Living La Vida Loca

Yes…It’s a long way to New Zealand. 

Yes…flying Economy sucks a bit. (Not the worst thing I have ever done but when the bucks roll in I’m going business class – at least!).

No…I did not sleep most of the way.  Ever try to sleep sitting up, smushed between two sweet but also-tired travelers?  Bet you have – ’nuff said.  Amazingly, a young Aussie to my right (window seat) slept nearly the entire 12+ hours and NEVER needed to get up.  She agreed she has camel in her DNA. While Andrew and I got very little shut-eye, we stayed up with Ruthie and her dear friend, Lauren, until nearly 9pm!  Then, zonk.

Yes…our flights were on time and uneventful.  Ruthie chased us on a second non-stop flight to Auckland and reunion was great. 

We were met by our home exchange host – Gareth – an awesome guy whose family stayed in our home last July.  Gareth owns a residential construction company and built his family home about three years ago.  His wife, Kula, works with him and they have two teenage kids who fell in love with beach life when they visited. We are now returning the favor.  Gareth took us on a quick drive through Auckland proper – it very much looks like a cross between Portland, Oregon and Vancouver BC.  It’s a growing metropolis from a construction standpoint, looking like it is stretching to accommodate more tourism and population, but still feels navigable and boasts amazing natural beauty all around.

On this first in-transit tour of the Auckland suburbs en route to the house, it struck me that at least this part of the North Island reminds me of much of Hawaii….lush green vegetation, tropical air, and a slower pace – chill.  The color of the water here is amazing. Shades of blue and green and surrounded by sightings of not-to-distant islands and mountains all around.  And this is just the beginning. 

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Our hosts home in Whangaparaoa, about 30 minutes outside Auckland on the Stanmore Bay peninsula, is as cozy and welcoming as our hosts.  It’s a real treat to sit on the deck that overlooks one of the many waterways around Auckland.   Ruthie’s childhood buddy, Lauren, joined us not long after arriving at the house.  She is one brave woman…she rented a car solo and drove on the Kiwi “other side of the road” like a champ, and arrived with a smile on her face, ready to adventure with us.

Once we unpacked and got the lay-of-the-land in the house, Gareth and family took us to a great lunch at Dear Coasties in Orewa  (“Coasties” are what the local residents call themselves as on the peninsula everyone is “on the coast”) – wonderful, healthy stuff. 

On the way there, Andrew played observer of the rules of the road and on the way back I had to shut my mouth, sit in the back, and pray – he actually did a great job quickly mastering the flipped road rules!  Our host family is staying with extended family not far away and then plan a summer excursion to another part of the island while we are guests. We love them dearly and we are planning to gather again for at least a meal before they take off.

We ended our first day in the hot tub at sunset with a glass of local wine, met a new resident black bird who seemed to have gotten his buddies to play a divebombing game with us as “sitting ducks” (no mess thank goodness) in the bubbling water, then cooked a simple dinner, and crashed.  

There is nothing quite like waking to a cacophony of birdsong…