I made it! (I actually made it four days ago but we spent two days in Auckland and then I had to get settled). Anyway: I made it!
Stewart and I spent two days in Auckland when I flew in. January 1st & 2nd are public holidays here, and lots of businesses close for the whole week to allow for employee vacations (“holidays”), so there were a number of places that weren’t open. But the upside is that we had the city to ourselves, and spent our time exploring on foot.
One event of note that I have to share is when were walking across a bridge at the harbor (“harbour”) when a loud alarm sounded, which Stu said sounded like a fire alarm. He suggested we should stay put in case they needed to evacuate a building (it sounded like a fire alarm) and I of course wanted to stay put to watch the drama. And then after a few seconds a voice came over the loudspeaker and said “GET. OFF. THE. BRIDGE.” We looked around and realized everyone else had gotten off the bridge, apparently having read the BIG SIGNS saying that the bridge raises up to allow boats out. Oops. 😬
I haven’t gotten out and about much yet, so I don’t have any of those “😍” New Zealand photos to post, but I do have some pictures of the absolutely charming little garden at the back of the absolutely charming little house we’re renting.
I met one of our next door neighbors yesterday when I spotted her tuxedo cat through the fence (I’m obsessed with tuxedo cats) and ran over and proceeded to “psstpsst!” it and lure it over so that I could take its picture, and suddenly this nice woman poked her head around the corner of her house and went “Oh! Hello!”. Great way to make a new friend, by stalking their cat through the fence. Anyway, both Mars and her owner are lovely. The former is a little shy, but I’ll make her love me if it’s the last thing I do.
