Gumboots, "Mounts" and Brooklyn

We arrived in Auckland four days ago. Our friend Sean introduced us to NZ by taking us out to Karekare beach. It was a day where rain and brilliant sunshine fought for control of the skies. The ocean was wild and big; from the beach, we looked up at a mass of seething water. Mist and foam blew across the black sand and cliffs, and the tea trees were bent to a uniform height that made the hills look like they were covered by a manicured hedge. From the beach, we walked to a waterfall that spilled down a black, rocky cliff into a peaceful green pool. If Hawai'i and Scotland had a love-child, it would be NZ.

On our second day in Auckland, we took the ferry across the bay to Devenport where there was really nothing much to see or do. We did, however, climb "Mount" Victoria which is one of several very small volcanoes jutting up from Auckland's neighborhoods. Even Mainers would laugh at the designation of "Mount" for these bumps. I think they probably stand at an elevation of 120ft. On a good day.

On Wednesday, we caught the train down to Wellington. On the way, our naps were interupted by announcements made by a woman who sounded like a man and who therefore made me think of Eddie Izzard, and another couldn't pronounce her "r's" which left me wondering if towns like Wairaparara were actually Waiwapawawa. They told us about the sites as we passed them: the town in which the annual sheep shearing competition is held (note, to your left, the lovely and large statue of someone shearing a sheep); numerous tunnels and viaducts (length, date of construction, and height described free of charge); the carrot-growing region of NZ; a length of track that completed a spiral to get up a grade (oh the excitement!); and, my favorite, the site of the annual gumboot throwing competition. Indeed, an entry for the Guiness Book of World Records was made right there when someone tossed a size 8 gumboot 74 meters.

The train also passed by some truly impressive (and active) volcanoes covered in snow. Off in the distance, a perfectly conical peak poked its head through a ring of clouds, while next to us, a huge and scraggly mountain rose from the flat lands surrounding it. There were double rainbows and hours of rolling green farmland covered in sheep and the occasional wild peacock. It was a pretty ride.

And now we're in Wellington where it is neither windy nor particularly cold nor raining. Today, we hiked through one of the city's many green belts to another "Mount" Victoria and sat at the top in the sunshine looking at the city through the branches of a tree that someone had cleverly planted right in front of the view point's only bench. We sat and talked and tried to come to terms with the fact that we have just moved halfway around the world. Excitement, nervousness and overwhelm and vying for control of my mind at any given moment - that is except when sleep wins, as it does at around 8:00pm!

Wellington seems to have a lot of interesting people, at least to look at, though it is disappointing to discover that the 80's resurgence that has gripped the 20-somethings of America has also taken root here. Enough with the polka-dot bubble skirts and skinny jeans with heels! Enough stripey shirts with big belts!

There are also lots of cafes and restaurants and pubs. The aforementioned train operators told us that Wellington actually has more cafes and pubs than New York city -- per capita. Wellington also has Brooklyn, which, as it turns out, is right next to Central Park. And, Wellington contains perhaps the only immigration office in the world staffed by friendly, smiling people who really are there to help. So far, I'm liking what I see. Now I just need to find me a Ph.D. program.

You too can experience the wonders of our first four days in NZ by checking out some pictures here (listed under 2006 - the honeymoon is over, folks).