http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Oceania , New Zealand , North Island , Auckland , Ponsonby en-us Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:27:29 BST Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:27:29 BST heyso im here in auckland got in yesterday at about 1pm local time flight was badly delayed in hong kong hydraulic dunno how to spell it fluid was leaking so we were about 4hrs in the airport when only meant to be 2 the staff brought out snacks and drinks from the plane tho and we got to lie on the floor nice as hadnt lain down for ages apart from that and general discomfort of plan http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-325433.html Hello StrangerI am really sorry for being so slack on my blogging skills The past few weeks have honestly flown by I have had 3 jobs ha a weekend away lots of sightseeing on the weekends and an actual social life during the week..who woulda guessed I am currently working for a consulting firm in downtown auckland helping with client modules to be presented for year long leadership works http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-310694.html Well this weekend was an absolute blast Friday we met up with some of the guys and went to a cool bar called la zeppa that a friend was DJing at and you could see the whole city from the balcony. Then we went to one of the top 100 bars in the world called Crow Bar and saw one of the best bands I have seen in a while Hot Grits. They were fantastic Then we went to Fu Bar again to hear so http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-299060.html Hello Well not too much has happened recently. But I do have a temporary job with a fashion PR firm COCO. It is really cool but commission only so its a bit hard. I am in charge of finding all sponsorship for 3 of the shows for fashion week here in auckland the biggest event of its kind I get a lot of great perks and meeting some cool people. Friday I have to attend an all inclusive pa http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-296769.html Well long time no see I am back on the move..this time down under I arrived in Auckland on thursday and now it is saturday. I will try and update everyone every few days or so. The flight over from la was over 12 hours but thank you to some sleeping pills i slept for 10 of the hours. When i arrived Olivia had a bottle of champagne waiting for me keep in mind it is 5am. We had some mi http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-295454.html Just a quick note to say that the trip is almost finalised and Karen and Michelle have done a great job.We just have a few loose ends to tie up in the next few weeks.Jordan Syria and Hatta are all booked.So we thought a photo was a good idea. http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-288671.html Uenuku Lodge in Ponsonby became our home for the next twothree months as work was much needed to top up the accounts. Loads of fun was had and we soon became part of the Furniture. I started a job at The Auckland District Courts working for the Bails Desk in the Criminal Section. Had some really fun days and got to see a real inside to the Justice system.We also celebrated Anzac day in style http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-288255.html This is the last entry as we're back home now. Some of you may have noticed this. There's just a few tales of South Sea adventures and some pictures left to post before my well of traveling inspiration runneth dry. It's actually been quite difficult to get back into the frame of mind I was in while we were away and so I've been putting this bit of writing off for weeksBut anyway as I was sayin http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-285653.html As always you need a leaving party to actually leave and what a great night was had on Karl and mine down in Ponsonby at the newly opened and highly recommended Snatch Bar.Prior to this was the ever important two bottles of champers and nibbles with Tan and Stu then off we went for a night of dancing more drinking and other antics before topping the night of with the obligatory toasted cheese san http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-283401.html The story begins of the first leg of my kiwi experience bus. It has its good and bad points. I've been to some really nice places and been given the chance to do loads of activities budget whats thatlol. Also met loads of new people. On the down side i have about 810yrs on most of the othersOh forgot to say what I got up to in Auckland before hopping on the bus The main highlights w http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-279197.html After leaving Hastings the skies opened and revealed a rather concerning leak in the back door of Big Blue Boo First day back on the road and we had a soggy bed. We were headed up the Eastern Coast of the North Island in search of surf and a bit of true Maori culture on the East Cape. The East Cape is one of the few places where they did not sell or were not forced to sell their land to the Eu http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-273013.html We arrived in Auckland on Sunday evening and checked into our backpackers in Ponsonby. That evening we explored Ponsonby road and found a decent foodcourt for cheap and delicious Thai food.On Monday we walked across Western Park Verandahs Backpackers sits on the edge of this green space and into the city's CBD for a spot of shopping