The saga of Tuesday February 25, 2025 until Friday February 28, 2025 moving from Mumbai, India to Auckland, New Zealand
We had been in India for five weeks and couldn’t believe it was finally our last morning. The boys and Chaim had been counting down since the Taj Mahal—apparently, one week had been more than enough for them. They were also looking forward to our upcoming cruise. As much as I had dreamed for years about experiencing all that India has to offer, I was just as ready to leave the chaos, the thick air, the relentless crowds—and yes, the toilets—behind. All of us were craving clean air, clean water, and blessed Western toilets in New Zealand.
We woke early to finish packing up before heading to the airport. Two flights and a layover in Singapore meant we were facing 26 hours of travel ahead. The boys used the airport time to get some schoolwork done while I went in search of snacks for the flight. My attempt to buy them the night before had been thwarted by a broken credit card reader and lack of cash. The airport wasn’t much better. I almost gave up, but I knew we were going to need chocolate to survive the long journey. By the time I finally had our stash, it was time to board.
We were excited about flying Singapore Airlines—everyone had raved about it—and it did not disappoint. The boarding process was calm and orderly. No pushing. No shoving. Just lines. The attendants were polished, perfectly coiffed, and dressed in vibrant traditional outfits. Each greeted passengers with a warm smile and—shockingly—by name. As we boarded, the attendants at the aircraft door turned to us and said, “You must be the Kirby Family! We have your kosher food for you.” I’ve taken many flights over the years, and I cannot recall a single time when a flight attendant greeted us like that, let alone assured me that our kosher meals were actually on board. It sounds minor, but it made a huge difference.
Things only got better. The economy seats were roomier than most, the kids’ headphones were actually cute and functional, and they gave out an adorable sticky notebook pad that the boys immediately put to use.
The flight itself was smooth, though my stomach still felt like a washing machine on high. I was recovering from an upset stomach the day before, and sitting for hours didn’t help. I still ate all my meals—they were surprisingly good!—but that didn’t help either.
The Singapore airport is its own world. It has a cinema, themed gardens, and art installations. We visited a small fishpond surrounded by lush greenery and explored the sunflower garden. But the real hit was the Fit and Fun zone, where the boys spent over an hour racing through laser maze challenges and testing their skills on playground-style fitness equipment. It was tough getting them to leave!
The second flight was also smooth, though I couldn’t sleep because of my still-churning stomach. Thankfully, Chaim and the boys managed a few hours and were much better rested than I was when we landed.
Landing in New Zealand felt like a deep, clean breath after five weeks of intensity. Unlike India, where the smog made it hard to see anything on arrival, we had crystal-clear views as the plane descended into Auckland. The water fountain at the airport tasted amazing. We took a shuttle to our apartment in the center of town, across from the Sky Tower—Chaim and I had wisely planned this in advance knowing we’d be wiped. Everyone napped on the ride in, which helped a bit, even if the short traffic lights and congestion made the ride feel endless (twenty minutes to go a quarter mile!).
Our apartment was on the 24th floor of a high-rise, and the view took our breath away. We could see the marina, the harbor where our cruise ship would dock, and the Auckland Harbor Bridge, which is lit up in rainbow colors every night. There wasn’t enough space for everyone to have a real bed, but no one cared. We had a kitchen! A working Western toilet! Tap water we could drink! The boys were thrilled to sing in the shower without worrying about swallowing the water. Best of all, we had no scheduled tours, no guides, no rushing. For the next two days, we were in control.
My most liberating moment was walking—by myself—to the grocery store two blocks away. Just me, a reusable bag, and a shopping list. Glorious.
Jetlag hit us hard. With New Zealand being 7.5 hours ahead of India, our internal clocks were completely shot. Despite our best efforts to get everyone to bed early, only Amichai managed to fall asleep. Around 4:00AM, he woke me up to “hang out.” I blogged while he read. We tried whispering, but eventually annoyed Chaim, who had to be up for work at 6:30AM. Oops.
The boys didn’t wake up until 1:00PM. After “breakfast,” we walked to a large park with a playground we’d found online. We passed through Aotea Square, crossed over a highway, and wandered through a lush tropical garden. The weather was perfect—warm sun, cool breeze, and air so clean we could feel our lungs celebrating.
The park was incredible. Giant twisty slides, zip lines, climbing structures, and a full fitness area. Amichai and Eitan immediately started using Google Lens to identify insects—an impromptu science class. All the boys took turns challenging themselves on the bars, climbing and jumping and hanging upside down. Pure joy.
While they played, Chaim found tickets for the Wētā Workshop Unleashed tour. He and Amichai had seen a sign on our way to the park and were intrigued. Two hours later, we were back in Aotea Square, ready to explore.
The Wētā Workshop Unleashed in Auckland feels like stepping into someone else’s imagination and being handed a backstage pass. It’s not quite a museum, not quite a theme park—more like walking through the collective daydreams of artists who turn ideas into costumes, creatures, and entire worlds. We moved from eerie sci-fi labs to whimsical fantasy lands, guided by staff who had the boys laughing, shouting answers, and absorbing every second. Even if you're not into movies, the creativity on display is staggering. It reminded me that every cinematic moment starts with a pencil sketch, or a wild idea scribbled on paper. At the end of the tour, the boys were invited to draw their own creations—and they were in heaven. They didn’t want to leave and asked if we could join the next tour to do it all over again!
After a hearty, home-cooked dinner, the boys went to bed. Well—except Matanel, who nearly gave me a heart attack when I found him lying on the bathroom floor, mesmerized by the washing machine. Apparently, watching it spin was “satisfying.” Jetlag was still very much a thing.
The next morning, we could see our cruise ship docked in the harbor. The boys were awestruck by the massive TV screen on the top deck. It was so big we could literally watch the movie playing from our apartment, over a kilometer away.
We had to be out of the apartment by 10:00AM and couldn’t board the ship until 2:00PM, so we stored our bags at the Wētā Workshop lockers and set out for another park. But we never made it. The boys spotted a giant Ficus tree with carved steps and strong branches and were instantly hooked. They played there for hours—climbing, inventing challenges, and using sticks and natural materials to whittle and build. True to form, the play turned into a war game. They gathered an “arsenal,” chose roles, and launched into an imaginary battle for at least an hour before we called time. It was some of the best, unstructured, joyful play we’d seen in weeks. It filled their tanks—and ours.
On our walk back to pick up the bags, we stopped for pickles and ice cream—because sweet and salty cravings are universal, not just for pregnant people. Finally, we grabbed our luggage and walked to the cruise terminal.
Time to set sail on the next leg of our adventure.
