NZ- Saturday, 1/8

Saturday, 1/8, Flight NZ10, Over the Pacific Ocean

I think every single person on the plane but me is watching or has watched “The Social Network” on their seat back viewers. I've watched a game and a half off All Blacks rugby. Not a poseur! Rugby is much less confusing than cricket, and much faster than American football. I'm not sure why we haven't given it a more public try yet (by the way, there is a rugby pun in there, can you find it?). NFL is too strong probably. They better hope there's no lockout. The Rugby World Cup is in October and football fans with no '11-'12 season could discover the game at its highest level. Hey, we nearly cared about soccer. And rugby is way more interesting than that.

Security at Auckland International was cake even compared to HNL. “Do we need to take off our shoes?” *polite scoff* “No, its fine. Go ahead and leave your change in your pockets too, we know what coins are here. We are what you might call 'civilized'. Go on through.” Ok, that might not have been exactly what he said, but the basic idea is there. It was fast, painless, and supremely easy.

I spent my free time at the airport feeling the NZ$25 cash I still have burning a hole in my pocket. Sadly, I could find nothing I wanted and am bringing back money I can't use. We could convert it back at HNL, but I think I may hold on to it. Never know when we'll be back to the land of the long white cloud and the short brown bird.

As we fly the plane's flux capacitor is fluxing and we are generating the 1.21 gigawatts needed to travel back in time to yesterday, when we will land at 8pm Friday, which is when we were packing to fly back. At least no wormhole or flight path which includes a slingshot around the sun is needed...I don't think. And the plane does seem bigger on the inside. (Is that enough scifi time travel jokes? Have I covered every major tv show and movie? Oh wait.) Also we don't have to be naked for it to work. And don't forget that San Dimas High School football rules! (There, now I think I'm done.)

I can't put in to words how much we enjoyed this trip, though looking back it sure seems I've tried. Hopefully some of them did the job. Aside from a few small things (passing a kidney stone while camping, anyone?) I wouldn't have changed a thing.