October 6th

Sometime in the early morning, the Captain announces we have to make an emergency landing because some passenger is deathly ill. We landed in Tahiti about an hour before sunrise and enjoyed the warm, humid air from an open air concourse. After Tahiti, I watched two episodes of The Office and passed time playing lame video games, suduko, as well as music and Spanish lessons from the ipod. After arriving in Auckland, New Zealand, we calculated that we had been traveling for 30 hours, with a few hours more to go. I read from the Lonely Planet guide to Antarctica in the Auckland airport. On the plane ride to Christchurch, I sat next to and had a pleasant conversation with a fire truck designer/builder and a geologist from Stanford, both on their way to Antarctica. Arrived at the Hostel in Christchurch at 3:30 on Saturday October 6th. There is a 17 hour time difference between here and the east coast, USA; if my calculations are right. It's so confusing. Spent the evening checking out the Botanical Gardens in town by myself. Absolutely amazing place. The trees are huge. Rhododendron and irises are in bloom. All is well.