new zealand 2003 - day 1

New Zealand was at the top of my list of places to see. We had always joked that this would be our (belated) honeymoon. As luck would have it, Jeremy had a conference in Sydney and we decided to rendez-vous in Auckland. The first thing to do besides get a big handful of gorgeous New Zealand currency, was to call up our rental car contact. We booked the "backpacker's special" for US$96 during the 10 days. It was an old beater of a 1988 Mazda wagon and we affectionately called it Nougat.

From the airport, Jeremy drove us south into the lush, green countryside dotted with sheep, sheep, and more sheep. New Zealand's landscape is easy on the eyes. Maori and English are the official languages and everything is metric (with notable exceptions like 3 Mile Bay...) We arrived in Waitomo by late afternoon - too late to catch the cave tours. Our first night was at a B&B in Waitomo on an ostrich farm. My favorite critter was Cindy, a very affectionate and cuddly cat. Our hosts were delightful people too. Tourism is big in New Zealand, it is second only to the dairy industry. But I think Kiwis are genuinely pleasant folk who enjoy the outdoors, have great wit, and are a rather hardy bunch. That night we went into Otorohanga for a look around town and a bite to eat. We found the best takeaway fish and chips at the Burger Bar (get the chips tartare).