NZ- Tuesday, 12/21

Tuesday, 12/21- 22:17- Rydges Hotel, Auckland

Another long day is at an end. Not as long as yesterday, but still a day filled with walking and exploring (and shopping).

We started in search of Market #2. “65 Shops!' the ad proclaimed. Yeah, maybe if there is no construction going on. Maybe six shops. So we wandered through, basic tourist stuff. Reminds me of the International Marketplace at home.

The next stop was the grocery store. Why? Breakfast and snack stuff. And I married someone who likes grocery stores, Yay...

It actually resulted in a nice breakfast in the park, sampling NZ pastries and mixed nuts and bananas. Felt very healthy and we had food for later.

The weather today was the total opposite of the last two. Barely overcast, very sunny, downright warm sometimes. One lady said it felt like high summer temperatures. Felt like home.

Having failed in our market quest we were open for suggestions on how to spend the rest of the day. We felt like we should do the museum. But we wanted to hop a ferry and check out Devonport. So thats what we did.

First though, we stopped in at the harbour's Official Rugby World Cup 2011 Store. Very cool. I wish America got in to this kind of national team thing outside of the Olympics. We pretended to care about the Soccer World Cup, but didn't really. And Angela claims we field a rugby team but no one knows or cares. We should! America should be a part of all these huge worldwide sporting events. We'd get beat up for a while, that would be good for the national ego. This is another thing I'll have to take care of when I am Grand Ruler. America shall give a shit about the sports beyond its borders. I have spoken.

We barely made the ferry, bought our tickets with two minutes to spare and enjoyed a short (approx. 12 minutes) boat ride across the harbour to the seaside town of Devonport. Really cute little place, a lot like every other touristy port town I've ever been to, but with better accents.

It was here we discovered our first yarn shop of the trip. The wife + NZ yarn shop = skipping across the street giggling. The owner/operator was a very nice lady who talked to us about all kinds of stuff and helped Angela buy some genuine NZ sock yarn and four balls of possum yarn. Squee for her.

We also bought a bag of freshly ground on the premises coffee that smells wonderful. Every so often we'd get a puff of smell from the bag. Yum!

We bought ice cream and sat in the park to people watch. There was a giant inflatable snow globe with a long line (queue?) of people waiting to go inside. Its main purpose seemed to be making children cry when they're time was up and they were told they had to get out. We also watch a group of young boys water balloon bomb a group of slightly older girls. Very funny. And I observed children playing cricket and I STILL don't get it!

Forgot to mention we played on the equipment meant for children at the park where we ate breakfast. Fun! No death!

Ferry back to Auckland then back to the room to relax. Dinner was a 20 minute walk to a pizza place with excellent marketing called Hell. Yes, Hell. Like, “Welcome to Hell, what would you like?” We ordered a small Trouble and a small Purgatory. Very good.

Angela's foot hurts again and I think the walk back from Hell hurt more than she let on. Tomorrow will be lighter. Oh yeah, Aunt Steph, the Gorillaz were in town tonight for the las show of their tour. We walked by the area. *Yawn*

Back in the room now, wife icing her foot. Hope its ok. She also used the map to figure out how we get where we want to go tomorrow. Tomorrow, you see, we get the camper. I get to drive a large, unfamiliar vehicle from the wrong side of the caravan on the wrong side of the road through unfamiliar city streets and traffic. I'm a little nervous about killing us. It wouldn't be so bad if we didn't start from the city centre. I'll just have to be a fast learner and stay calm. Angela knows I get frustrated in situations like this and I'm going to do my best to stay calm, cool, and collected. Like Fonzy. It won't be too bad, just new is all. I'm nearly positive we won't explode.

Also tomorrow is Sheep World. (non-sarcastic) Yay! I want an All Blacks shirt and a NZ cycling jersey and a tattoo. We'll see what I come home with.

-22:50-