Well I'm getting closer. The only screwup so far was forgetting my US cell phone at home on the charger! Not cool! At least I still have my NZ cell phone so I won't be completely lost. I do feel quite naked without it though.....

Everything else has gone pretty smoothly with the exception of a very complete pat down at the Los Angeles International Airport when my new titanium knee set off the alarm. The TSA ran their wand all over me and at least it buzzed at all the right places :-). I'm now a card carrying new owner of a new knee and even though it didn't go off at the airport in Butte, MT, it did in LA. I guess they have their machines set to a more sensitive setting. So now it's a waiting game until my flight to Auckland boards. I just love airports where a 12 oz beer costs you $6.50. I'll go broke fast at that rate.

OK, that's it for now. More once I actually get somewhere worth talking about.

Cheers

Mary's Trip to New Zealand November 2007

I'm heading to New Zealand in a few days to do a little business and a little fishing. As many of you know, I own a specialty travel company that specializes in worldwide fishing travel, called Angler's Passport. My main specialty is New Zealand. I've been selling trips to New Zealand for over 12 years and I've been to New Zealand (I've kind of lost count) I believe 14 or so times? Anyway, it's very important for me to go at least once a year in order to see new properties, meet new fishing guides and see new rivers to send my clients. I know, you're all thinking what a tough job...well, it's my job so what can I say. So, every time I visit New Zealand, I concentrate on a different geographic region in order to just spend more time in one area and make the most of my time without doing so much running around (like I used to!)

This year I will revisit an old favorite homestead of mine on the North Island in a little community called Te Kaha on the Bay of Plenty. The owners, Tracy and Paul O'Brien are old friends and like family at this point since we've known each other for such a long time. Te Kaha is primarily inhabited by Maori people who are the indigenous people to New Zealand. Of Polynesian decent, they comprise about 10% of New Zealand's population which is now around 4 million total for both islands.

The trip will start from Butte, Montana on November 14th at which time I'll fly to Los Angeles to connect with my Air New Zealand flight to Auckland, New Zealand which will take roughly 12 hours and 45 minutes. On arrival in Auckland I will clear customs and then transfer over to the domestic airport for my domestic flight to Tauranga which will only take 35 minutes. From Tauranga I will be met by someone from the O'Brien family and we'll head off to Te Kaha, about a three hour drive. The next time you hear from me, I'll be in New Zealand.