjoy running along roads. In New Zealand the roads are often very windy, and the drivers go very fast. In the end, I decided just to run on that same separated trail back to Naomi’s house. On my way back I noticed a small nature reserve called Waiopehu Bush Reserve that I hadn’t noticed going there. I decided to check it out.

Though only a mere 22.5 acres, it was incredibly beautiful. There was one trail that runs the length of it, which ended up being 1.3-km out-and-back. I walked it out and back. I walked it the second time out and back. I walked it the third time out and back. All the while stopping for photos, hugging lots of trees, listening to the birds and studying all the flora that is native to New Zealand. Which is so much different to what I experience in Canada. The fourth time I ran it out and back and then continued my six kilometer run back to Naomi’s house. This little reserve was what I needed. It’s incredible when you think of it. This reserve is a very tiny remnant of what this whole area would have been once like. Everything else around would have been destroyed with colonialism. Here in Central Canada the vast forests were cut down as they would have been a hindrance for the early settlers. As local author Gwen Tuinman shares, “The sole aim of settlers was to dispose of the trees quickly. No thought was given to conservation”. Very likely I am guessing this would be similar to what happened there in New Zealand.

The wedding and wedding reception was held at Anam Cara Gardens just on the edge of Otaki. As we drove through this small town of 3,000 on the way to the rehearsal, I instantly fell in love with Otaki. It has a train station with regular passenger service to several communities. On the main street, every block has a signalized raised crosswalk for traffic calming. There are amazing hiking trails nearby. And there are bike trails galore. Unlike where I am in Canada, it would be very easy to go car-free, while living in Otaki. We did the wedding rehearsal, and then walked around the grounds. It was so gorgeous. Coming from the Canadian winter, everything was bursting with life.

The wedding day was busy, but amazing. As Naomi’s fiancé Ryland is Chinese, there was 1st a Chinese tea ceremony. Ryland and the groomsmen would gather at his parents house. Typically, Naomi would be at her parents house with the bridesmaids and maid of honour. As our house in Canada was way too impractical of a distance, in this instance they met in Naomi and Ryland’s house. Then Ryland and the groomsmen went to the brides house. They could not see the bride until they proved themselves. The bridesmaids were to come up with 3 different challenges for the groom and groomsmen to complete. They had to be challenging, yet doable. I suggested they all run a marathon, as it is challenging, but doable. But Naomi responded that Ryland and the groomsmen were not that good of physical shape. Besides, there just wasn’t enough time. In the end they completed the 3 challenges presented, they could then take the bride back to the grooms place. My wife and I then threw rice mixed with coins and flower petals on them all as they were leaving. A tradition which symbolizes good luck. Back at Ryland’s parents house they then had the Chinese tea ceremony.

At that point the entire wedding party went to the Otaki wedding venue where the groom and groomsmen and the bride and bridesmaids each had their separate houses. Naomi changed from her Chinese ceremony dress to her Western traditional wedding dress. Lynne and I got flower girl Arlia ready back at Naomi’s house, we picked up ring bearer Archie, who got ready at Ryland’s parents house. Then we arrived at the wedding venue 15 minutes before the start of the wedding. At the wedding, Archie was first to go down the aisle with the rings, followed by Arlia pushing a wagon of flowers. Then the bridesmaids. Then it was my time to walk my precious daughter down the aisle. My daughter Fiona was maid of honour and son Curtis was doing the music.

The gardens were so beautiful. Thirty acres in size, the mix of native and exotic trees greet you. You feel like you are in your own private oasis. The incredible thing is, up until the mid-1980’s, this was just a bare piece of land. It was a beautiful ceremony held in such a private spot followed by lots of photos. Over the entire day the photographer took around 900 photos. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect for this outdoor wedding. It was so wonderful to get to meet many of Naomi’s New Zealand friends from her past 8 years in New Zealand. Several are fellow teachers. After the meal my wife came over with this couple in whom she met. She really wanted me to meet them. They were Alex and Amber. Alex is a Canadian ultrarunner who has completed pretty much all the tough 100 mile and plus trail races in the Canadian Rockies. He met Amber in New Zealand, and she since has become a big time trail runner. So I have an open invitation to come back to New Zealand anytime to be shown some sweet trails for running.

Two days later I was at Palmerston North Airport for the 1st of 3 connections back to Canada. My wife would stay in New Zealand another month. For myself, there was a flight cancellation in Los Angeles due to an airplane breakdown. The airline had been sending emails, but I only got them on my home computer when I arrived home 34 hours from when my journey started. I just have an old school, archaic Blackberry for a phone, and didn’t receive the messages. The day after I arrived home I was back on crossing guard duty, getting kids safely across a very busy and dangerous highway.

I’ve already been asked when will be my next trip to New Zealand, but I honestly don’t know. Flying that distance is very costly financially. It is also very costly on our planet environmentally. I had such an enormous guilt with flying for this trip I even refrained from posting anything on social media, for fear of being labelled as a climate hypocrite by some keyboard warrior. A few of my environmental friends have encouraged me to write this article. Particularly these words by my Swiss ultrarunning and blogging friend, Catrina, “You hardly ever fly or drive long distances. Making an exception to attend your daughter’s wedding and to finally meet your grandchildren is justified in my opinion. There will always be haters who will use this as an opportunity to attack what you stand for – the voice of the environment. They know they should scale back, too. Sadly, most people are not willing to do that”.

Last year I joined The Green Runners. One of their pillars was “How We Travel”. I made the pledge that the furthest I would drive to run a race event would be 60 kilometers. Though I haven’t driven any further than this distance for a race in a lot of years. I usually always stick to ultras. Last year in 2023 I ran three. The 50k Pick Your Poison, 11 kilometers away. The 96k Rainbow Run Trail Race, 60 kilometers away. The 55k Creemore Vertical Challenge, 51 kilometers away. In 2019 I took the bus (though air travel was slightly cheaper) down to Mexico to help run sections for the Monarch Ultra that did not have any registered runners. Some crazy stuff happened enroute, including a tornado hitting Dallas. But I eventually made it down. If I could travel by bus or train to run ultras here in North America I would. In Canada, the car sadly is the default means of travel. Long distance travel by bus & train is not prioritized and as a result is very inefficient. A Green Runner article on the carbon conundrum, written about their two co-founders Damian Hall & Jasmin Paris who had to fly overseas to run Barkley Marathon is found here.

Our planet is warming up. The year 2023 ended up being the hottest year on record. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) shows that records were once again broken, and in some cases smashed, for greenhouse gas levels, surface temperatures, ocean heat and acidification, sea level rise, Antarctic sea ice cover and glacier retreat. Sirens from climate scientists are blaring across all major indicators. Here in Canada, wildfires burned more than 45.7 million acres in 2023, the most in North American history. We are in a climate crises and biodiversity crises. I really hope there will be a livable planet for my grandchildren by the time they reach adulthood. But I personally fear this might not be a reality. The best thing I can do for my grandchildren is for myself to live lighter on our planet. Individual action is important. But collective action leaves a far greater impact.