the long treck back to reality begins.....

It was misty when we left beautiful Waiheke island - apparently, a cyclone is coming down from Fiji, so it's a good time to leave....  I still had time for a long walk this morning through Oneroa, and then one last dip in the pacific ocean, before taking the ferry back to Auckland.
We are staying at the airport Novotel for the night, because we have a very early flight.  There is nothing wrong with the airport Novotel - in fact, as big hotels go, it is rather nice - but.....
It is so different from the warm and lovely B&B's we have been staying at for the last 3 weeks, that we are indeed feeling reality start to creep back in....

Then again - Joe had a tomato, beet, pineapple, fried egg burger - right here at the Novotel, which is pretty interesting.... (he said it was good).

We are getting up at 4am - flying to Sydney (which BTW is the wrong way....), 5 hour layover, 14 hours flight to LA - 6 hours flight to NY.
We should be home by 11-ish on Tuesday night......
We had a fabulous time in New Zealand - it's unlikely we will see it again - it is soooooooooo far away.

So we will say goodbye, and remember fondly:

How strongly they feel about making every cup of coffee look special.

 the 30 millions sheep (I think we saw all of them...  I really like sheep.....)

The ever present silver ferns - the symbol of New Zealand,

And the glorious sunrises and sunsets!
Good bye, New Zealand!