Our first 24 hours

• We're on the 5th of 18 floors.  We have a view of an alley on one side, and the historic Symonds street cemetery on the other. 

The view from Amiri's room.

• Unpacked somewhat haphazardly.  In addition to the broken hardside suitcase, the zippers were badly damaged on two others, and I had to break in to them.  Felt very smart for having used on-their-last-legs luggage that we planned to throw away anyway upon arrival.  Three pieces from our Craigslist sale are still in great shape, though, and will be our new permanent luggage.
• I fed the kids (thank you, Air Pacific, for the baby food… we had to throw away our homemade food at BioSecurity) while Adnan went out for TP and kebabs, which turned out to be oversauced and unappetizing.  Oh well.
• Showers.
• In bed by 8 pm, which felt like 2 am.
• Tears from both kids at bedtime due to being overtired and having just HAD IT.
• Crying in the night from Arram and judicious withholding of picking up, in order to re-establish good sleeping habits.
• Woke at 8 am feeling human again, but BOY is it cold in here.  Bundled up.  Amiri looks so cute in Nanijan's hand knitted blue sweater.
• ANZAC biscuits and tea for breakfast.
• Looked up bus timetables, made a shopping list, gathered up the kids and headed off for Foodtown.
• Bus is 50 cents a ride, kids are free.
• Made it to Britomart, asked some questions about the free bus route (just around the harbor, not useful for from-home travel), buying pre-paid rides at a discount (you buy them from the bus company that services the routes you want).
• Walked to Foodtown.  It's closed and boarded up.  Curses!  Commiserated with a couple visiting from the South Island who had the same objective and same What-The? expressions.
• Walked the other way on Quay (pronounced Key) street to The Barrow, a hoity-toity store we found three years ago.  Bought some cheese, pasta, etc.
• Arram slept the whole time, feet flopping away in his Baby Bjorn.  Strangers smiled when they saw him.  Amiri held hands with Dad but wanted to hold hands with Mama because she lets him dawdle more.
• Home for naps, internet research, planning.
• I made Arram some Weet-bix and pumpkin baby food.  He gobbled it up and demanded seconds.
• I took a walk down Karangahape, the (in)famous K Road.  Lots of nice shops and interesting things.  The motorway was jammed with traffic when I crossed the overpass.  Worried until I realized it's Labour Day weekend and everyone is trying to get out of town.
• I had been feeling nervous (Did we do the right thing?  Will everything be ok?) until exploring K Road.  It was comfortable and reassuring that we are not, in fact, in the middle of nowhere, and it will all be all right.
• Ate spaghetti and better kebabs for dinner.
• NZ TV is not especially engaging.  America's Next Top Model is a hot show.  More internet research, and finishing up some freelance work, beckons.
• The laundry came out well, even if it did take about four hours.