New Zealand had been on my list of must-visit places ever since I first saw a rugby team perform the haka. Something about that raw display of culture and power spoke to me.
A planned November trip was postponed. A December trip was cancelled after personal complications. In January 2025, I attempted to enter New Zealand.
The Detention
At Auckland immigration, officials identified my social media presence and determined my tourism visa was inappropriate given my work in the adult industry.
They kept me there for over 35 hours, stuck in this room. The accommodations were adequate — private bathroom, clean linens, unlimited water — but I required an escort to leave and wasn’t permitted to book my own return flight.
I was returned to Australia on the same flight I arrived on, in economy class.
The Lesson
Social media fame can open doors, but it can slam them shut too. The irony of being too visible to be invisible is not lost on me.