Thanksgiving in New Zealand

I’m here!! Made it to New Zealand FINALLY after 4 plane rides from Bangkok – first to Jakarta, then Bali, then last minute to Melbourne after deciding that I didn’t want to spend the night in Bali and possibly be stuck there for a few days waiting for a flight (3 others did the same). It was an overnight flight to Melbourne arriving at 7am the next morning. From there we got lucky and were put on a Qantas flight direct to Auckland, The 4 of us were thrilled, and miraculously the luggage made it the whole way too.

I arrived in Auckland yesterday with my bicycle and massive duffel bag and after a thorough search from customs over my tent and bicycle tires (looking for dirt or foreign insects), I was released into the airport. And it was so great to be greeted by someone for a change! My friend Rebecca who I met last year in Thailand was there to pick me up. I was so happy! It was really good to see her again. We got all my stuff into her car and she took me to her flat in Auckland and it was so nice to be in a house and not a guesthouse, hostel, or bungalow! I can’t explain how happy I was to sit on a couch in a living room with a beer and have a chat with Rebecca. We spent the afternoon doing just that, and then ventured out for the only destination I had in mind – the supermarket.

But first we stopped by one of the hostels in town looking for my friend James from the UK who I first met in Ko Lipe, Thailand and then met up again in Byron Bay a few months ago and he’s now here in New Zealand traveling around as well. He knew I was arriving in Auckland but didn’t know I was coming by so it was a surprise. I think he was more than happy to have 2 girls stop by his hostel with a car offering to take him away for a few hours!

The 3 of us went to the supermarket together and then went back to Beck’s place to make dinner. Rebecca made us a local NZ cuisine, called Kumara, which are sweet potatoes cut thick and baked and eaten with sour cream. We chowed on chips, cheese, olives, and bread and I was in heaven! A good evening with great people was the perfect way to spend my first night in New Zealand.

Today is Thanksgiving and my turkey dinner was actually pasta with bruschetta and wine which we made at the house with Becks and her friend Ro. I was more than happy with that meal! I’ll call home tomorrow to say hello to the family; since we’re 19 hours ahead here it’s still the day before Thanksgiving at home!

Add comment November 28th, 2002