Good day mate!

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.