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.