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Kia Ora all,

We didn't have a plan this weekend except to have the car repaired and get a new warrant of fitness on it (which is something a wee bit similar to aircare but not quite). I had taken Friday off of work because I have a terrible head cold with major sinus pain. I spent the day in my pajamas on the sofa hoping all of my fluid intake would wash my illness away. I was feeling pretty damned sorry for myself.

Saturday morning rolled around and Patrick went to park the car in the underground parking for the early bird special of $11.00 for the day until 8:00 pm. Street parking is three dollars an hour one hour maximum. Underground parking is $4.00/half hour (mother of hannah!!!) unless you go with the early bird special. Daytime parking takes effect at 8:00 am, so we usually have to get up early on Saturdays to go out or park the car. This particular Saturday morning, the machine in the lot was out of order, and according to the rules and regulations, even if the machine is out of order, if you don't have a ticket, your car will be towed. Patrick left the car in the lot to come tell me to get up and get dressed and lets go. I happen to know that there is another lot up the block and around the corner. . . He won't recall until he reads this email.(IknowIknownoonelikesaknowitall!) Anyway, I asked him to park on the street for an hour to give me time to get ready. I was hoping to spend another day nursing myself to a healthier state.

We ran all the errands that needed running, looked around Westfield mall, then decided to drive north. We will make it to the northern most tip of New Zealand eventually, it is only 460 ish kms away through very windy narrow one and a half lanes of highway, so it should take approximately six hours for people who pay attention to speed signs. We didn't make it as far as Whangarei (fen' geh ree') which seems to be our fabled halfway mark or one time destination. With my illness, at one point, I had fallen asleep in the car. Patrick woke me up and seemed a little miffed that I'd fallen asleep in the car. hello! i'm sick remember?

He decided he was sleepy too, so we pulled over at a scenic lookout point and tried to get comfortable. I thought it was bad when he tosses and turns in bed, it's a lot worse in the car! Anyway, I decided to take over driving at that point. I think that wraps up the first few pictures.

The bird of paradise weed picture! I've been meaning to take photos of those things! They aren't as all over the place as the lilies (and I've confirmed with the local girls I work with that the lilies are in fact weedy) but the birds of paradise plants are definitely around and not considered rare or exotic here. I mean, look! There's chickens, a tractor, it's growing out of the side of a house up a dead end road up the highway! I said, "STOP! ROLL DOWN YOUR WINDOW! BIRD OF PARADISE WEED!" yay me!

When we turned around and headed back home, we stopped in Devonport so Patrick could have his fish and chips at 'The Cod Piece". He'd heard it was really good. I didn't think it was all that special myself. I had a chicken sandwich that was all bun with beets. :P The banana fritters were really sweet though.

I had wanted to go back to Devonport because I laughed long and hard at "The Department of Doing" sign and wondered what they did and if it might just be someone's last name or if it was pronounced like a sound effect rather than a verb. Turns out it's just an advertising agency. I should have left it up to my imagination. :P

Patrick took the wrong exit and we ended up going through downtown Auckland (I KNOW we live in downtown Auckland, but we don't have to go through the main drag if we take the right exit). That gave me the opportunity to take the picture of the red building that I feel is a unique element in the downtown core.

I've been waiting and waiting and waiting for my chance to take a picture of the pink tow truck! And they're ALL pink by the way! AHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA It makes me think of Shayne and towing and pink tow trucks and it makes me laugh ahahahahahahahaha I mean, how macho and intimidating can you possibly be if you're driving a pink tow truck? They aren't all that noisy either, but the alarm on the car he was picking up was obnoxious.

Last weekend,we did go to the Brazillian restaurant WildFire on the Viaduct and it was wonderful! Alfredo and Melizza brought their camera. Patrick took a wrong turn on the way there, and we were late and had walked a long way out of our way to get there, but it was pretty spectacular although somewhat costly - and we got the cheaper deal since the waitress was from Brazil and she got along really well with Melizza and Alfredo. We also went to Mission Bay last weekend and it's gorgeous - it's a stretch of road (Tamaki Drive) along the waterfront and about three or four blocks worth of eateries, restaurants, bars and ice cream shops! We had Indian food (at a really great price, excellent service and lots of room!) and we are definitely going back!

Missing you Millions!

April Mom

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