I board the plane from India to the Chatham Islands, New Zealand. I watch a plane take off. The captain makes the announcements, and we are on our way to the place I have never heard of, even though I lived in New Zealand for two years.

White cotton clouds move through the windows. My heart fills with excitement to meet my dad after six months. I imagine the Chatham Islands – kind of like a city, with buildings, restaurants, malls, traffic, and crowds of people.

When I open my eyes, the captain announces that we are landing in Auckland.

I sit waiting for my next flight, munching a doughnut, watching people waddle around. The boarding counter opens so I scoff my doughnut and board the Air Chathams flight.

It is a two-hour 45-minute flight and I sleep the whole time. I wake to bright sunlight and the plane going down–thud!

I get off the plane. The Chatham Islands is the opposite to what I had imagined. It is full of greenery, paddocks and farms. It is surrounded by crystal clear water. I hear birds chirping, but see very few people, no buildings, and no malls.