Author (#3)February 2004 Archives

My last post showed up on Feb 29 at 10:47 PM, which is the current date/time in San Francisco. Here it is 7:47 PM on March 1. So we're, um, 21 hours ahead. I'll try to get that sorted out so it's less confusing.

-Dave

We made it to Taupo, NZ after a *long* day of travel. I got a little sleep on the plane, but basically it's been 30+ hours.

After arriving in Auckland, we made our way through customs (busy!) and met up with the numerous other triathletes and hangers-on who had, like us, made package-deal arrangements through a company that does that sort of thing. The bus ride from Auckland to Taupo takes about 4 hours nonstop, but on this day it was more like 6. We stopped midway through for a bathroom/snacks break.
Everybody staying at our motel is involved in the triathlon in some way, and honestly the whole thing has felt a bit like a school field trip so far!

After we arrived, I went for a nice 45-minute run along the lake while Ariel unpacked and assembled her bicycle. We watched the end of the Academy Awards show -- in which local favorites Peter Jackson & Co took home practically every possible award for the 3rd Lord of the Rings movie (which, incidentally, was the dullest of the 3 if you ask me) -- and then walked into town for a pub dinner.

Taupo is situated on the shore of Lake Taupo, a large-ish lake (maybe half the size of Tahoe) in the middle of the northern island of New Zealand. It is mild and sunny here, probably 60F. Reminds me a lot of San Francisco.

We've taken a couple of pictures, which I'll post when possible. I am *so* happy to be here, and to be on vacation.

-Dave

We're having lunch at SFO with some friends. Our flight leaves in about an hour -- first to LA, then Auckland. I have brought the following entertainments for our trip:

• Several audio recordings of This American Life episodes - on the iPod
  
• Other newly added items on the iPod - Billy Bragg, Crowded House (of course)
  
• Dave Eggers' A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
  
• Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections
  
• ACBL's Learn to Play Bridge software on my laptop
  
• SCRABBLE (tm) game on my Handspring Treo (last resort)
  
• Headphones for listening to in-flight audio
  
• A recent issue of Harper's
  

This morning I went running with friends, had pancakes at Crepes on Cole, finished packing, got a massage. We had so much cr*p to take to the airport that we had to recruit two drivers -- Ariel's friend Jill and sister Alix. Thanks for the help, guys!

-Dave

It's 1:39am and at last I've finished packing.
12 hours until our taxis arrive.

-Dave

We're about 24 hours from our departure for NZ, and I have packed:

• Nothing so far.

Just wanted to keep everybody posted.

-Dave

We're still at home. We leave Saturday. We'll start posting from NZ sometime next week, once we get settled and find an internet connection. So sit tight until then.

-Ariel