They Even Misspell it in Auckland

Favorite Sign So Far

Soggy towels apparently weren't enough of a draw.

Gilligan I Ain't

Okay, so it wasn't a three-hour tour. It was more like two hours. But it was a lot of fun. I went sailing on a racing yacht, NZL 41, that actually competed in the America's Cup. It wasn't merely a sightseeing tour--we were put to work on the grinders to raise and trim the sails, and I also conned the boat for a while. Weather was a balmy 75 degrees, sunny and windy. Perfect sailing weather. That's Auckland in the background of the last photo. That's me, slathered in SPF 55, and an SPF 1,000,000 USMC boonie cover to protect my ears and neck. Isn't my hat great?

Rested and Ready. But Not Tan.

I woke up this morning after a great night's sleep--the time difference is such (18 hours ahead of New York) that I'm actually not too jet-lagged. That also may have to do with the fact that my flight was so long. It is a beautiful day in Auckland, 70 degrees and sunny. The hotel is on Lighter Quay, right on the harbor. Here's the view from my room. This area has been recently redeveloped, in part due to the America's Cup competition.

I went downstairs and found a little cafe, where I ordered poached eggs, smoked salmon and toast, along with a "flat white" (similar to a latte). The salmon was thickly cut and fantastic--richer flavor and texture and a far cry from the usual farm-raised stuff I see in abundance in New York. And at NZD $18, including a tip, brekkie was a deal!

It is noon now, so I'm off to explore Auckland for the remainder of the day. If I take leave of my senses and sign-on for one of the "adventure" activities here in town (bungee jumping, abseiling, leaping off the Auckland Skytower, being eaten by a shark, etc.), I'll be sure to make a full report here.

Sydney, For a Moment. Then, Auckland.

My United flight arrived in Sydney without a hitch. Well, almost. The guy in the seat in front of me slept for 11+ of the 14 hour flight. Why was this a problem? He snored so loudly that I had to move seats just to sleep. Needless to say, my rest was fitful at best, since the only open seat was right by the galley. Oh, well. Here's a photo of my seat--very comfortable, and it converts into a lie-flat bed. Along the window side is a storage locker/table (open with my bag visible), and on the right-hand side of the photo is the footwell/video console. Due to the curvature of the nose of the plane (I was in row 2), I could actually see out the windows almost directly in front of the plane.

Relaxed upon arrival in Sydney by heading directly to the Emirates lounge, where I had a much needed and long desired shower, followed by breakfast. Emirates really pulls out all the stops when it comes to food and drink. Had poached eggs, smoked salmon, beef sausages, goat cheese tarts, fresh-squeezed OJ, espresso, great cheeses and dates with almonds. Note the nice china and silver flatware (except for the plastic knife, since we were inside the security zone of the airport).

The flight to Auckland was smooth sailing--Emirates runs a great airline. Fresh flowers in sconce vases on the bulkhead walls and 500 channels/movies on demand on a digital system. You could even use the phone handset at your seat to call any other seat on the plane simply by inputing their seat number! I was 10K, but no one rang me.

Ran into another fellow on my flight who also took advantage of the great Auckland deal, and we're going to meet up for dinner tonight, since we're both staying at hotels downtown. Been traveling for 35+ hours, so I need a nice meal and a beer. Then bed.

Westward, ho!

Well, I'm sitting in the Admiral's Club at JFK waiting for my first flight to begin my trip. S and I were doing a little back-of-the-envelope calculation, and I think that once I board my flight in 20 minutes, I wont be done with airplanes and airports for at least another 30 hours or so. Can't even imagine doing that in coach.

Best minor perk? When I arrive in Auckland, Emirates will provide me with a car service to my hotel. Best major perk? United's lie-flat seats.

Just got the call over the PA...time to head to the gate.

Lucy

The day before my trip, and Lucy's mood is readily apparent.