City of Sails

Here's the thing about Kentucky girls.

The city is nice for awhile-- the sounds, the smells, the people-- all of it is nice for awhile. After being in Sydney for 6 days, being surrounded by people 24/7, then coming to Auckland, it's time to get the hell out of the concrete jungle... Kentucky girls need their hills, valleys and mountains.

We spent the better part of Friday at the airport-- avoiding Sydney. We were absolutely sick of it. We seen as much as we wanted, and spent way too much money doing it.

The last few days in Oz, I felt bit under the weather and actually-- I'm maybe at 80% health right now. I don't know what it is, maybe it's the constant motion of this trip-- not really settling in completely, getting up early and then just going, going and going.

Anyways,

So now we've made it to Auckland, otherwise known as the City of Sails. Walking to the Harbor, we saw thousands of boats at the docks, a few were out in the bay. I think Auckland may be the Dan Francisco of New Zealand. It's got ocean views, plenty of hills and a vibrant night life with clubs, pubs and everything in between.

As for our first night out in Auckland, it just so happens to be the Chinese New Year Lantern Festival in Albert Park (as in King Albert and Queen Victoria, google them, lovely monarchs).

The Festival was absolutely swarming with 18-20 crowd... Should mention that 18 is the legal drinking age in NZ... The lights around the park are fine, but it's PACKED and uncomfortably so. We perch on a little hill over looking a fountain with a light dragon in it with a few other.... Hundred.. Maybe even thousands of people. We set up shop and just wait for these lanterns to be let loose... Then we wait some more... And then we see a lantern floating up into the sky... And a few others. AND THEN THERE WAS A FIST FIGHT.

And that was the extent of our Lantern Festival. Way to go Year of the Snake.

So today, to the people who are actually reading this blog (Thanks Mom and Dad) it's SUNDAY. I still cannot kick whatever it is that has been bringing me down-- so we had a lazy day. No city adventures, no weird interactions, just absolute LAZINESS. And before you get all mad because I'm in a foreign country and taking a personal day-- if you will-- I slept most of the day and am about to pass out tonight. Sometimes you get need a recoup or two, ya FEELZ?

So tomorrow, Monday, LP and I booked what's called A Stray Bus Tour... Heading up to the Bay of Islands and Cape Reinga, which is the northern most tip of New Zealand. The bus is leaving around 8, only problem is, is that on our receipt it says for one passenger... Fingers crossed.

Now that we're here it's almost overwhelming all the places we can go. We are so ready for the South Island though that we may detour parts of the North island to get there. Ah!

And finally, this is a disclaimer: INTERNET IN NEW ZEALAND COST 10¢ FOR 1 MEGABYTE OR SOMETHING RIDICULOUS. So probably no more Skype/ Face Time unless its an emergency or if the wifi is completely free.

With that there's a good chance that I will have a bunch of posts built up for when I know wifi is cheap and post them all at once.

Like this one... It's Sunday in NZ when I'm writing it , who the fuck knows when I'll post it.

Okay, bye.


***its Monday at 4:45***