The Otago great has spent 18 years in the White Ferns battling for a world title.
Team-mate Sophie Devine has been along for the ride that long as well.
The pair have had their moments of triumph during the years, but have had to make peace with a lot of disappointment and heartbreak as well.
"The last couple of weeks have been a bit overwhelming, to be fair," Bates said.
"But being a world champion is something that will last forever and it has always been my goal to help win a world cup.
"And after all these years it feels even more special to have got there."
The Women’s T20 World Cup was shaping up to deliver more pain.
The White Ferns had strung together 10 consecutive losses in the leadup to the ICC event.
But everything magically fell into place for the New Zealanders.
England got knocked out in pool play and Australia was sent packing in the semifinals
And the White Ferns just got better as the tournament went on and produced their best in the final against South Africa.
The feeling after was just "pure joy" Bates said.
"I don’t know if there was any relief. There was a little bit of shock because everything just seemed to fall into place at the right time, so it was actually just pure joy," she said.
"There were just so many clutch moments that we were on the right side of [during the tournament]. After each game there was just a lot of elation and joy.
"But once I had sat back and reflected, I was just really proud of the way we clicked at the right time and just proud of the journey that Sophie and I have been on and through all the heartache.
"But to finally have that moment together was ..." the opening batter said, trailing off.
There just weren’t the right words to finish that sentence.
Sometimes you just have to dance instead.
A clip of the right-hander getting on her boogie as the team left the changing rooms after the final went viral.
"I’d had probably two Heinekens, which is enough for me. We’ve come out of the changing room and the band was still there.
"I was one of the last ones out. I walked down once and thought ‘that was fun, I’m going to go again’ and I lapped it up.
"But these days you can’t do much without it going viral. But it was just a lot of fun and we danced all night, so it was a great celebration."
No-one has called her Raygun yet ... "but my team-mates are used to me doing that; it just does not normally get recorded".
The White Ferns were not able to return to New Zealand with the trophy immediately as they had a three-game ODI series in India first.
But they are home now and the T20 World Cup trophy tour gets under way in Dunedin today.
Bates and White Ferns and Otago team-mate Eden Carson will appear with the trophy at Forsyth Bar Stadium from 11.30am to 1pm.
"It is nice that they picked the right place to start the tour. It is going to be a really special day.
"I’ve had so many messages from people back home who have helped along the way.
"It will be nice to get home finally and see family and friends and have a trophy."
