Day 1 started very early, with a 3:30 am rise and 4:30 pm departure. Ben’s Mum was awesome and drove us to Tullamarine. We stopped in Sunbury for breakfast and then our adventure began. Flight delayed by an hour so later arrival in NZ than expected. No meals provided by Virgin Australia, so Kearie paid $17 for a sandwich and a couple of small chips. I had the complementary cup of tea and starved instead… So once in Kiwiland I needed sustenance. Off to the airport McDonalds, not cheap like back home, over $9 for a burger…. WTF. But hunger prevailed and I had my first ever McDonalds meal for $15. I of course then had to find a place that sold proper coke, none of that McDonalds watery crap. I found a small kiosk and purchased a bottle, Kearie meanwhile had purchased a data sim card for her phone and we then found a seat outside for Ben and I to eat our lunch. I was feeling much better with a full stomach and I stood up I realised that I couldn’t see my suitcase. “Where is my bag?” I asked, Ben and Kearie looked around and it suddenly hit me, I probably left it at the kiosk. With visions of armed soldiers surrounding it and ready to blow the poor thing sky high swarming through my mind, I rushed back inside, Kearie on my heels. We rushed through the airport and finally spotted the poor abandoned forlorn looking thing, just sitting there, like nobody owned it. I was that relieved that no one had reported it as suspicious I slowed down, asked Kearie to give me her bag and go get mine please, she is much quicker than me and also no one would know that it was mine….. I know she is not going to let me forget this and neither is Ben, he was shaking his head and saying things like “seasoned traveller?” “I thought you were supposed to know what you are doing.” Etc. Well Ben you have a lot to learn, buckle up and enjoy the ride.
When travelling with Kearie I can do some pretty crazy things. It is almost like my brain just goes home, it somehow thinks “Kearie will do it, or Kearie will handle everything.” And it just shuts down. It is amazing, when I travel alone I am fine, but as soon as we are together my mind just takes a hike. We picked up ur hire car and then drove off to find Bens friends, where we are staying tonight. Linda and Brian, Ben met them in the Himalayas last year and they are really lovely people. We went out to tea and had a lovely evening with Ben catching up and Kearie and I getting to know them. We did not get to bed until almost 12 am NZ time, so we were really tired and had to be up today at 6:00am.
Today we left Auckland and traveled through the most amazing countryside, this county is so beautiful. I always thought it was like England, but today it reminded me of Scotland. Hilly and beautiful, I could move here quite easily.
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