Auck-landed in paradise....

DAY 2 - Update
So, after 36 hours of travels including 3 tubes, 4 shuttles, 5 trains, a bus, 2 planes, a car, some walking and multiple escalators, I finally made it to the other side of the world. The journey was tough, with a 12 hour stopover in Beijing on no sleep and lots of time zone shifts and to say I was jet lagged when I arrived is a complete understatement. However, it was brilliant to experience some of China and the exhaustion was completely worth it. New Zealand is STUNNING! 

So far I have stood on the beach at sunrise, eaten fish and chips and drunk wine, whiskey and beer, swam in the ocean, met 3 gorgeous dogs, had lunch in a lovely cafe, spent easter with a great kiwi family whose tradition is to smash easter eggs against each other in a brutally competitive chocolate crushing competition, had a massage after wrecking my back, been bitten all over by mosquitos and performed my first gig in the centre of Auckland! 

​The views are beautiful, the people are wonderfully friendly and the weather is to die for. I could certainly get used to this! In the next few days my plans include, a 5 hour boat ride on Ben's uncle's boat, a cup of tea at the poet laureate's house and a planning session for the week of teaching at the NYDS before heading to the next gig at Te Henga Studios! More updates to come....

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Myself, Ben Fagan (host) and Ken Arkind (performer) at the Auckland gig.

View from the apartment in Auckland!

Forbidden City in Beijing

Performing in Auckland @Iron Bar Cafe