Auckland, New Zealand
Friday, Dec 03, 2004
02:05
It is interesting for me to wake up in a foreign bed in a room full
of strangers,in a place on the other side of the world from everything
that I know. I opened my eyes on this, my first full day in NZ,
to a very curious question. What do I want to do for the next six
months? A smile came to my face as the reality of my months of planning
began to jiggle inside me like a bucket of water baloons. I am here.
Observations.
The flight:
My journey here went fairly smooth, aside from the standard tedious
paranoia that afflicts me whenever I am forced to sit for long periods
of time in close proximity to idiots. I think I might be a little
obsessive, especially when the distractions I brought along for
the trip fail to do their job. This episode involves a fairly rare
occourance often associated with sitting in one place for an extended
period of time known as deep vein thrombosis, or DVT. As I understand,a
blood clot can form due to the pressures of sitting, break free,
and then kill you. As I sat in my seat on the airplane, I kept imagining
this nefarious coagulation navigating the corridors of my intricate
vasculature, in search of my heart where it intends to lodge itself
in a valiant attempt to end my life. I was convinced that every
time my leg fell asleep, I would be dead in minutes. Welcome to
my head.
Auckland airport:
After 17hrs of flying and waiting in lines, I had the good fortune
of being chosen at random for full search by NZ customs. I got to
sit for another two and a half hours and watch the customs officer
swab every corner of my pack for drugs, and confiscate my prescription
drugs, and my ibuprofin. They aparently caught on to my plans to
import over the counter pain releivers to the feinding NZ public.
(rolling eyes)... Whatever... I would have normaly become completely
irate in this circumstance, but that legendary Kiwi amicability
displayed by the customs officer was far too disarming.
Auckland:
Auckland is a city devoid an identity. Its streets remind me of
Anycity, USA. I am anxious to move on... |
