From Oakland to Auckland

And the adventure begins!

After a wonderful couple days in Oakland/San Francisco with one of my favorites, I've finally arrived in Auckland, New Zealand! How amazing that this journey has finally started and completely surreal that I am, in fact, on the other side if the world, in the South Pacific, the Southern Hemisphere realizing my dream.

But let's back it up for just a minute so I can show you another dream I lived out in San Francisco, CA.

Woohoo! There they are. The Painted Ladies in all their glory. If it wasn't so damn windy, I totally would have been up for a picnic, maybe with a bunch of blonde kids and overly sensitive uncles.

So that was pretty cool. Not too exciting really. But cute, historic houses nonetheless. The real fun started at the The Little Chihuahua after this trip for some delicious, cheap Mexican food, and a bit of a hold up on the ride home from some very avid bikers. Note our displeased faces.

A big thank you to J for a wonderful time in the Bay Area and a comfy place to stay in lovely Oakland

and for the ride to the airport that marked the beginning if my epic adventure.

Unfortunately we ran a bit late on our way to the airport (traffic, totally not our fault!), so those truly epic photos of my walking in the SFO with all my packs will have to be imagined

[insert imagined photo here of Elyse with large backpack, smaller backpack, boarding pass, and a huge smile]

Now after a 13 hour flight including a 10pm "dinner," 3am breakfast, a drastic time change (I'm in the future!) including new Zealand's switch into daylight savings time, a 1:30am viewing of MIB III, and minimal sleep, I am here; arriving at local time 5:40am Monday (having left yesterday which was Saturday). I have no idea what time it is back home. I crossed the equator and the international dateline. My poor little body is confused, and I still have a surreal feeling of being here. And now, of course, I can't check into my hostel until 1 and my welcome orientation at the Work New Zealand office doesn't begin until 10. Luckily, the office is located above a familiar place, the international beacon of hope, comfort, and caffeine - Starbucks.

And thus, the journey begins.