Kia Ora!! That's how we Kiwis say hello, you know.
Anyway, we're here, after a very long trek across the globe, which included an unexpected stop for an hour or so in Rarotonga, in the Cook Islands (80F at 4am, and a ukulele playing crooner in the arrival hall). Next: after four hours in Auckland (sushi, and a smoothie) and another two hours in Christchurch (meat pie), we flew into Dunedin airport, landing at 5pm in the rain. Nestled between a rough sea on one side and a ridge of rolling hills on the other, the runway sits neatly in a bright green, flat valley, dotted with cows and sheep and farmers hosing down their milking sheds.
We're still a little dislocated ... but not too bad considering we've traveled so far through time and space. It was mind twisting to watch the little plane icon on the screen as we flew from Rarotonga to Auckland ... as we crossed the International Dateline suddenly everything that was going about to happen tomorrow had already happened yesterday.
Last night, we checked into our hotel (in the rain). We have a basic but pretty quiet and functional one-bedroom apartment for a week. The landlady asked us if we wanted, “full or trum mulk,” which stumped both of us for a few seconds ... until we realized that “trum mulk” is trim milk, which, to normal people, is skim milk. So, that's one good way to gauge our assimilation to New Zealand: when we refer to milk as “trum mulk,” it's time to leave. Immediately. In fact, by then, it might be too late.
Threw our bags everywhere; ran out for a curry (in the rain).
This week we have to find somewhere to live, and get cellphones and bank accounts. Most likely, we'll be doing it in the rain. (CK)
2 comments:
Glad to see you guys made it safely. I can't wait to hear more about your adventures (or come visit you for that matter)!
Trum Milk? Trim Milk? Skim Milk? Is this a game where you swap one letter at a time to make a new word?
Oh, and I think you'll find it's SkimMED Milk :)!
xxx
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