Good day mate!
From My Journey begins in Auckland, New Zealand on Sep 18 '07
Alright so I’m not in Australia yet, but close. And no I didn't jump out of the plane and run into the arms of Felipe like in the movies I remained nailed to my sit despite wanting to get off, and I was seriously thinking about it.
I spent the first few hours of my flight in a daze, having flash backs of my time in Chile. The only good thing is that I know that I am going back. But let me tell you of my first impressions of New Zealand.
The plane touched down at 4 O’clock in the morning two days after I left, that’s strange. I've lost a day of my life without realising.
Well it’s not South America that’s for sure; it’s much the same as home I suppose. To be fair I have been here for four hours, so I haven't much to judge on yet, no doubt there will be more soon.
I must say that for a 13hour flight it didn't go to bad. Being tired after a hectic day and an emotional goodbye I slept for most of it, uncomfortable and not deeply but I slept nonetheless.
The plane touched down at 4 O’clock in the morning two days after I left, that’s strange. I've lost a day of my life without realising. I had already organised my travel from the airport to the hostel that I had also pre-booked, knowing that I had to find somewhere to stay before I arrived because of the time. Once I came out of customs the strangest thing hit me, no Spanish. I could speak English, and I am telling you even though I spoke English with Felipe it wasn't natural for me to speak with anyone else in English, Spanish words and thoughts kept appearing. I miss it, if you think about it I have been living in Spanish countries for the last eight months. And what’s even stranger is that I don't want to hear it. I play my iPod every chance I can and listen to all the Spanish songs which Felipe downloaded for me. One of the first words in English I started to hear was swear words and it was horrible. Not that I am saying the people are horrible but the culture, it’s not what I’m used to. All of a sudden people are burping out load, no excuse me or nothing. Of course the people in Chile swear but I only know a few swear words and it’s somehow different. I can't put words to it. I don't even speak Spanish, or I don't speak well but it seems foreign, that will obviously change, I will adapt to a new culture again. It will be interesting to see how I find this culture compared to that of South America. I wonder if my reaction or thoughts on the culture would have been different if I came to the South Pacific before I went to South America. Emmmm.
As well as the language difference a feeling which I had when I arrived in Peru appeared. The last time I had this feeling I was at University and it was when I decided I had had enough and I took the train home in the morning and by the afternoon I was home. This is how I feel now, there are moments where I blink then realise that I am over the other side of the world, away from everything I know. Can you believe that I am here, I can't. I went to sleep in Chile and woke up in Auckland two days later. Its madness I tell you.....
Well here I am, and I think that I have done enough talking and should start to do more seeing and feeling. I arrived at my bed and breakfast at 5 am and check in isn't until 10 so I have been having a wonder, thinking and contemplating my time in New Zealand. There were lots of free maps and guides to New Zealand which I will get my teeth into over a coffee and decide my next steps as I know nothing of this country, apart from the rugby.
This is Chao for now. Update soon.
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