The Lizard has Landad

Dearest friends and casual readers,

I have almost been in New Zealand for 24 hours and I cried when I first got here. I mean, I cried after I got off the plane, went through the passport check, waited for my bags to drop and whisked through the "bioscan" x-ray of my luggage.(note: They are VERY serious about declaring things that that may have come in contact with animals and soil on other continents), saw Chris and got on a bus towards our new home. That's when I cried. It was a pretty gleeful cry, however, because it's weird to think that Auckland is our new home. This is not just a vacation - this is where we live now. The gravity of that is sort of staggering, exciting and a bit scary.

Chris broke the ice and ground the beans

I am grateful that Chris has already done most of the legwork in terms of knowing what and where things are. On our way to dropping off our luggage at home we stopped at the bank, that both of us will be using. The process of getting a bank account really isn't all that excessive, but getting an IRD number, which is required to be able to start paying taxes and therefore work and get paid is a little stringent. I won't outline it here, but it requires having a recognized address, which means having mail sent to you, having a bank account recognized already and blah, blah, blah... Chris is also already well versed in bus transit here, as well as cycling and crashing! The bus system is very similar to that of Vancouver's, so it isn't entirely foreign. Also similarly to Vancouver is the SMELL as soon as I got off the plane... musty, but delicious ocean air. The air tastes nice. Think lakeside cabin smell- that is how our new house smells. It's pretty much paradise for a Canadian.

Nature, Nature Everywhere

There is just so much to talk about in terms of the scenery here. It actually exceeded my expectations when I arrived. Imagine your favourite Disney Fairytale World was real, with all the animals and characters just plainly out in the open. It's sort of like that. Imagine the postcards or scenic shots in a nature documentary and how they made you feel. For me, at least, I always felt something about the landscapes in postcards or in movies. A kind of vicariously felt awe and relaxation. When Chris and I went hiking yesterday, which was only a few beaches and a bus trip away, I realized that where I was is exactly how they postcards made me feel, except it completely surrounds me now. I am sure people who visit Vancouver Island or their favourite getaway feel the same way- I had just never realized it before. I do have to say though, that the drive around Lake Superior and the ruggedness of that part of the Canadian shield is still the most awe-some terrain I have seen. But perhaps that's just a warm sense of nostalgia and belonging that directs me to feel that way. I have been very lucky to have experienced raw beauty in a few countries now. As for the animals- I haven't seen too many wild and wacky birds, despite it being bird mating season. But I can tell you, dear reader, that the animals around here are surprisingly relaxed around people. Millennia without natural predators will not elicit a deep-seated "fear" response in these Ornithurae. We did see a dead penguin though, which means:

• a - I have seen a penguin in the wild for the first time
• b - New Zealand totally has penguins
• and c - I saw a dead penguin

But enough about all that hokey crap and dead birds 'n stuff! We went to three separate beaches and hiked along their sandy and sometimes rocky shores, which brim with barnacles, tide pools and innumerable sea shells. The specific place we hiked is a nature reserve, so you aren't really allowed to pick up souvenirs, despite the countless number of shells ashore. We went up and down ridges and looked over cliffs at the ocean and went for a quick dip in the ocean. I had set foot in the ocean before, but had never in my adult life swam in it. My first response was how salty it was, which Chris thinks is hilarious. The water in the numerous bays around Auckland average 16-18 degrees centigrade, so not at all chilly. Very unlike Lake Superior.

How about THAT view!

It seems that everywhere has a view of the ocean, which is mind-boggling and the topography is hills, hills, hills. Chris mentioned that you get used to the beauty very quickly, and I found myself becoming accustomed within a few hours. You can't be in shock and awe about how gorgeous it is here forever, but you can practice gratefulness. I have to say, I am exceedingly grateful to be here. I really hope that I can share this with all of you someday. It's strange, but I feel like I don't deserve to be here, because New Zealand is fairly insulated from the world's problems. Sure, there's the odd gripe here and there, but New Zealand may never have to worry about ethnic tensions, water shortages, famine, war, or any of other problem plaguing parts of the globe. Even Canada doesn't have the best situation at the moment. But that's just my general sentiment.
Well, dear reader, that just about ends my patience for writing this sort of thing. I hope to blog a lot about my experiences here, because I am horrible at keeping in touch with people. This is the least I could for the largest amount of people, but if really feel like you want to talk with me, just set up a facebook messenger or skype chat date with Chris and I at waronelizabeth@gmail.com
Toodles!