After a few delays we finally made it to Auckland! Our first steps into the country and Maggie eats it, and falls straight to the ground. However the New Zealanders gave her a round of applause, we immediately knew these were our people. Not 5 minutes later I also fell to the ground. So suffice it to say we let New Zealand know we were here the best way we knew how, with grace and poise.
Our first experience with the bus system didn’t go quite to plan either. We got on a wrong one and missed another, even though we were standing right there!!! All in all we waited about an hour and a half to get on a dang bus. Finally made it to our bus stop and had to pretty much climb a mountain with luggage to get to our air bnb; who knew NZ was so hilly. We got lost but arrived to our air bnb early where we were not even sure if they would let us in. They did and the family is so lovely.
Look at that innocent smile, little did we know we were on the wrong bus.
Home for the week
Next adventure: getting a phone. We went to the mall where there was supposed to be a vodafone but it shut down so we had to catch another bus to the city. We got phones and went to the library for free toilets and free wifi. So far the two librarians we met are our favorite New Zealanders, they were absolute dolls. Then we caught a train instead of a bus home, and what a world of difference. It was so much better and so clean and smooth; we were not prepared for that coming from the Boston T.
We then went to the grocery store, where toasting bread and sandwich bread are 2 different things. We put everything in our backpacks and walked home. We got home and finally got to shower after 41 hours. Also they are not kidding when they say the temperature changes so fast here and with no heating or cooling in homes you feel the temperature 24/7. I was in shorts the whole day but then at night sleeping I was in flannel pants, a sweatshirt, a winter jacket and under the comforter. And of course Mags being Mags wore shorts to bed like a lunatic. Then we passed the hell out. We bought all this food but ate nothing the entire day, the last thing we ate was the last meal on the plane and we weren’t even mad about it we were just so tired. Even with all our trials and tribulations we spent the whole day with smiles on our face, New Zealand really is very nice.
These pictures have nothing to do with anything, but I know Papa Bear is a sucker for trees so I included them! These are Pohutukawa tree. With its crimson flower, it has become an established part of the New Zealand tradition. This iconic Kiwi Christmas tree, which often features on greeting cars and in poems and songs, has become an important symbol for New Zealanders at home and abroad. This one is not in full bloom yet apparently they grow more red around Christmas.