The Purple Penguin

Hi all! We are here. Arrived yesterday afternoon – over an hour late but we arrived.

The flight was long – very long. During most of the flight had no idea what time it was or even what day it was. Knew where we were, could see that on the flight information, but time? So we sat and ate and watched films and ate and dozed and played games and sat and sat and sat.

I have now officially been to Australia! Hooray. OK, two hours (more or less) in Melbourne airport. Still that’s Australia.

We went out for our first meal in NZ and had . . . Japanese. Yep. Little place near the hotel which was wonderful.

Joe’s bit: After a long flight changing in Dubai and Melbourne; yes Kathleen can now not complain that she’s never been to Australia. We arrived in Auckland. Got a shuttle bus from the airport to the hotel. Pretty days and we’re not feeling too bad. Checked in, quick shower and change after over 24 hours in the same clothes. We then wandered around the block and had some nice food and then back to the hotel and crashed out about 7:00!

This morning’s report: Got up and did the boring getting ready for the day (and Joe will insist on breakfast). Then off to the Sky Tower which is nifty. There’s a glass floor in the lift so you can watch the floor disappear way way way below you. We went right up to the Sky deck and took loads of photos. We are lucky – the weather is sunny and blue sky, barely a cloud to be seen, and even sort of warm. Then made reservations for the restaurant tonight – we’ll go up and watch the sun set then have a nice meal while watching Auckland spin slowly below us. Now we’re off to the harbour area.