North Island

We arrived in Auckland early in the morning, collecting luggage and going through security. I lost my first piece of luggage, my CD player and some meditation CD's. I didn't discover this until later and emailed the airport.



They emailed right back that they had found my equipment and want me to call them. I haven't figured out how to use their phone system or their bloody coins.



They have one dollar and two dollar gold colored coins. I need to stand and stare at the phone system for some time and read the instructions, so don't expect a phone call anytime soon.



My sister Connie, who works as a psychiatric RN in a clinic close to Middlemore Hospital, came to get us. We had planned for her to carry a yellow balloon in case we didn't recognize each other, it's been 20 years. She looked just the same.



Jet lag. Felt like a zombie for a day, but after a good sleep and some decent food, we were up to par and ready to move on.

My brother Dale, came by and drove us everywhere. They all drive like maniacs. We covered a lot of territory that day, including a visit to Lionel, another brother.


We caught the Overlander train in Papakura, one of the stops on the day long journey from Auckland to Wellington. We had bought a 7 day scenic pass, which means we could catch trains anytime and included one ferry crossing.



Everything is soooo green and damp. The trains are heated and comfortable. We could sit anywhere in our carriage so could get window seats. The scenery is spectacular and varied. The train crew are very helpful and give out information and history as we proceed.



The food is delicious but expensive. They also have a licence to sell alcohol, so for those that like wine or beer with their food, they have these small bottles, about one glass size.



Wellington hasn't changed, it is still wet and windy.



My sister Anita picked us up from the station and we stuffed our luggage into her small car. The vehicles are very small and modern. Easy to drive and zippy with good mileage. They have to be, gas is about US6.50 or so a gallon.



The next day, Monday, we caught a bus into town, did a ton of walking in the rain, ate fish and chips, found a bank, and generally looked at the shops. They have a few huge supermarkets, which reminded me of Walmart, KMart, Target and a ton of small shops. My debit card won't work, it doesn't recognize the pin. Carol had the same problem. Luckily I spoke to the bank before we left, telling them I was travelling. They would have blocked my accounts otherwise.

I can use the credit card. Thank God for the internet, I can still do all my banking online, transferring money across, booking tickets without having to use the phone system.

It's amazing being clueless.



The corner grocery store still exists, and they are allowed to sell alcohol as well. WOW



There is a lot of public transport.



My daughter Rebekah arrived after us, lots of hugs and kisses. She has grown taller. We also met my grandson Kobe. He is four years old and very cute.



Rebekah knew her way around Wellington, if it wasn't for her we would still be floundering around, trying to read the maps and figuring out where to catch the bus. They have a great system. We bought a group pass which covers up to four people for all day travel by the buses. It was great, we used it and got our money's worth. There is also an all day pass per person, but it is cheaper to use the group pass. It cost the equivalent of about US9.00.



She literally knew where to find everything we wanted.

In flight

Friday 4.00am

Breakfast at 0400 am was a hot omelette or muffin and fruit. I picked the omelette, deciding that protein would help with jet lag. We declined the champagne as we passed across the international dateline.

We flew out of Salt Lake City on Wednesday evening at 5.30pm, arriving in Los Angeles an hour later. I can't remember how many times I packed and repacked my luggage.

We caught a shuttle from terminal 6 to the international terminal. Thankfully the luggage has wheels and we drag stuff off and on the bus, up the elevator into the ticketing area.

We both like window views, so sit behind each other, it works well.

The plane is huge and literally leaps into the air, it's a 747-400 Boeing Jet, very comfortable. Pillow, blanket and headphones are provided, it took me most of the flight to figure out how to use the remote, but three movies and a game of bejewelled, it was time to put the thing away. Movies are free and the selections excellent. Tea and coffee are served whenever you ask, and the staff routinely walk through the cabin every two hours offering iced lemon water. The explanation was that it would help you with jet lag.

Air NewZealand served dinner of beef or chicken somewhere between Los Angeles and Hawaii. You could have glasses of red or white wine with your meal, juice and the proverbial tea or coffee. The best thing is no charge.

My sister Connie meets us at the airport in Auckland, we arrive at 545 am and it takes 15-20 minutes to get through immigration and biohazard checkpoints.
Spent a few hours changing travellers checks and US currency into local money. There are coins for one dollar and two dollars, notes for $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 dollars.

We are both tired but determined to stay awake until evening and try to sleep at a normal hour. My sister has offered us the use of her car, it's a little freaky. Trying to drive on the left hand side of the road will be interesting. Tomorrow is another day and probably better after a good night's sleep.

It's starting to get serious. Fun facts about NZ, I forgot or didn't know.

• It was the first country in the world to let women vote.
• They also have a Property Act, which lets couples, if they have been together for about three years are allowed to divide their property equally, if they break up.
• same sex couples are not legally allowed to marry in NZ but the country passed a Civil Unions Act in 2005 allowing any couple to join in a legal relationship with full legal rights.

How awesome is that?