Just a short update as I’m on an Internet cafe sort of thing and have limited time. I’ll post the update I wrote yesterday later in the week.

Driving on the other side of the road and the car, one has to ignore *every* instinct one has and do exactly the opposite. I got us to the church for Mass, to Kelly Tarlton’s, back to the church for the concert, and back to our squishy little parking spot in the hotel car park. I’m feeling rather accomplished by now.

Kelly Tarlton’s was entertaining for the 45 or so minutes we spent there. Probably more fun for kids, but we enjoyed it just Mom and I. The boys sang beautifully (what else?) at Mass and at the performance in the afternoon, as did the Auckland Boys Choir and the Auckland Girls Choir. I certainly hope we have the opportunity to reciprocate with at least the Boys Choir sometime.

Other than those little things, walking was the activity of the day. We walked from the hotel down to Victoria Park Market and then down to the Viaduct for dinner. Except the walk down to the Viaduct took longer than it should have as we missed a turn and went to far down toward the water and had to backtrack and then walk and walk and walk. I’ve walked more in these past three days than I have in the last year. Good for me, though!

Tomorrow, we check out of the New President and say goodbye to Bruce, the desk clerk extraordinare, and off we’ll go to Waitomo Caves to see the glow worms and then on to Rotorua to check into our next hotel. I hope we have free Internet access there, ’cause this $10 here and $5 there is not cutting it. I’m learning a lot from this first trip.

The people here in Auckland could not be nicer. Every person who waits on us is helpful and smiling and courteous. I highly recommend coming here and hope to do it again myself, but next time with my husband.

Later all. Stay tuned!