Kia Ora to Aotearoa! (Welcome to New Zealand, Land of the Long White Cloud)
Friday night, November 12th, I boarded a plane to Auckland and after an 11 hour flight (passed knitting, watching movies, and napping for a wee bit) I landed early in Auckland on November 14th at 7am and met Laura and Todd. November 13th did not exist for me at all, so apologies to anyone who’s birthday it was. I’ll catch you next year.
After my characteristic happy dance and hugs from Taura, I had my first soy flat white (they do have starbucks but I had to go native, Burt!) and a vegetable savory muffin (I’d heard so much about them from Skye!) we got picked up by David Reddy and I BOUGHT HIS CAR! My first mode of transportation I’ve purchased that was not a bike or a skateboard. It’s fabulous. It’s a 1990 4 door white Honda Accord, manual and the steering wheel is on the right. Ownership is in my name, but I’ve yet to sit in the driver’s seat let alone drive it. Once I sleep and the roads are straight and occupied by fewer cars I should finally be able to get behind the wheel and learn how to drive on the opposite side of the road.
After my characteristic happy dance and hugs from Taura, I had my first soy flat white (they do have starbucks but I had to go native, Burt!) and a vegetable savory muffin (I’d heard so much about them from Skye!) we got picked up by David Reddy and I BOUGHT HIS CAR! My first mode of transportation I’ve purchased that was not a bike or a skateboard. It’s fabulous. It’s a 1990 4 door white Honda Accord, manual and the steering wheel is on the right. Ownership is in my name, but I’ve yet to sit in the driver’s seat let alone drive it. Once I sleep and the roads are straight and occupied by fewer cars I should finally be able to get behind the wheel and learn how to drive on the opposite side of the road.
Me and David with his old car and my new car
Car ownership in my name for only $9.41!!
David and June Reddy, the people who sold me my car, invited us over for tea. Even though they were sure that we would only like coffee, or at the very least iced tea, we happily accepted and enjoyed regular black tea and these fabulous chocolate filled and chocolate dipped biscuit-y cookies called Tim Tams. Yum. After my first Kiwi tea time, we hopped in my car and started the long drive to Gisborne (pronounced “gis-bun”).
On our first New Zealand road trip in Hedwig (aka: my car, aka: Teo ma ruru, small white owl), we stopped at the World Famous in New Zealand L&P café. L&P is a soda here that tastes like liquefied and carbonated lemon drop candies. Quite yummy. Along with fish and chips and some calamari, that was lunch. On the road again, we had to pull over at the ginormous Kiwi fruit. It reminded me of American tourists pulling over at the world’s biggest ball of twine (haven’t seen that one yet, but we saw the Kiwi (literally) equivalent).
On our first New Zealand road trip in Hedwig (aka: my car, aka: Teo ma ruru, small white owl), we stopped at the World Famous in New Zealand L&P café. L&P is a soda here that tastes like liquefied and carbonated lemon drop candies. Quite yummy. Along with fish and chips and some calamari, that was lunch. On the road again, we had to pull over at the ginormous Kiwi fruit. It reminded me of American tourists pulling over at the world’s biggest ball of twine (haven’t seen that one yet, but we saw the Kiwi (literally) equivalent).
Me and Todd and the big L&P
Me and the biggest kiwi fruit known to man
Once more on the road, we got to Whakatane. Laura was most looking forward to this due to the name of this town. In the Maori language, “wh” = “f”. So sound out the name of the town again and then try to say it with a straight face. Obvs this was a highlight to today’s road trip.
We continued on for 3 more hours passing gorgeous beach after gorgeous beach (Laura and I played photographer. Our work, below, can be ordered full sized and framed. Please contact me for prices) and hill after hill of sheep and cows. The landscape here is beyond lush and sooo green (especially after 10 days in brown LA). And despite the fact that The Lord of the Rings was filmed throughout New Zealand, the river we drove along this afternoon sadly was not the Brandywine river or the river Eowyn crossed to enter Rivendell. Fear not, the search will continue (aided by a helpful guidebook with the actual locations).
The classic Barrantes pose
And now, after a day of travel, another meal of fish and chips here in Gisborne, (so cheap and so good!) I’m finally off to bed in something other than an airplane seat.
Lovely!! So jealous!
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