My 14th Birthday on a Plane

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ZACK - I spent my 14th birthday flying over the Tasman Sea. I spent most of the time sleeping on the plane ride over here. My mom got me a box of Begian chocolate from the "Duty Free" store in the airport, along with an ice cold bottle of sprite. These sound like the birthday gifts of a 60 year old Swiss woman, but I was greatful nonetheless.

When our plane reached Wellington, we noticed that the entire sea looked like angry little wrinkles on the face of the ocean. It was super windy, and that was causing a lot of waves (and a scary landing). We got off the plane and took a cab to our apartment. The cab driver was from Cambodia, and of course, Dad said something about us going there.

When we got to the apartment, it was hot, small, and smelled like a retirement home. Needless to say, it wasn't the most fantastic of living conditions. To top off my fantastic birthday, my mom and I helped our friends Barb and Peg move and I injured my shoulder. I was still happy to help.

We called downstairs and said we wanted to move apartments. We got our way, but we would have to stay in the apartment we already had for the night before we could move. We decided to go out for indian food for my birthday, and we also got to get a look at the city. The buildings were really beautiful at night, and we saw a guitar shop on Cuba Street. My dad said that he would get me a travel guitar for my birthday so I would have something to play. The Indian food was delicious, and the waiter was watching "Slumdog Millionaire" on his laptop in the corner.

I did my school work for the majority of the next day. We went out for dinner to a place called "The Flying Burrito Brothers." No matter where you are, if you're outside a Spanish speaking country (or San Diego), you're not going to get good Mexican food. We went with Barb and Peg. Barb is a profesor who works at the same law school as my dad in San Diego and is teaching here too, and Peg is her partner. We got a delicious churro for desert. It wasn't like the churro stand churros. It was gourmet and whatnot.

Since then all my days have been pretty much the same. I've formed a routine of doing my school work, running along the Wellington Bay, and watching Scrubs. We've gone to some cool places in Wellington. I visited the Te Papa museum with my mom, and again with one of my dad's coworker's daughters and her friend. Peg's daughter and her husband have come to Wellington too, along with their two kids, Sasha and Luke. We visited the Terra Cotta warriors who are touring from Xian, China, and we also went laser tagging.

The next three months are probably going to be the same, but I like it. My brother Alec is coming in a few days, and he'll stay with us for the rest of the trip. This trip has been super exiting and fun, but I'm glad that I can finally have a routine. I really like this new city. When I run along the bay, the ocean contrasts with the huge buildings, and it looks beautiful. The waterfront is really busy with kids jumping into the water off the docks, school kids racing in boats, ferries coming and going and people fishing and hanging out. One difference I have seen here is that all of the school kids wear uniforms. From their old men fishermen hats and knee high socks the uniforms leave a lot to be desired. Today I saw about about 100 boys my age in blue blazers and shorts carrying a school flag and walking down the street singing songs. I don't know how long they would last in Ocean Beach, especially with the knee high socks. I'm going to enjoy spending time here, as long as my mom doesn't make me start wearing a blazer.

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Photos

Bridge Jumper
Can you see the kid who just jumped off the bridge - they do this all the time here - it's crazy!

Waterfront
This is where I do my jog every day. Its really cool when all of the school kids are here racing each other in their New Zealand style canoes.

Terracotta Soldiers
This was a really interesting exhibition. The floor here had to be reinforced to carry the weight of the 60 soldiers who are on loan from Xian.

Victoria Law School
This is the largest wooden building in the southern hemisphere.

Comments

[rbrooks]

Uniform
Zach, if you post a picture of you in the uniform the school kids wear I will buy you any dessert you want this summer in the vineyard

[jeff]

flying burrito brothers
also name of a band from CA....had Gram Parsons and one of the guys from the Byrds in it. Big influence on the Eagles.

[zerina]

hi
hey zack that sounds like a "great" birthday especially how you hurt your shoulder