The Fatherland

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Kia Ora!!

At long, long last, after seventeen years filled with despair, heartbreak and longing, I have finally reached the Land of the Long White Cloud, the Land of My Father, the Land of My Father's Father, and most assuredly the Land of My Father's Father's Father. And its awesome.

I still don't know how to get my pictures from my phone to the computer, so unfortunately I'll have to rely on brilliant language and wordplay to keep you guys interested for a little while longer. But as I'm writing this in the beautiful house of my cousins in Nelson, New Zealand, I'm looking out across a beautiful beach, into the Pacific Ocean, with large green mountains covered with mist in the distance, with a few choice clouds floating above. That doesn't do it justice, but you get the idear.

We came in late last night, and my cousin Johnny who I haven't seen in 10 years took Griff and I out to McDonald's, which was great. 10,000 miles and its still five minutes to McDonald's. Interestingly enough, the fries (or chips, as they say down under) say "New Zealand's Favorite Fries!" on the box, so I guess thats something we have in common with the Kiwis.

Oh and Taylor! I literally, and I kid you not, literally, was inches away from Jermaine of "Flight of the Conchords" fame in Auckland! We were walking to the domestic terminal and he was passing us going to the International terminal, and I stopped and looked at him with mouth agape as he walked by. He gave me a creeped out look cause I was staring at him, but it was still awesome. But I didn't say hi for you... so I failed in the one thing you asked me to do. My bad.

The worst part of the flight to New Zealand? The flight. Our Air New Zealand flight was cancelled, so they shipped us over to Aerolineas Argentinas. Thats right, Argentina's own national airline! And it sucked. And we were surrounded by Argentinian people, and the food was awful, and we were very very happy to get off.

I've got to go explore some of my native land, catch ya later.

Your Obediant Humble Servant,
C. Michael Butterfield

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