Smell

So I was driving back from Rotorua the other day and I smelled Cape Cod. It was the weirdest thing. Stacey and I had spent the day in Rotorua which is an area well known for volcanic eruptions that have given this area many thermal springs, geysers, and lakes that take on this beautiful turquoise hue. And of course with such features, the smell of sulphur permeated the air which reminded me of good 'ol Essex.

Waimangu

A bit of a back story to how our day started. It was a rainy day when Stacey and I departed Tauranga for Rotorua (every time I pronounce that name I sing it in the catchy tune of Roto-rooter), and the road to this town snakes down many hillsides. Well, halfway down one of these hills, the car shuts down, the entire dashboard lights up with red hazard signs, the brakes aren't working efficiently, and steering becomes difficult. Stacey is driving and courageously reaches across with her left hand to brace my right arm in an attempt to save my life, while I calmly tell her that perhaps she should put that hand to better use and place it on the steering wheel and steer us to safety. A bit of levity in an otherwise intense situation. Well, she steered us to 'safety' by stopping the car on a shoulder that didn't exist around one of those windy curves on the hillside. Another driver pulled in front of us to ask if everything was OK and also informed us that perhaps this wasn't the best place to stop. We both may be foreigners, but I don't think we look that stupid. Luckily, after turning the car off and then starting it back up again, all was well with the vehicle for the rest of the day. But upon hearing this story, her boyfriend wanted to take the car to the mechanic. So that night, we drove back down to Rotorua (about 45min away) to the Avis at the local airport and picked up a rental car which we needed for a trip the following day. We got to the airport and there was no rep at the counter. Luckily, the parking attendant who works alongside Avis in the airport called up her Avis buddy and was talked through the necessary steps to helping us get our car. Which brings me to smelling Cape Cod.

While driving back from the airport, I was hit with the smell of low tide at Barnstable Harbor. It was eerie how unmistakable that smell was. As soon as it hit my nose, I uttered to myself, "That smells like Barnstable Harbor." It was the smell of saltwater, muck, horseshoe crabs, razor clams, moon snails and the sea breeze. Sounds almost repulsive when writing about it, but it brought back so many pleasant memories. It's funny how a smell can trigger 32 years of memories and the people who made those experiences so memorable. It was certainly fun to reminisce and think about everyone back at home for almost the entirety of that lonely and dark 45min drive back to Tauranga. I hope that those of you reading have a smell, or something else that triggers one of your other senses, that reminds you of something or someone special because even for short periods of time those thoughts can make lifes' most stressful and hectic days seem enjoyable in retrospect.