I just realized that I never talked about the what I did the day I left New Zealand.  Now I had an early flight from Taupo to Auckland and Penny and Chris took me to the very small airport.   It was a bittersweet good-bye, as I knew I had made new long lasting friends, but it was time to say good-bye for a while.  It hit me pretty hard as the plane started its climb above the lake that this adventure was coming to a close.

I arrived in Auckland with a 6 hour layover before my next flight back to the States.  I didn’t want to hang around the airport, so I hopped a bus into downtown and walked along the waterfront and main drags.  I was able to see a Palenstinian Freedom March, watch some tourist scream as they jumped from the Sky tower, and wandered around Victoria Park Marketplace.  All good things.  However, in true swimmer fashion I had read about these Tepid Baths where you could swim for cheap.  I set out to find them.  And they were as good as the guide book said.  For $4 NZD I was able to swim and get a towel.  What better way to spend the last few hours but with a quick dip before a long flight.  After swimming, I headed back to the airport and hopped on the flight home.  (Note: the flight was packed, but somehow the people next to me got upgraded and I had 3 seats to myself.  YEA!!)

Here are some pictures from the last few hours.