Coming In To New Zealand

Leg two of our epic trek halfway around the world proved much more pleasant and comfortable than the trip from Boston to San Francisco.  We even managed to get a few hours of sleep, which was a definite plus, because we landed at 9:00 a.m. and our hotel room was not available until 3:00 p.m.

Here is my first sight of New Zealand as seen from the window on the plane as we made our final approach into Auckland.  What a vibrant city it is, with loads of new construction going on, a wonderfully multi-cultural population, some beautiful historical buildings and neighbourhoods, lush parks, and stunning turquoise water in the harbours.  We took a 3-hour mini van tour of the city this afternoon -- something more interesting to do than sitting comatose in the hotel lobby until we were granted access to a shower and a bed.  Tomorrow we board our ship!