At long last...

Despite United Airlines best efforts, I have actually reached New Zealand (and figured out how to get to this blog again). The Chicago to San Fran portion of my journey lived up to its 0% on time rating, getting me to the bay area about 50 minutes after my flight to Auckland departed. About ninety minutes and five airline employees later I had a new flight, food and hotel vouchers, and assurances my luggage would totally get to New Zealand . No promise about its condition though...

Christchurch was lovely even in my jet lagged haze (I'm a sucker for botanical gardens). The Old Country House (my first home away from home) took pity on me and gave me a single room for my first night because they couldn't refund the night I missed.

On the 16th, I took the bus to Dunedin (duh-NEE-din), further south on the east coast. [Travel tip - if the receptionist says "it's up a bit of a hill" - take a cab. Especially if it's dark and raining.] A mid-sized city with a good college and the prettiest train station I've ever seen, it's definitely worth a visit. Even in the rain. Shared a double with an adventurous English woman (good luck in Mongolia!) at the Elm Lodge (for lack of dorm space) and walked the city with a Kiwi artist/former psychiatric nurse. In honor of my Dad's birthday (and a break in the weather), I spent the 19th (~18th USA-time) at St. Kilda beach.

From there I moved to Queenstown, a city fit for the Queen (or a queen - I can't remember how they like to say that). I actually stayed two extra days it was just so lovely - right on a lake, surrounded by mountains. Coach buses full of tourists couldn't ruin the place. The 22nd I took a coach-cruise-coach one day tour of Milford Sound. Obviously, more time would have been great in theory but the weather there is a little tricky. Tours had been cancelled on the 20th and there were road closings and cruise cancellations the 23-24 because of snow and wind so I was lucky to go when I did. A coach driver also staying at the Hippo Lodge said the winds were so strong some of the coaches lost windows. Very glad I spent those days reading trashy romance novels and doing walks around the city.

Today is my first full day at Franz Josef - tomorrow I'm going to see the glacier! I'm going with a tour - not exactly my favorite way to visit but it's the way to get on the ice without having to have any... you know, skills. Besides, who wants to be the dumb tourist crushed under a big block of ice?

Pictures to come (though only from Queenstown on... my digital had some "performance issues" until I threatened to replace it with a younger, slimmer camera). Take care!

Just five days until I depart for beautiful New Zealand. As I am mostly unpacked (from moving) and repacked (for traveling), all that's left is the worrying and waiting.

I want desparately to board that plane.