Another day, another free airline bag

Took the big flight from San Fran to Auckland, 7.30pm flight, sleep on the plane, get in at 5am - easy. Why, oh why did I think that? A 7.30pm flight means you don't get to sleep until 11pm, after having dinner, and wine, and watching the all important movie or two, and 5am, means you are awake at 3am. Naomi needed to be carried off the flight, and if someone had offered to carry me, I would have gladly accepted.

After spending a couple of hours at Auckland airport (waiting until a more respectable time to arrive on someone's doorstep) we got our hire car, (over)loaded the boot in the fog and rain, and went to visit our good old ex Khandallah friends Kate and Cate.




Kate on the left, is busy project managing a top to toe renovation of her new home, we had the grand tour and chatted about fridges and kitchens and curtains and carpet (and scotias!) before heading the Cate's (as there was nowhere to sit down, or boil the kettle at Kate's;).

Great quote from the other Cate, on the challenges of having three preschoolers...

Cate, on a bit of a stressful day: Do you know what this is for? (shaking her rolling pin threateningly in the direction of the children)

Emily & Hannah: Baking?

Then on to dinner at the viaduct with our mate Reagan, who kindly relieved us of not one, but three of our bags, to make the final Australian leg of our travels slightly easier, thanks Regs!




The next day we had a relaxing lunch at Mission Bay, with some lovely Sauvignon Blanc (it was probably wine o' clock in San Fran;) and then back onto the plane, this time for the journey to Melbourne, gateway to our big trip up the coast to Cairns (yes, we are doing to campervan thing again, hopefully with less accidents this time!).

It was good to be in NZ again, after a whole six months away. Familiar but different, I looked at Suckland (I keep making that typo, not intentionally, sorry, no offence Jafas;) with fresh eyes. I loved the art shop in the airport, was seriously considering buying a souvenir, but then I remembered we live there!

Love
Est xxx








P.S. Did you now that the are 500,000 people in the air, right now?
P.P.S. Gotta love those HSBC airport ads!