Finally......New Zealand!!!!!!!!

On March 4th we were able to MARCH FORTH....finally!  From the time we left Salt Lake City until we reached Christchurch, New Zealand it had been 24 hours.  Twelve and one half hours over the Pacific to NZ.  We were served dinner at midnight and breakfast a couple of hours before we landed.  There were hundreds of movies available so of course we took advantage.  Started with the Hobbit, and the Life of Pi.  We were so wound up that it was hard to sleep, plus it was very uncomfortable.  There were ten seats across and we sat in the middle section.  It was a Boeing 777.  Thank goodness Kay had an aisle seat and was able to stretch out down the aisle.  We came from winter down to summer.  Their summer is very mild, but the humidity is really nice, so far.

There was a little welcoming committee at the Christchurch airport.  They took us to see the Institute where we will teach.  It is a lovely place and we have our own office.  Next, we headed to our flat and were pleasantly surprised with how nice it was.  We have two bedrooms and a nice kitchen and dining room, a large living room to hold FHE with the YSA.

The top picture is just before landing in Christchurch.  They are in a drought right now so I guess things would be greener, but it looks pretty green to us.

Next, we had our first shopping adventure at Pac N Save.  They told us to prepare for sticker shock and they were right.  This jar of Best Foods Mayonnaise was $15.00!  The small peanut butter was $3.79 and the Finish washing liquid for the dishwasher was $24.75.  We kept telling ourselves that 87 cents will buy $1.00 in New Zealand.  Gasoline is only $2.20... per liter!  We do have a car and thank goodness we do not have to buy our gas.  Kay is doing pretty good at driving on the wrong side of the road.  Shelley tries to navigate and remind him to stay on the left side of the road.