New Zealand: Part 1

Whew! We are back! It went by like a whirl wind. We packed in everything we could possibly pack in up until the hour we left. 

So it went something like this:

We left Provo Thursday night and drove to Primm,NV where we stayed at a hotel that Daniel found online for only $9.95 and we got a free ride on their HUGE roller coaster! It was so sweet! We got up, rode the roller coaster and headed for Los Angeles, CA. Thankfully we made it the the LA airport with only one turn around! Daniel was very patient with his passenger seat navigator and the traffic wasn't even too bad. 

Our flight to New Zealand left at 7:45 pm on Friday and we got into Auckland at 4:30 Sunday morning. It was a 13 hour flight that we really enjoyed. We flew Air New Zealand and given the circumstances it was pretty darn comfortable. There were over 77 movies to choose from, plus games, TV shows and music. The food was yummy and we actually slept most of the way. Which is quite an accomplishment for myself. 

After we made it through customs we were greeted by Daniels dad Jim. A familiar face was so comforting and we were so excited to see him! Let me back up. The whole reason we went to New Zealand is to visit Daniels parents, Jim and Linda because they were doing an elementary education study abroad there. Tickets were SUPER cheap so we jumped on it! 

So they drive on the other side of the road down there... I tell you what it was SO different and something that was really hard to get used to. Everything is opposite! Instead of right turns being the easy ones where you don't have to wait and stuff it s the left turn that is super easy.

 Totally wigged us out. 

When we got back to their house we took a little nap and went to church. Such wonderful, sweet people! And their accent! We can't mimic it for the life of us! Its just beautiful. After church we had the most wonderful dinner out on the back porch with the owners of Jim and Lindas house, their daughter and another friend. It was so relaxing. We laughed and talked into the night. Really that dinner was one of the highlights of the vacation. 

We went to Mt. Eaden, the tallest point in Auckland where we just got to look around. It was a clear beautiful day. 

It was a little windy!

There were cows on the side of this huge, steep mountain! Just eatin away

Daniel ran down to the bottom of the huge inactive volcano. 

Day 1: We went to Piha beach. It's on the west side of the island on the Tazman Sea. We had to get up early so we could go to Honeymoon cove. During high tide the water rises 9ft and we wouldn't have been able to walk to honeymoon cove. People have died because of the high tide sweeping them off the rocks. The pictures tell the story better than I can. 

This is at the over look.

 Daniel got star fish!

Us at honeymoon cove

There were green little mussels all over. I loved 'em!

Wow!

My honey was so tired

So I buried him. Just like in Venice, sorry Jessica- I just couldn't make him a bunny....

Afterwards...

At a waterfall just next to the beach.

There is so much! I'll continue in another post.