Auckland

The pods were very comfortable and came with lots of amenities. I watched a few shows and slept a somewhat interrupted sleep. Turbulence got really bad during the night and that woke me up. The time seemed to go by quickly and then breakfast was being served. We landed at 10:00 am under warm sunny skies.

Getting through customs is a bit of a process because NZ is very careful about biohazards entering the country. My one litre bottle of maple syrup passed muster and we were off to find our rental car.

I activated my eSIM card and so with full cell and data service we made it to my cousin Katja and her husband Steve's place with no problems. In New Zealand they drive on the left side of the road. Jon did a great job of driving right from the get go. I, however, was not a good passenger. I felt like we were driving too close to the shoulder and my feet kept looking for the brakes!!

We had a lovely afternoon and evening catching up with Katja and Steve, had a swim in their pool and finished the day with an amazing BBQ lamb and roasted vegetable supper.Læs mere