New Zealand.... So, I borrowed some strangers card reader to get these pics off, so I had to pick quickly. More to come.

So after a few days with Sau's family, we headed into Auckland and stayed with Beks and Matty. It was a great weekend of relazing after leaving Samoa and before backpacking. They have a great city apartment right in the city. The first night, we headed out to their favourite restaurant, Japanese. I was expecting sushi, but it was more of a yakatori-type place in a deep basesment. It reminded me of the sushi place I used to frequent in Aspen. The saki flowed freely and it was yummy. Did we mention it was cold in Auckland? SO COLD! Beks dressed me up in her city clothes which was nice. She understood that I had nothing nice to wear after leaving Samoa and made me feel like a real city girl. Ethan too...wore one of Matty's hoodies. We went out to a bar called the Dog's Bullox and got pissed.

Night two, we made food at home. Sushi, salad, grilled veggies, and an avocado and shrimp salad. It was like a real dinner party and then a bunch of other people came over to watch rugby! Big game with the All Blacks playing Australia. All Blacks won.

Dinner at Matt and Beks house. Oh how sophisticated!


While Beks was working...Matt toured us around. While Matt was working, Beks showed us around. Matt loves cafes about equally as much as I do and we had a little tour of his favourites. We also went to the other side of the bay and got a good look at the city.


Auckland behind us!


Just chilling with Matt in the park, checking out the reggata boats...


Ode to THE LATTE!!!!


Looking down on me drinking my LATTE!

In the airport in Sydney...we were getting a bit angry and tired and hungry waiting for our shuttle driver to come back with another fare to help offset his costs of driving into the city. He finally came back and said that he would cruise around the domestic terminal to find a fare or charge us $40. Ethan started to get angry and said back tot he guy, "we agreed on $10 each and we don't want to be charged an extra $20 TALA....""
His response was, "What did you just say?"
Ethan, "Sorry, man..dollars. We've just come from Samoa"
Him, "Why didn't you say so...that's my country man. I'll take you into the city right away."
Talking in Samoan all the way to the hostel, the man is actually from Iva and is heading back to live there in the next year or so. He is impressed with our language and gives us his numbers and stuff incase we get into a pickle. He tells us we are family and we can always stay with him! Funny, how you can take us outof Samoa, but you cant take Samoa out of us!