These first few days in New Zealand have been quite good. Besides trying to figure out where Thursday, January 1st went, I am doing just fine. I got on a plane on Wednesday the 31st, saw the most entertaining safety brief I have ever seen on an airline (see it below), and then arrived in Middle Earth on Friday the 2nd. So the only conclusion I can make is that I have time traveled into another world! I'll take my nephew Asher's advise and be aware of orcs.
Staying in Auckland for a few days, I have seen lots of sheep at a nearby farm/public park (what a cool concept) called One Tree Hill. I took a dip in the ocean less than 5 hours after arriving, trying to fight off the drowsiness from the jet lag. I toured the city streets and took an English Mastiff named Zeus for a neighborhood stroll. I owe much thanks to my wonderful host Jane, for ensuring these first days of my journey were way better than I could of hoped for!! I'm even catching on to the lingo. It has been a busy and enjoyable beginning to my New Zealand adventure. I took a few shots with the iPhone...much more to come. Cheers.