This cool sculpture group is called Loafers. 

Lee was formally welcomed to her new job yesterday with a pōwhiri, which is a Māori welcoming ceremony. I also got to participate. 

We did a somewhat abbreviated and lower-key version of the ceremony, at least as compared to the kind of thing a tourist group might see as a “show” or might happen for groundbreaking at a big new building. Nobody dressed up in traditional clothes or brandished spears. Nonetheless, it was solemn, and very moving to be introduced to her coworkers, to be welcomed into the whānau (family/community) they work to maintain in the difficult environment of a psychiatric hospital. 

There were long speeches and prayers in Māori, songs that we did our best to follow along, and the ritual greeting of hongi, where you clasp hands and touch noses. Then we got to relax and eat sandwiches, which while more “normal” to me, is also part of the ritual… a gentle return from the spiritual plane to the physical. 

I imagine there is the same range of native/colonist tension here as anywhere, but at least so far it seems to me that  the bell curve of sentiment is shifted toward mutual empathy, inclusion and respect. As double outsiders, navigating those cultural waters will be an exciting part of this adventure. 

We spent yesterday, which was Queen’s Birthday holiday here, walking around, trying to get the lay of the land. The weather was nice, and we saw a lot of different neighborhoods. 

We looked at our first apartment… great views, as advertised, but tiny! and expensive!! Three or four more today.  

A nice little monument in the K Road / Upper Queen St. area. It’s known as K Road because who’s actually gonna say Karangahape in casual conversation? I mean, these are people who say “veg” instead of “veggie.”

The former Naval and Family Hotel, now a strip club. 

A fantabulous magnolia tree in the Auckland Domain, which is a super nice park. 

A snippet of rainbow in Parnell. We’ll be looking at housing there… was this an omen?

We arrived at the hotel about 7 AM, thanks to the helpful and pleasant Mr. Kang, who himself only came here from Punjab a few years ago. He asked us why we chose to emigrate, and I answered with things like jobs, adventures, etc. He listened and nodded politely. I then said that our recent election certainly spurred us on in our thinking. At that point, he became much more animated… how could such stupid man become leader of so powerful country? He can do much much damage!!! When we asked him why he made the move, he said it was better for his children’s future. In India, he said, all politicians are about like Trump, at least in US you only have one. 

We unpacked with the help of our welcome pack wine, and then set out to explore. Had a nice breakfast. You’ll hear this again: restaurant food here is pricey for sure. Here’s a few pics from our rambles. 

Autumn is upon us…

Outside the Maritime Museum, this was the fastest monohull boat ever built, supposedly, in the late 1980s, the Americas Cup pride of NZ. Unfortunately, the Americans figured out that catamarans weren’t explicitly forbidden, and this boat ended up as a very slow knife at a gunfight. 

The Sky Tower pops out from many vantage points. You can pay to take a (tethered) walk around that ring , and even slide down a cable, air assault style. 

The harbor, or at least one part of it. 

We also did a little apartment prospecting and got some basic groceries, and then it suddenly became nap time. 

We downsized A LOT in preparation for this Auckland adventure. Much of what we kept is now in storage. Still, even with the intention that we would only take what we could carry, that meant three suitcases each plus several boxes that are being shipped. 

Our home for the next three weeks is a 1-bedroom “serviced apartment” in the Britomart area. The living room is actually larger that our suitcases, if by larger you mean “not very much.”

And yes, that is red wine at 7 AM, because the old saying “it’s five o’clock somewhere” was literally true inside our circadian processing centers.