Auckland
Here is some sad news- more than 50 pilot whales died not far from here in the Coromandel area when they were beached for unknown reasons. A whole pod senselessly destroyed! Very, very sad. Here is the full story.

Otherwise, it's going alright here. It is strange to be approaching summer and Christmas at the same time- there are Christmas displays everywhere and they seem so out of place. NO snow! How can it be Christmas? There is a giant Santa just up the street towering over Queen Street. He is menacingly curling his pointer finger for some reason. Kind of creepy actually.