Mobile Mary Poppins Takes Flight!

...you can contact me through my blog, my personal email, via facebook, or at mobilemarypoppins@gmail.com. Thank you all for your support so far!!

WEEK 0

Dear Lincoln, Lilliana, Leni, Juliana, Evyn, Jack, Faye, Chloe, Emerson, Lake, Rita, Violet, and Ella,

Tomorrow I am going to get on a plane and fly to New Zealand to start the first Mobile Mary Poppins tour. I say first because I have heard from so many kids in other countries (okay, their parents) who want me to come and stay with them, I might have to do this all again next year... and the year after... and the year after that. In fact, possibly every year until I am 61. (This is Lincoln’s favorite number for describing anyone who is incredibly old – apologies to anyone reading this who really is 61 or over!) So, anyway, tomorrow I’m getting on Leni’s favorite airline, Air New Zealand, and traveling over the International Date Line. I’m so glad Leni has given Air New Zealand the big thumbs up because it’s been years since I traveled on any airline other than Virgin and Southwest so I am a little nervous.

I know I’m going to be a little lonely at times, on my big trip, but many of you have drawn me pictures to take with me and I will keep those pictures close to me and when I’m feeling like I need a hug or a friendly face, or a bit of fun, I’ll get your pictures out, think of you, and I know I’ll feel so much better.

So a couple of you asked me recently about the International Date Line and I told you about how the day changes from one to the next as you cross over an imaginary line in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. So I’ll get on the plane on Thursday evening, and after a few hours of flying (when I’ll probably be fast asleep because I’ve missed lots of sleep in the big week running up to me leaving) it will suddenly stop being Thursday and instead of becoming Friday, which is the day that usually follows Thursday, it will suddenly become SATURDAY!! So I will never have a Friday. Imagine that!

So on Saturday morning in New Zealand (which will actually still be Friday morning in Los Angeles... I said this time difference was going to get pretty confusing!) I will land in Auckland, which is the biggest city in New Zealand. Some of you will remember that we looked at the map and saw that New Zealand is actually two islands that make up one country. There’s the North Island and the South Island. Auckland is at the top of the North Island. Now... if you’re really good at your geography you’ll be thinking, “Oh, north means cold, and it’s December so it’s winter,” and you would be wrong on both counts! Because New Zealand is in the Southern Hemisphere, the further north you go, the warmer it is because you get closer to the equator. The further south you go, the colder it gets because you get closer to the South Pole. And just in case you thought that wasn’t confusing enough, December in the Southern Hemisphere is actually the middle of summer; that’s right, Christmas is in the SUMMER! It’s still in December, but December is summer! It’s still on the same day but because of the time difference I mentioned earlier, it kind of feels like the day before. Actually this is the big secret that Santa keeps to help him make all his deliveries. Because the world is turning and Christmas Day starts at different times all over the world, he’s able to make all his deliveries.

So I think New Zealand is going to be a really interesting place to visit. I’ll write again in about a week; I’m always going to try and write to you on a Sunday and tell you about my week. Sometimes I might post you a video and some photos.

For now, wish me Bon Voyage and say your prayers to the Gods of Upgrades that they might be shining kindly on me tomorrow and they bump me up to First Class. I need a bed!

I love you and miss you all so much already.

All my love,

Susie