Seven days in!

Oh my gosh, I have been out of the US an entire week!  It has gone fast and has been amazing.

When last we left our heroine she was madly cleaning a condo in Illinois.
The goal was to exit Illinois July 18, and I made it!  (or perhaps I left on the 19th, the mind blocks such stressful times).

Leaving my condo in excellent hands, I left Illinois with 2 keys - one for my car and one for my friend's house (yes Dawn, yours). 
If anyone needs a fantastically clean, well maintained large 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo with a private heated garage, see Dan, Julie, or Donna at www.daare.com
As for my friend's house key, it is safe & sound in New Zealand with me, bound to turn up in a photo or two.

For 20 years in Illinois, I had always told my friends that I was going to leave, and here finally I was doing it.  It had almost become a "boy who cried wolf" joke, but finally it was reality.  I still have my I-Pass for return visits.

Here's moosie saying goodbye to my life in the USA. (moosie's the little furry brown bloke sitting on the red carry-on suitcase).  All my belongings in storage (thanks to dad!), including that I-Pass.

Oops, one thing not in storage is my 2001 Honda Insight.   Cleaned & washed, it sits in my dad's yard next to a "For Sale" sign.  Dad has sold many items on this busy corner and hopefully my car will be sold as well.

After a couple restful days in Wisconsin, an early wake-up on July 21 had mom/dad/myself off to the Central Wisconsin Airport.  A nice little airport, easy in, easy out.  http://www.fly-cwa.org/

My fears of overweight luggage were unfounded - my checked bag weighed in just over 40 pounds so we stuffed in a few last minute items (should have brought that Green Bay Packer sweatshirt, dang!).

My first flight departed at 8 AM July 21 and arrived at O'Hare at 9:15 AM.
Then I waited, and waited, and waited some more.

The flight from O'Hare departed at 2 PM, arriving in San Francisco at 4:30 PM.
Luckily I had never been to the San Fran airport because I had plenty of time to stroll around and find my next check-in point - my flight didn't board till 9:15 PM.  I found a nice deal on french fries at one of the food vendors to tide me over.

At San Fran gate G93 I marveled at the size of the Air New Zealand plane.  HUGE, just HUGE.  Two levels of passengers.  My first flight out of the US.  The flight crew was very friendly and helpful, lovely accents all around!

A mere 13 hours, 1 movie (The Hunger Games), 2 meals, and a few timezones later, I landed in Auckland New Zealand at 5:40 AM Monday July 23, or as they write it here:  23/7/2012.   Still looks weird to me, there is no 23rd month!

Yes the flight paperwork said 13 hours, but I went from 9 PM July 21 in San Fran to 5 AM July 23 in Auckland in one flight.  It's still weird, I have gadgets on my PC desktop to tell me what time it is in New Zealand and what time it is in the US midwest.  Also gadgets to tell me temperature in Celsius and Fahrenheit in New Zealand as well as Celsius and Fahrenheit for the US Midwest.

Now for my US friends, the real adventure begins - well, not tonight, time for bed.