Day One

Twenty-four hours have passed since we arrived in NZ, and what an interesting day it has been!
After a four-hour flight to LAX, a nine-hour Blitz-filled layover, and a fourteen-hour overnight flight to Auckland, we made it. But let me give you more details.
Our flight from Edmonton to LAX was delayed, so we spent from 4am-8am waiting around, exhausted, to board. Once in Los Angeles, we hunkered down for our layover, starting with food at Route 66 and coffee at Starbucks. We passed the time by playing Dutch Blitz (I won every game) and watching movies on my computer: “So I Married an Axe Murderer” and “Iron Man.” Boarding the next flight was arduous as there seemed to be a thousand people on the same flight. As it turns out, there nearly was. The plane from LAX to Auckland was a double-decker, something I’ve never flown in before. That wasn’t the first surprise: the meals we were served were delicious. Dinner was a choice of beef Bolognaise or grain-fed cayenne chicken with sautéed mushrooms. Oh yes, served with a choice of red or white wine. For free! We were also supplied with pillows, blankets and headphones with which to watch any of the plethora of films and TV shows. The flight staff were kind and accommodating. My only qualm was with the seating. Brandon had the window seat, which worked out for him, but I had the middle seat which did not work out for me. The woman to my right was a larger sort who happened to sleep like the dead, so most of the flight I tried to ignore how badly I needed to pee. Although I forced her out of her seat five or so times, I could’ve gone another five tines. Those of you who know me know that this is not an exaggeration.
Anyway, we landed in Auckland just before 5am on the 9th. We were ushered through customs and bio-security after collecting our baggage, which all arrived, thank goodness. Then we got our rental car, a Toyota Matrix, after the Budget employee informed us we would now have to drive on the correct side of the road. So, we loaded up and were gone.
Our first destination was Pt. Chevalier, the area where my school is. We made it, then drove right past it onto a freeway, which seem to come out of nowhere when you’re not looking, and seem invisible when you are. We ate breakfast (croissant for me, eggs Benedict for Brandon) at one of the many cafés and checked out a local grocery store (to compare prices) before heading downtown to the bank. There, we activated our accounts at Westpac and strolled through the downtown area. We also purchased cell phones (mobiles) and ate lunch at a side-street diner (falafel salad for me, beef sandwich for Brandon). During the four hours we spent downtown, I needed to change clothes, as it was a balmy 25C. Heaven!
Then we headed to our hotel, Parnell City Motor Lodge. Which isn’t as cute as advertised, or as large, and the wireless connection is so bad we have to sit outside to use the internet, but it does the trick. And it’s in a very cute neighborhood packed with award-winning restaurants, quaint cafés, boutiques, and historical buildings. We ate dinner at Oh Calcutta, an authentic Indian restaurant where Brandon was pleased to find he quite enjoys Indian food. After eating, we rushed to Avondale, another part of town, to view a property for rent. At 4km from school, and on a quiet street, it’s quite tempting. However, the bright paint colors are an item of contention which we are working out with the owner.
After all this, we arrived home exhausted, and slept soundly until birdsong woke us this morning. Paradise.
Or close to it.

Here are some things I’ve learned so far:
1. it’s not a washroom, it’s a toilet
2. it’s not a vacation, it’s a holiday
3. it’s not a cell phone, it’s a mobile
4. shoes are optional pretty much everywhere
5. kiwis aren’t as fat as Canadians
6. Edmonton is a beautifully designed city (Auckland is a conglomeration of many cities, each of which chose, at one point or another, what to name its’ streets. The whole shebang is one giant mish-mash of street and avenue and road and way and pass and trail names. There’s a Victoria St downtown, a Victoria Way a few kilometers away, and a Victoria Ave in another part of town. Also, the name of a road applies only to the patch of asphalt that is not intersected by another. So, on one side of a street, a road has one name, and on the other side it has another name. This goes on everywhere. It’s a bloody mess! More than anything else, this has been the true test of our marriage! Needless to say, we are seriously considering buying a digital navigator.)
7. Not all plugs are created equal. (We purchased numerous adapters/converters/transformers prior to leaving Canada, and I read all the confusing information about what to use when, but I still managed to blow the circuit in the bathroom and ruin my flat-iron.)

So that’s that. I can only imagine what adventures we’ll experience today.