Day Ten

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Happy Birthday, Mike! We hope you have a great day, whether you get a mule or not!

We met the sweetest man at the top of the Mount this morning. He convinced us that we should go fishing just north of Auckland in the Bay of Islands off the coast of Russell. Maybe we will!

We didn’t spend any time in town, just had our morning workout and got a few things ready to leave around the condo. We are all packed up again, ready to head west after checkout tomorrow morning. We are going to spend the day in Tauranga (city just over the bridge), then take the weekend to drive to Auckland.

We have arrangements on Sunday to meet with a couple who is interested in renting us a room! They sound very friendly and we can’t wait to feel what it is like to live here. We will spend the first week looking for jobs and getting to know our “flatmates” while our temporary work visa applications go through, and hopefully make it up to the northern part of the country soon after we move in.

So, a few of you have asked about the food here! You can order lamb for cheap at any restaurant, breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Curried lamb, lamb with mint, lamb kebabs, anything. They love apricots, too. They are just as common here as apples are in the States. They have apricot jam, sweet chili, yoghurt, juice, salsa, apricots on pastries, apricots on sandwiches, on salads, on lamb! They love their bell peppers and carrots, and have a tangy red sauce that they put on almost anything. Their ketchup is just called tomato sauce and it is much sweeter. It’s really good! Jack and I eat fresh fruit every day, but my favorite is their milk. It is too amazing to put into words! Jack doesn’t see the difference, but here is my assessment: It’s not bleach white - it actually has a bit of a creamy color to it, like real milk should. Milk in the States doesn’t have much of a flavor, but the milk here is delicious. It tastes rich, a little sweet, but nothing gross. Just perfect, ice cold, 2% New Zealand milk.

We may not have internet access until we get to our new place on Sunday, but you will hear from us as soon as we can. I’ll take more pictures this weekend, too!

Jack says he doesn’t like apricots.

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Comments

[Rick]

It is hard to imaging. It has been a full year since Jack popped the big question! WOW. As for the lamb, maybe you can start a new company; Bubba Gump Lamb. You can have it grilled, broiled... Have a great weekend. Love you two - Dad

[bobbi]

Your phone call
Hey, I CAN'T believe I missed your call. Please call me again when you can -- I tried calling you back but just got busy signal -- not sure I had the rigth city code. I will not miss any more calls!!!!!

[Nathalie]

hi
I dont like apricots either. And HAPPY birthday! Im late, sorry. I forgot. No worries though, it's Mike's birthday today and i forgot that too. :-)

[tiff]

howdy
hey guys! hows it...nani? anyway... check the yumskittle address or facebook for baby pictures. my little stevie is sooooooooooooooo soooooooooooooooooooo so cue, haha. i mean cute! any ways. go fishing. and then cook what you catch. and eat an apricot for me. actually.... you should probably sneak some back. in your bra. or in jack's bra. i have to go vaccum. bye, love you both. oh, guess what..... brandy has green feet. i will send a picture.