DAY 98-99: Shai's Last Day and Waiheke!

Sarah, Cat, Mike, Jaime, Caroline, Me, Liz, Ellen, Fifi

The three of us decided to explore Auckland a little bit more before we had to bring Shaina back to the airport. So we thought we would check out the Auckland Art Museum.

Big mistake.

I was bored within 15 minutes. Modern Art is NOT my thing.

Anyway, we hit up the Mexican Cafe and had delicious lunch and then dropped Shaina off at the airport and returned the car. Sad to see her go, but glad to only have 2 people in that teeny tiny room of mine.

Me and Cat in the Vinyard!

The next day, our entire friend group decided to go to Waiheke Island off the coast of Auckland. The ferry ride is only about 40 minutes and it costs about $35. Waiheke is also known in New Zealand as "Wine Island" as it has some of the best wine of the North Island.

My friend Lizzy and I

The rest of the crew was a little bit slower getting up that morning than Catherine and I, so they missed the first ferry. We had all bought tickets for a wine tour, so when we arrived, Catherine and I explained the situation. The man was really nice about it and said that his wife would pick up the rest of the crew to meet us for the second vineyard.

So Cat and I got in the big bus with just us and a 50 year old couple who were there on their honey moon. It was slightly comical as we were brought to the first vineyard for our first tasting.

Here we are, standing and listening to this nice young woman telling us about the different kinds of wine they have to offer us, how they are treated, what kinds of wood are they left to sit in.

"This is our Chardonnay-- it's one of our better vintages and you can really taste the Oak undertones. The flavor really pops at you during the after taste..."

Wills 4 Freshman Year together Again!

The couple is oohing and ahhing, and Cat and I just smile and pretend like we know what we're doing. That is, until she asks, "What types of wine do you prefer?"

I draw a blank. All I can think is, Well, I like the box kind. With the cardboard smelling undertones.

Lucky for me, Cat is slightly paying attention and says, "Um, yeah, uh, we like white!"

The chick gives us a look like, what the hell are you doing here? And turns back to the old couple. AWKWARD!

They had us try 3 different kinds of wine, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I guess I now understand why my parents like it so much- - it tastes so much better when I don't pour it out of a plastic bag!!

By the next winery, our friends had arrived, which definitely took the tension off the fact that none of us know wine at all. This place gave us four more wines to taste, and then we moved on to the next winery.

The last winery was near the water with a great view of the bay. This place gave us FIVE wines to taste. And when I say tasting, I mean they filled the glass about a third of the way up the glass. This was no one-sip-you're-done kind of deal. That was when I noticed a small barrell with a little funnel on top and I had an epiphany.  It came in the sound of my Dad's voice saying, "Deanna, you aren't supposed to actually drink all of the wine. You are supposed to have a few sips and pour the rest out."

But all I could think was, "I paid good money for this tour and this wine! I'll be damned if I pour any of it out!" So I didn't.

By the time we made it to the Thai restaurant for lunch, I was definitely feelin' it. After lunch, they took us back to the 1st winery because the others hadn't gotten to go. Somehow the disapproving chick didn't recognize Catherine and I and gave us the wine to taste again. Talk about a good deal!!