...Written January 19, 2009 from Bay of Islands, New Zealand

My first day in Fiji can be summed up by the ferry ride we took to get to our resort:

After our 5am arrival into mainland Nadi and three different responses to the question "Is a ferry going to be going out to the islands today?" we finally get onto a bus that is going to take us to the ONE ferry that is willing to brave the cyclone warnings and rain. When we arrive at the beach, Meredith and I, along with only six others, are instructed to walk to the waterfront while the ferry hands take care of our luggage. Huddling under an awning to escape the massive amount of rainfall, we look to the ocean and see the ferry boat very far offshore and two smaller, uncovered putter boats closer to shore. I see the men who took my luggage walking into the water, holding my belongings above their heads, putting the suitcases onto one putter boat while we are being instructed toward the other. The other four travelers who are with us begin walking toward the boat, walking into the ocean up to their waists and hoisted by large Fijian men onto the putter boat. While in complete laughing hysterics, Meredith and I begin wading through the ocean waves in our leggings and sweaters. Once everyone is on, the boat starts jetting through the water, rain splashing me in the face. My expectations of Fiji being a luxurious vacation destination quickly faded away.

Ironically, right as we arrive at our island, they declare our resort closed due to the looming cyclones and tell us that we are returning back to port very close to where we started. Of course the waters are getting choppier and it is going to take three hours to make all the rounds and get back to port. We end up spending most of our time in Fiji drenched on a ferry with a barf bag in hand...

Of course things did get better. Meredith and I finally made it to Auckland where her friend's brother graciously put us up for a couple of nights. He showed us the insiders guide to Auckland, residing in an area called Remuera, which is the La Jolla, California of Auckland. Everything is beautiful and (not) surprisingly feels very familiar. We spent a day on the beach in Mission Bay, went out to dinner to The Village in Remuera and then out on the town in "posh" New Market. 

Today, we arrived in the Bay of Islands in a town called Pahia to start our Contiki tour! We just met our tour group for dinner, all of whom seem to be slightly younger and more eager to get drunk than we are. Meredith and I have come to grips that we might only be making friends with the tour leader and driver, but we are still incredibly excited for our times to come. Tomorrow, we are going on a morning walk and then sailing for the day, complete with a beach side lunch BBQ, snorkeling and swimming with dolphins.

Its almost better to start with a really bad day. Everything after Fiji has been a breeze.