Out with New Friends
22-March-2010
We got up a bit earlier than we probably would have otherwise in order to meet David and Umberto — friends of Sam’s that he’d put us in contact with — for dinner.
I’m really glad we did. First of all, David and Umberto were great. It was really fun to talk to them and hear their perspective on life, politics, and living in New Zealand. They had both lived in Santa Barbara for some time, so they were familiar with a lot of the same things we are, which made the conversation flow very easily. Dore and I found that our outlook on life matched theirs very closely, which is always very pleasant. I always find it especially nice to be able to converse with people living in a different area of the world and on different life path. It always seems to me that if you do that, and you come to the same conclusions about life, then there is some nugget of universal truth there that you can get closer to understanding.
Beyond the conversation, meeting up also gave Dore and I the chance to see a few areas of Auckland that we never would have found on our own, which is always a rare treat when traveling. We first went to a nice, hip little bar on the second floor on the back side of a building. The atmosphere was light and minimal, perfect for talking over drinks.
Next, we went to dinner at a Mediterranean restaurant in a little square nearby. The food was quite good. I had lamb again. This is starting to become a trend, and one I’m not a bit displeased with. We finished with a slice of plum pie with ice cream, a nice sweet note to a wonderfully decadent and enjoyable evening.
I think everyone was a bit reluctant to finish the evening, but lingering tiredness and the requirements of life eventually got the better of us all. We said our goodbyes and walked our separate ways. I’m not sure if we’ll have another chance to see David and Umberto again on this trip, but I’d be very happy if we have the chance.