New Zealand With a Baby.

My cousin E is a very close friend of mine from New Zealand. She lived in Canada for 10 years and that’s when we became such good friends. But over four years ago she and her husband decided to pack up and move back to New Zealand. After they arrived E had a baby girl and then was expecting another this Christmas.

These last few years we have missed each other like crazy but neither of us has had the funds or opportunity to visit the other. It has been really sad to have been so close as single girls and then to not be there for each other when we had our babies.

But recently a new friend offered to give me some of his flyer points so that I could go see E and her family – just in time for the new baby’s arrival! The opportunity for a reunion was too good to pass up and since I’m still unemployed (more on the job search later) and since the weather is so shitty in Vancouver right now it seemed like a great time to go.

E and her daughter greeting their new baby!

So here we are. Babe and I are in New Zealand for a couple weeks hanging with family and seeing a bit of the country as well. With three kids I knew this wasn’t going to be a “traveling” kind of trip but I have had the chance to see some things in between tantrums, feedings and makeshift routines, and hopefully Babe and I can explore some more before we ship out.

First off, Babe and I had to brave a 14-hour flight just to get here. Thank God we had a direct flight. And even better we lucked out and managed to score one of the only empty seats on the plane so Babe had her own space (sort of). If you’re curious about flying with a baby please read my previous posts on the topic – most of it still applied to this trip.

It was an overnight flight which was great because it kept Babe on pretty much the same schedule and significantly cut down on the amount of time I had to entertain her.

Sky Tower.

We survived the night of tossing and turning and scooching past the aisle-seated lady to use the potty one hundred times and landed semi-alert in Auckland. E, now almost two weeks overdue was waiting to pick us up at the arrivals gate – in the early stages of labour! She was contracting as we walked out to greet her.

We were barely settled in a few hours later when E rushed off to the hospital and popped out a beautiful baby boy. He is perfect and I’m so glad we were here for his arrival.

Understandably the next few days we were pretty much house-bound. Since I’m only here for a couple weeks I’m not interested in risking driving. I would try to wrap my mind around driving on the “wrong side of the road” if I was single and/or was staying for longer. But with Babe in tow it seems silly to risk an accident on such a short trip.

To get out of the house for a bit Babe and I went up Sky Tower in downtown Auckland. The line-up took forever because only two of the four elevators (or lifts) were working. But luckily babe slept through that part. The views at the top were spectacular and a good way to start a trip to Auckland as it gives you a 360-degree view of the city and it’s surroundings.

Babe checking out the view of the city. Rangitoto volcano in the background.

Babe sitting on the glass floor. I think it made both of us a little nervous.

"Hey, there are cars down there

Killing time waiting for our bus back to Waterview.

After another couple days at home we all piled into two cars and headed north to Mangonui where E and her husband had rented a house near the beach. It's beautiful up here and Babe is loving the beach and the warm weather.

Eating a plum at the beach. T-shirt by Pina.