It's happening as you read this: Bay families flying the coop these school holidays for skiing or warmer climates. Think Ruapehu, Queenstown, Rarotonga, Bali …
Earlier this week I put my kids on a plane for their first solo trip to America. They'll visit family and friends without me for the first time. At ages 15 and 13, they say they're ready. Miss 15 has detailed schedules, plus itineraries, travel insurance certificate, phone numbers ... and togs, because it's hot over there.
I'm staying behind to work and luxuriate in a clean home. And not cook. Yes to eggs on toast. I'm not whinging - my passport will be pressed into service later this year. But I can't help but fantasise about places I'm not going the next two weeks. You, too? Thankfully, we have substitutes close to home.
Bali: This volcanic gem is known for its tropical climate, super surfing and handcrafts.
Local fix: visiting a furniture shop with pricey pieces from Indonesia and other exotic locales. I won't buy anything heavy - maybe incense. While I lack the villa with private plunge pool, I do have a jetted bathtub I can almost fill before the hot water runs out. If I prop a fruity cocktail with paper umbrella on the side of the tub, it's much like Bali, except our beaches aren't strewn with 250 tonnes of waste (collected) per day. Maybe a trip to White Island is in order.
Rarotonga: The beaches look lovely, but few places compare to our golden sands in Mount Maunganui and Papamoa. Walking 10 minutes from home, I can sit on our beautiful seashore in my bikini when the temperature hits 16C. If I were brave, I'd hit the water with Ange, who I interviewed recently for a story. "No Wetsuit Wednesday" is a thing with her and several mates who are either looking for the full-body spank of their lives or are impervious to cold. I'll swim in July when I can find neoprene that's 20mm thick and has its own jet stream of warm air circulating around my body. I need a heated submarine. The closest I'll get to Raro these days is buying a $1 namesake drink sachet. Cheers.