I like Auckland. This has come as somewhat of a surprise to me, because everything I read about this city said not to waste time on it. Everyone insisted that there is nothing to do in Auckland, there are no sites of interest, and the city has no history. Granted, I haven’t spent a lot … Read more
If you’re at all curious what New Zealanders think of American politics, take a look at this President Bush billboard, which spans a railroad viaduct over a major highway in Auckland: If you’re having trouble reading it, the captions on the photos are as follows: HISTORY (Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston) SPORT (A blindfolded guy … Read more
I dragged myself off the plane after a 12-hour sleepless overnight flight from Bangkok. Bleary-eyed, I followed the signs to New Zealand’s Immigration and Customs, steeling myself for the usual interminable check-in process. I turned the final corner into the Immigration hall and was greeted by a smiling woman at the entrance to the queue: … Read more
It’s my last full day in Thailand and I did what any good Thai would do – I went shopping! Everyone knows that I am not much of a shopper, so it will really shock to learn that I spent eight hours at activity that I normally detest. At 11 AM my friend, Joan, and … Read more
I hit the two-month mark of my around-the-world trip a couple of days ago and that anniversary has been on my mind. I’ve been thinking a lot about how things have changed for me in the past two months. Perhaps the most glaring example is that things that initially astounded are now commonplace. I don’t … Read more
