New Zealand / Australia Trip

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2/4/2012

Shortly after arrival at the hotel, we realized that English is a second language in this area!

Started the day with continental breakfast in hotel.<span> A couple sat down at our table.<span> Janis noticed that the man spoke in Latvian to the woman.

That started a nice conversation.<span> They were a couple from Riga on vacation in the US.<span> They were enjoyable company.

Breakfast was followed by a workout in the hotel gym, definitely no crowd.<span> A teenage boy did enter the gym and attempted to weigh himself.<span> He left<span> when he realized that it wasn’t a digital scale!







2/5/2012<span> - 2/6/2012<span> International Date Line Crossed!

Spent Saturday afternoon at the Los Angeles airport people watching.

Folks of interest included two professional basketball players (really big guys).<span> They had found a team in Sydney to join.<span> They were en route to their new jobs.

We boarded our Sydney flight at 10:30 CDT.<span> Dinner was served at midnight CDT.<span> We had a nice full course dinner.<span> Wine was included.<span> We enjoyed our Premium Economy seats.<span> There were two seats where there are normally three seats.<span> There was plenty of leg space and the seats actually reclined.<span> Rest replaced sleep.<span> We arrived Sydney 15 hours later (1:00PM Sunday CDT).<span> We breezed through Aussie security

And made our way to the international departure area.

After spending four hours, we boarded our flight to Auckland.<span> As we approached, we had a nice view of the Manukau Bay,<span> the Hauraki Gulf and Auckland City.

The Campbells were at the airport to greet us with balloons and a welcome back sign. <span> We drove through some of our old haunts on the way to their home.<span> We drove past 36 Fancourt St.<span> where we lived during our time in New Zealand.<span> We received a red carpet treatment upon entry into their home.







<span> 2/7/2012

Spent the morning settling in and relaxing, no apparent major jetlag.

In the afternoon, we did some sightseeing in the local area where we had lived and the Newmarket. area.

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