Blow Into Auckland, Steal From A Liquor Store

Charmingly, they call liquor stores "bottle shops" here. After a pre-dawn arrival in Auckland followed by some sumptuous fish on the wharf (pix to come), we grocery shopped and trudged back. It's very warm in this absolutely sweet city.

Chores done and to quell the jetlag haze, we needed a G&T.

No worries, says the lovely lobby guy. There's a shop across the street and two blocks down. We find it, buy the gin and the tonic, check out, walk back. And suddenly remember we have no ice.

No worries, says the lobby guy--they should have it at the bottle shop. So I return and the proprietor greets me with "you stole a bottle of wine."

This bottle of wine

We did not! Oh yes you did and I have your husband on video (why is this reminding me of the TSA knife episode?). "He's allergic to sulfites and can't even drink wine," (this doesn't register at all), I exclaim, as he proceeds to show me a vid of Art putting someone else's wine into our bag with the G&T. The propeieter is still looking askance. I ask him why I would return for ice if I'd stolen his wine.

He softens. Walkwalkwalk back to the lobby guy, who thinks this is the funniest story he's ever heard. I ask him if he's seen Groundhog Day and he doubles over ("It's exactly like Groundhog Day!"). Up to the room. Do you have a bottle of wine, honey?

Yes, says Art. Why? (Some of us are a bit more jetlagged than others.)

Walkwalkwalkback back to the bottle shop, triumphantly holding up the wine. Big smiles and all is forgiven.

Way past time for a cocktail...