New Zealand

Well, I've made it to New Zealand. I got on a plane on Sunday night and landed on Tuesday morning, so now here I am in the future, and the Southern Hemisphere. I feel a bit out of sorts, but this is possibly the least jet lagged I've ever been, which is odd considering how far outside the space-time continuum I am right now.

When I first looked out the window on the drive from airport to hotel, all I saw were a load of houses stacked down a green hillside, and thought This looks like British Columbia. Which is only because when I lived in Burnaby, my living room window looked out over an identical view of Coquitlam. Then we turned a corner; the sea extended out before me, and I started noticing the palm trees. While it does "look like Idaho," as my brother astutely observed, New Zealand is still a small island in the Pacific, with all that entails. I'm sure I'll continue to notice some very distinct features as the days pass.

I'm starting my trip here in Auckland, though with all the Rugby World Cup goings-on, the best hotel I could afford is a fair distance from downtown. I haven't gotten my bearings yet, but I have a feeling that it will take quite an effort to visit the rest of the city. Since my guide book is less than informative in this area, I'm paying way too much for internet access to find out.

Beyond that, I have no idea where the next couple of days will take me. I can bet that soon my brain will start speaking to me in a New Zealand accent, though, which will only add to the weirdness of my travels.

OK, maybe I should explain. I don't have strange voices in my head. The neighbor's dog isn't sending me messages. I don't know how other people's brains work, but my thoughts are all in words, sentences, paragraphs even. Actually I don't much care how your mind functions, and because I'm not super high right now, nor am I interested to know if the color I see as green looks red to you. Anyway. When I think, it's like my voice is in my head, saying I think I'll stop over there for a coffee, then wander down the road a bit to do some shopping. Whenever I visit a place where everyone speaks English with an accent, though, my thoughts eventually begin using that accent. I don't pick it up when I talk out loud, only inside my head.

I know, I'm crazy. But it's all part of the fun of my vacations. 

Until I get out among the Kiwis and think with an accent, I've got some Aussie rules football on TV and am spending time making a plan of action. More to come on how it turns out... next time I have internet access.