Heaven, I'm in Heaven
Trip Start
Aug 23, 2007
1
33
60
Trip End
Jul 17, 2008
Auckland,
New Zealand
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
But back to Auckland. I really have just hung out. My days were about strolling through the city, had my eyebrows threaded (don't ask, guys), a pedicure, and my hair coloured and highlighted and trimmed. How I missed my dear Kal who is the only person to have worked on my hair in 15 years. I walked into a pharmacy that was throwing a party and after a glass of champagne was treated to a free manicure. I had such a good laugh with the manicurist that she said she would read my palm too. She asked if I was going to take another trip like this. I said that I might travel, but not big trips like this one. She said, yes you wil....excuse me? She said that I would be leaving home again much sooner than I expect. Hmmmm. Interesting, terrifying, thought provoking. Whatever...she's a palm reader.
I finally got in touch with my friend Caroline who I met on the way to Magnetic Island back in Australia. She and I made supper together in my hotel room and went out for drinks on a patio. Tonight I'll be seeing her again. She's on her way to Bangkok tomorrow and we hope to link up in Thailand in January.
Yesterday, on a beautiful summer's day, I attended the Santa Claus parade. What a hoot! Turns out Santa wears a parka and is drawn by eight tiny reindeer. He must have been sweltering under that mass of wool. The floats and bands were colourful and festive, although one of them was a little confused. It was a haunted house and it was blaring out the "Time Warp" from the Rocky Horror Picture Show. The kids were dressed up in little summery costumes and were being slapped with sunscreen every 15 minutes. After it was over, I just couldn't go home without stopping for a beer in the sun. Seemed like the right thing to do after a Santa parade in the sunshine!!
I managed to squeeze in a yoga class during all my leisure time. It was an Ashtanga class and way to hard for me, but I just did what I could with help from the hunky, sweaty yoga teacher. Oh my...enough said!!
And so this wraps up the first three months of my travels and is the beginning of my South East Asia leg of the journey. Truth be told: I'm nervous. Fortunately, I have good contacts there and know so many people who have been there before me and loved it. I will put nerves out of my mind and believe that everything will work out well....it always does, now, doesn't it?
Heading out now to meet Caroline and Heidi from Finland for my last meal in a developed country for a while...pizza!! Cheers, everyone.
