August 26

So Katy arrived today, she tells me her hotel is on Hobson Street. Hobson is parallel with my street so I head all the way down mine cut over and start walking up Hobson Street back towards my hotel, looking for Auckland City Hotel. I end up finding it and simultaneously realize that it is kiddy corner to my hotel, nice long walk though. Was nice to see someone I recognize for once and they meeting starts out with good hopes when I hear, "Diabloooo!"

Katy has the same feeling that I did when I arrived about the city, so I decide to show her around the places that I felt helped me feel a bit better about choosing Auckland. We walk through Albert Park and she is amazed by the size of the trees just as I was. We walked through the college campus and down to Auckland Domain which is the largest of the city parks.

Todays weather has been perfect, quite a bit warmer then the past week, the view at the top of the museum is quite amazing. You can see most of the city, across the bay to Devonport, past that to Rangitoto and further out to Great Barrier Islands. As well as the ever present Sky Tower.

The Museum was actually really nice, seemed small at first but it realy opened up on the inside. As soon as you walk in its very dark with Maori houses and paintings adorning the walls. All of their art, tools, clothes, and everything else seemed to have either teeth or shells incorperated into them. Was strange but at the same time beautiful and different. Also explained a lot about the culture such as the tattoos, they are family symbols. Each family would have the same markings and it was considered an honor to be branded. People who come to NZ and get Maori tattoos from local shops are highly frowned on and is considered disrespectful. Ironically, back home guys wearing tribal tattoos are frowned upon... not because they are disrespectful but because they are deutschebags.

Went to Pizza Hutt for dinner, ordered a Mexican Pizza with Garlic Bread.... wow not very good at all, went to Dennys for an oreo milkshake and made everything better. Long day ending quite nice.