There's already so much to share from my first days in New Zealand that even if I were an award winning author you still wouldn't take the time to read it. So here is my effort to condense some of the highlights into an enjoyable read.

First kiss.

I dragged my hung over ass (thanks to some stellar friends) to the airport on Sept 4. Due to the time change I lost Sept 5, which really means I somehow entered a time warp that transformed me in a subtle and superhuman fashion from "Newf" to "Kiwi". Don't ask me the technical details - but it happened. After landing I had to checked my tent into biosecurity for them to examine it for extra'territorial' northern insects. While I awaited my tent from bioland, I met a very attractive backpacker from England who is traveling the world for 18 months. We chatted and flirted until his tent came flying out of the bio counter - "MOLD".. but we'll hesitantly let you into the country anyway. When it came time to part ways I felt like I had met and was losing a good (and did i mention sexy?) friend all within minutes and without having even stepped on Kiwi soil. I think he felt it too because he leaned in, gave me a flutter- inducing kiss and a warm hug and told me he hoped to cross paths again on our travels. "Maybe queenstown?" he suggested as he walked away. Biosecurity whipped me back into reality and released my tent "all clear"; I was on my way.

First kiss in New Zealand and I haven't even left the airport. My god, I'm good.