New Zealand

Actually, Christmas day I rode the train from the platform 16 to Turramurra. We had a wonderful christmas lunch. Prawns, masquerading as shrimp. Then we had turkey, white potatoes, carrots, maybe sweet potatoes but really didn't taste like sweet potatoes, cauliflower and broccoli with cheese on top, and brussell sprouts. For dessert we had classic English pudding, which looked liked fruit cake with brandy poured on top and set fire to it. Then with the plum pudding we also had ivanilla ice cream and fresh fruit. Then we also had pimms. After lunch the young people went out to play tennis on the tennis court. Then they opened presents and there were lots of them.
Now in New Zealand. Spent all day boxing day traveling. Got to the train station and bought the ticket, found platform 23 and then they startted announcinthat the train was delayed for seven minutes and delayed another 9 minutes and delayed another 7 minutes. As it was getting close to 7 a.m. I was getting tempted to abandon going on the train. Finally, the train arrived and it just took 15 minutes to get to the international terminal. If you have a chance to fly on air Emirates take it. It is a very nice ride. The seats are comfortable, and they serve you a meal and water, and tea, and everyone has a tv to watch whatever movies they want to. I watched an Australian classic called Red Dog. There is one other Australian movie I've heard about called the Castle.When I got to auckland, had to race to the domestic terminanal to catch the plane to Christchurch.
Didn't see much of Christchurch. Went the next day to Arakoa a small seaside town in New Zealand. I swam with the hecter dophins, spent the night in a great little bed and breakfast and then helped deliver the mail this morning. Today I took off my splint and went all day without it until it was time to do some suit case wrangling. Now I have been trying to avoid big cushy coaches since I started these tours. I have finally arrived to the big cushy coach. We"ll see how the tour turns out. At least I wont be sleeping on the street which is what I was afraid of since the traveling is during the christmas new years holiday time and there are a lot of people out and about. But I have to say that the place is not a lonely planet. My wrist is really sore and stiff. I can't imagine being able to hold my weight with my left wrist. Its going to be a challenge. I love being in a hotel room, you get to watch tv, have your own soap and shampoo.Ahhhh civilization!