The Signs on Holiday
By Alyce Ryan
I recently got back from the trip of a lifetime with one of my many netball teams from our first holiday together for hopefully one of at least a few team weddings. The couple are from New Zealand and the wedding was going to be there. As I’d never been, I wanted to take the opportunity to spend some extra time there and see as much of New Zealand as possible. I mean, logistically speaking when will I have the chance to go back with work, a mortgage, committments to many many netball teams, a life to figure out etc.?. It just made sense to go when I was already going. I was not the only one thinking this way; there were five of us ready and willing to extend our trip. We all got started planning our pre and post-wedding vacation that I wish I was still on now, rather than back at my desk. We were getting there about a week before the wedding, at which point we’d be joined by the rest of the team and their partners, bringing our total travel numbers up to 14.
While there was just the five of us in the first week, I wanted to take some mental notes on everyone’s Sun Signs and how I saw my friends fitting into their archetypes. My own record of how the signs became apparent on our trip I guess, mine included. There was a bit of a mix, we had all the elements (two air and one of everything else), and I thought it might be interesting to look at some of their behaviours and catalogue them because it helps me understand people a little better, and writing this now means I get to think about my holiday again, blurring memory and reality; it essentially takes me back, which is a completely joyous experience. I guess what I mean is, this serves as a love letter and a thank you to only a handful of my favourite people and fellow travellers, and my appreciation and understanding of all of their sun signs and what they brought to the trip for me.
So here are my thoughts, in no particular preference but rather in astrological order because that’s why we’re here: The Taurus. Not only did she cook for us most evenings, she made the cake for the wedding. The cake. For the wedding. Providing for not only her friends, but for all the guests as well in true Taurean fashion; with delicious food. She’s an excellent cook. She always paid extra to have the comfy bed and the best room in all of our accomodation, this was her way of making it fair that she got the bigger bed. But also, is it a holiday if you’re uncomfortable? For a Taurean, I doubt it; especially if it’s something you can easily fix with a little extra cash. She was also very particular about food, for instance Lurpak was the butter brand of choice (which was agreed on by the group, but it was she was the first to say it and the most set on it). Extremely generous; we had to fight her to pay our share first before she bought everything for everyone, even after she’d already paid extra at every place. There was plenty of scalding about stopping this behaviour, forcing her to put her expenses in the group chat for us to split it evenly. She’s also very tactile and very affectionate, she’s a warm person and it shows in her many hugs. She’d give up her fancy rooms for any one of us if we asked, I know it. She drove us everywhere. Trading up (size wise but not style wise) from a Yaris to an iMax 8-seater van was something I was terrified to try, but I didn’t have to worry about it because she took us from A to B all over NZ for the entire trip without a single complaint. There was so much giving of resources, I’m sure I still owe her. I’ll always owe her. She’d offer before you even thought to ask and she’d be there before you knew you needed someone. Also music on all the time, for everything. As soon as we were in the car or back at our home away from home the music would be going. Not my music though, because she has extremely cool taste in music. Mine did not cut it, but I understand why.
The Gemini. The bubbliest person, so friendly and chatty and lovely. Making friends is like breathing for her. Everyone at the wedding already knew who she was because of the impact she made at the Hen’s party, and after the wedding there was even more people coming up to her to have a chat. It was as if everyone was greeting an old friend but they’d never met her before. She even got a mention in the speeches. That’s our Gemini. I’ve not been around that kind of energy for a while and I forgot how pleasant it is. Just light; she’s light. She’s also extremely mischievous. I’ve never witnessed more cheating at Uno in my entire Uno playing career (short-lived I confess, still it was a fair bit); convincing people to take her cards, putting extra cards on the pile. No shame either, just pure joy in her trickery. I watched her lose her train of thought mid-sentence as she moved onto the next topic or stopped talking completely. I also still have her coat, one of many things she forgot to pack on her way home. Everytime the car stopped she’d hit the ground running, getting all her souvenirs, seeing all the sights, taking photos. Except for the run in with a flock of geese (not her fault), she was shocked into stillness for a couple of minutes that day. I’m not sure she’ll eat a cream puff and actually enjoy it ever again. But aside from that there was a lot of movement and she’s a hard one to pin down. Wise beyond her years, there’s always something going on in her mind. The conclusions she comes to are impactful and she always gave me something to think about. Her laugh is spectacular and infectious, you’re always rewarded with it when you’ve said something truly funny.
