NZ, day 1

The flight wasn't bad. There were enough extra seats to make the 12 hours fly by. I like Korean air, too. Cute, accommodating flight attendants and good food help - I'm especially fond of the Bibimbop.

After arriving in Auckland, I jumped on a domestic flight to Christchurch.



The couple next to me noticed me scribbling activities and scrounging through an absurd sized pile of brochures. They offered enough good advice during that hour long flight to get me on a solid start.

Austin was right at the baggage claim - things were off to a smooth start.

Our rental car is a new, manual transmission Toyota Corolla. Driving on the other side of the street isn't too bad, except some of the crazy left turns and roundabouts. Shifting with my left hand is a bit weird. The worst part is that I keep turning the windshield wipers on instead of activating the turn signal, which is on the right side. Oh, and I feel really stupid! I couldn't figure out how to get the vehicle in reverse, which is left and up besides first! After consulting the manual I "figured out" that you have to hold the shifter skirt up in order to activate it.

We found a "Jailhouse" hotel. It's a trip! We have a bunk bed that's a real converted jail cell. The manager is the "warden" and the place is all done up! The only gotcha is the authentic shared shower (they did put stalls up). More pictures to follow.

Our technology on the go is great too. Austin brought his router and Vonage phone, and I brought my laptop. We just plug in a common area and can make calls to the states and are fully wired! Sweet!