New Zealand I – Arrival!

---

Well, quite an interesting and frantic start to Phase II of the travels. My final days in St. Pete were nuts. Packing up after 8 1/2 years in one house, saying many goodbyes, taking care of all the bills and commitments in the States, throwing a blowout party that including feeding and inebriating over 50 people (I had some help on that one), and, oh yeah, packing for travel of up to a year. I ended up getting a little more than three hours sleep my final night, then when I arrived at the airport, my first flight had been canceled for weather. I was shocked but delighted when they were able to book me on flights on other airlines; however, I missed my connection in L.A., so I had to take a later flight. It was not late enough, however, to provide time for my bags to catch up to me. As I write this first posting, I sit at Auckland International Airport on the North Island, awaiting a flight to Christchurch on the South Island. My luggage may be in L.A or Atlanta or perhaps Dallas, hopefully not Tampa.
So have I got a story for all you country music fans out there. The guy I sat next to for the 13 hour flight to New Zealand - Craig Morgan! For those of you who, like me, have never heard of Craig Morgan, he is a borderline superstar. He’s had 13 Billboard Country Top 10 hits, including three number ones and one that was the number one record of an entire year a few years back. He comes to New Zealand every year to hunt, and it is taped and broadcast on the Outdoor Channel. He’s also a professional motocross rider, an accomplished scuba diver, and an 11 year army veteran including special ops. Plus, four kids (one adopted) and as down to earth as he could possibly be. I’m beginning to think that the latter is a critical component of being a country music star—pretty much the exact opposite of hip hop. Granted coach on Air New Zealand is quite a different experience than coach on, say, US Airways; but he was in coach. I almost didn’t believe his stories, but it’s all there on the Internet. Pretty cool.

So when I arrive in Christchurch, it will only be 11AM. I’m picking up a camper van that I have rented for the next two months, and then I’m going to a hostel, where hopefully my bags will be delivered within the next two and a half days. Assuming I have my gear, I start the four-day Milford Track hike on Monday, which is on the opposite side of South Island as Christchurch. Wish me luck!

Greg

---