The Leo. After proclaiming many times “I’m not like a Leo at all”, she proceed to lead our group all over New Zealand for two weeks. Without trying she became the natural leader, we all felt it. She had all the ideas, did the true majority of the planning, organised the wedding present, suggested places for us to go, downloaded all the maps so she could navigate us and then actually navigated us all over the South Island. She was literally in front of me the whole trip (she walks quickly). And she climbs mountains for fun. After nearly two weeks of eating and drinking and sitting whilst doing both of those things, it seemed that the right thing to do was to join her routine mountain climbing exercise regime as kind of a thank you for all the effort she put in to our trip to make it as spectacular as it was. I was quite loudly dying from exertion as she was walking UP A LITERAL MOUNTAIN like it was nothing. She was obviously leading us up said mountain too; I led us down, to the food. She’s also hidden fun. It’s unexpected and unparalleled. She got the party started at the wedding, after she phoned in for a work conference because she’s a total boss in her normal life too. She got everyone together for photos and exuded pure joy. Extremely independent while still attached to her partner of many years. She’s always excited about greens, which made everyone excited about greens. She inspired us – I’m not the only one who went out and bought broccoli once we were home. She was our trip authority and, despite what she thinks, is exactly like a Leo.
The Libra. Genuinely the kindest person I’ve ever met. She’s extremely thoughtful. You know when you’re worried the bus will leave without you, she’s the one that remembers to check that you’re there before the engine starts. More accommodating than anyone possibly could be, she would always make sure everyone was on board with whatever the plans were, while herself being very open to hear any suggestions and happy to go with the flow. She’s quite perceptive of the needs of others. I could see her need for things to be fair, and her diplomatic nature making it hard for her to enforce it. Just like the Gemini she was also light; both my air companions really lifted everyone me up with them on this trip. There was also no one more prepared; she packed literally everything. Sunscreen, got it, a hair dryer, got it. It was as if she packed to be prepared for anything anyone could possibly, need not just what she needed. She might be the most considerate person I’ve ever met as well. She’s a lovely person to be around. Quite the balanced individual, and extremely likable. It’s fair to say I lost it a couple of times throughout our time away (what a surprise given my water-filled chart) and she was extremely supportive of my outbursts. I think she can easily see both sides of any situation and thus has the ability to empathise with both sides without betraying either one. I’m not sure how she does that; she truly cares about the person on each side regardless of who’s “right”. I hope I know her forever, because I know she’ll always be there to support me and it won’t be out of obligation it will truly be sincere.
The Pisces. Me. Well I’m tearing up as I write this as if that doesn’t sum up everything for you. Classic Pisces right? But this trip was the time of my life and it truly was perfection. For starters New Zealand is perfection, and that’s coming from an idealist whose standards are unrealistically high. Go there now and see it if you haven’t already. It’s beauty floored me. How have I not been there before? Just stunning. I see ads for New Zealand now and I put them in the group chat just to remind everyone that we were there and it was amazing. I got to watch two of my friends commit their lives to each other. They both separately mentioned in their vows that they couldn’t be perfect but they would always try their best, which in itself is actual perfection. I witnessed love. This trip felt like it was my real life. It was as though we’d all been together forever and we lived in a share house and we never worked and we only did fun things and everything around us was beautiful. I’ve never felt so at home, so loved or so at peace. The bonds I have forged with my netball loves will be the longlasting treasure of this time we shared. This place and these people put my heart back together. For this Pisces, the trip meant love is real in real life not just in my dreams.
What a trip. And for every person that was with me, who listened to my complaints, who made me laugh, who fed me, who remembered I was missing, who made me tea and played cards with me; I’m always here if you need.
— Alyce Ryan
Sydney Astrology School Graduate
November 2019
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