Ahhhhh yes... we're here!!!!

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Wow!

After all that planning... we're finally in NEw Zealand!!! (and what a trip it was)
We left LAX on Tuesday the 22nd at around 10 pm. The plane was huge, and the movies were terrible, but the food wasn't bad :-)

When we got to Aukland on Thursday, we were exhausted, but sooooooo stoked to be in NZ. Flying over the country was amazing. Everything is so green here! Customes wasn't bad... Benji didn't have a copy of his visa prior to getting here, but it turned out to be no problem at all. Our only hold up was the NZ customs agant having to take our tent into "the lab" but we were seed and pest free, and on our way to the hostel.

We've been staying at this sweet little hostle called the City Garden Lodge. It used to be the embassy for the Quuen of Tonga, but now it's painted all sorts of funky colors and full of travellers from all over the world.

Our Friends Stacey and Jesse, from Santa Cruz, have been here for a few months already, so we worked out meeting them in Aukland. It's been great to have familiar faces around while we get oriented with this place. They actually sold us the van that they've been living in, and are off tomorrow with brand new bikes to continue their journey... it's been great to hang out with them and I'm sure we'll meet up again in a few months.

Auckland is loveley... very clean, and the people are very nice here. Though I have to say, the Kiwis (New Zealanders) are crazy!!! We were walking downtown yesterday and saw people bungee jumping off the buildings in the middle of downtown. I don't see that in our future, but who knows what craziness this trip may unfold.

Tonite is our last night in Auckland, and we're stoked to get out of the city. We're headed to the Coromandel Penninsula to check out some beautiful scenery, hotsprings, and WWOOF on our first farm!!! Thanks to my cousin Lana, we hooked up with a really awesome farm on the penninsula, and we start work trade on Wednesday.

So... with our 1988 Toyota Town Ace, a few guide books, and bright eyes, we're heading out tomorrow. We'll update as often as we can.

Sending you all sooooo much love!
-Abby and Benji

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