Help! I'm being held against my will in New Zealand!

Well, still here (in Auckland).  *sigh*  We have been successful securing another night in this lovely hostel.  They have been very flexible and gracious in helping us (and many other stranded travelers) out.  All Qantas flights for tomorrow (Sunday) have been cancelled (it is Saturday here).  They have booked us for Monday mid-day.  Depending, of course, upon that ash cloud.  Darn Chilean volcano!!!!!!  If that works out, we will have the late afternoon and evening in Sydney, we are to fly out early the next morning for the Outback (Ayers rock).  We are thinking of trying to shorten our stay in the outback by a day or two and spending that time in Sydney.  That depends upon whether Qantas will allow us to change that part of our flight without a penalty.  Because everything in Australia that we want to see is so far apart, we have booked a multi-stop travel itinerary with Qantas to fly to each destination.  It is too far to drive to each area (especially with the terrain we would have to cover--there aren't always direct roads to where we want to go).  But we are going at this one step at a time.  Our hostel helped us to try to book a room in Sydney (we cancelled our apartment) but they required a non-refundable credit card payment; worst case scenario--if the evil ash cloud is still there, we pay for an expensive lodging we can't use.  So, we were advised to go to one of the eight IYH hostels in Sydney (one is just a few blocks from the main terminal that we come into from the airport) and if they don't have a room (they still have many available), they'll help us find one.  So, again, one day at a time.

We reserve our rooms here and our rental car, one day at a time.

The children are enjoying playing games and reading.  We played a killer game of Hearts last night!  The girls are teaching Joshua to play chess.  Joshua is finally enjoying reading a much more challenging book than the Secrets of Droon and Wimpy Kid books.  He is reading the Dragon Keeper--a book that his sisters brought along (after he read all six of his Secrets of Droon books in the first week).  Joshua and Shelby started playing a New Zealand version of Monopoly--very fun idea!  And, of course, we have iPod touches loaded with movies and game apps.  They can't go online with them, but most of  the games work without internet.

This morning we went to a beach about an hour away from Auckland--it was black sand again--very pretty.  The rocks were all covered with tiny little black shells.

So, again, one day at a time.....