and general information gathering. By evening we had worked http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-268257.html Here we are again. I have had to choose Ponsonby as the location being the most central location posted on the blog. St Mary's Bay is in Ponsonby but Meadowbank is close to Remuera which doesn't feature in the location list.Graham and I went into Chelle's house in Meadowbank to see what needed to be done around the property before Winter arives.Janis spent the day cleaning up the garden and planti http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-259362.html Flying into Christchurch was amazing in itself with fabulous views of the Southern Alps beneath us. This was going to be good.We only had 1 night in Christchurch when we first arrived as the next day we were bound for Methven in the Canterbury Plains where we stayed in a great YHA and woke up at 5am the next morning to go up in a hot air balloon This was a wedding gift from Roger and Diane and w http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-258431.html Hi everyoneIt's a cold and windy day in Wellington so a good time to update you on what I've been up to since I landed in Auckland.As usual I had a less than pleasant flight when I got stuck in the middle of a Chilean rugby team. Swing low sweet chariot in Spanish is quite something... I asked if they'd like me to move to the end of the row pleaded may be a better word but they insisted I http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-242892.html EL Jueves 13 por la tarde nos fuimos a otra playa carca de la anterior pero ms linda.... llamada Karekare. Hacia una de las puntas hay unas piedras gigantes que dan a mar abierto donde habia un grupo de pescadores. COmo ya les cont obviamente Joaco TIENE que ir a donde estan lso pescadores... asi que all fuimos a pararnos sobre las grandes rocas... Ninguno tuvo la amabilidad de decirnos ahi http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-229111.html Since our last entry we have spent a week in and around Alice Springs looking at and walking amongst rocks and have driven round the coast from Adelaide to Sydney again doing quite a lot of walking but relatively little fishingIn the 'Red Centre' we visited all the main rocks which were as beautiful and impressive as it is claimed and also had enough time to visit some lesser known and therefo http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-226389.html Our plan now was to have four days in Auckland then fly out from there to the Cook Islands for about a week wersquod then return to NZ for a longer stay allowing time to discover it at a more leisurely pace.The flight into New Zealand provides a sneak preview of what yoursquore likely to encounter during your stay there. Down below mountains and deep green forests stretch out for as far as y http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-222969.html On a warm morning in Auckland we ventured out through the Central Business District bypassing the shopping Mecca that is Queen Street past the Ferry Terminal to an area of poster plastered adult shops and fusty strip bars next to the docks. Our search for a place to call home for the next four months had brought us here. I have to say that with the benefit of hindsight it was an inauspicious http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-211056.html We have been spending our nights enjoying cheap wine New Zealand beer and the Rugby World Cup. Games come on late on this side of the world the first game usually starts around 12 a.m. and the last one sometime in the early morning. Here are a couple of Web sites that can get you caught up on our Rugby Nightshttpwww.rugbyworldcup.com The Cup's Web Sitehttpen.wikipedia.orgwikiAllBl http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-200609.html It turns out that most of my blogs have been deleted by some travelblog server corruption or something like that. I am not alone though apparently another 45000 blogs have also been deleted. Nevermind anyway. Now only my 1st two blogs survive and then anything post travelblog apocolypto.A relatively good start to the cycle ride only curtailed by a few teething problems on the first day namely tw http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-189623.html Carrying on the magic bus the route was From South to North Island FerrygtWellingtongtNapiergtLake TaupogtMount MauganuigtAuckland where I fly to Fiji.Arrived onto the North Island by Ferry into New Zealands capital Wellington. Was a very picturesque ferry journey of about 4hrs from the south island to the North arriving in the ferry port of Wellington near the city centre. Wellin http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-189259.html Hey Guys just a quick one really I realise that ive been neglecting my blog terribly recently still not having published my photos of my mum and nan visiting in February if only walls could talk We had a great time and mum still spent less than she thought times are high on 2.8 dollars to the pound so please be generous when i finally return to blighty. Ive spent the last month or so in http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-149866.html Hi Folks Well it's wonderful to be back in Auckland at our favourite hostel Uenuku Lodge. Almost feels like returning 'home' a base in any case. I DID MY SKY DIVE Thought I was going to die of fright just before I hung my legs out of the plane. But after slipping off the edge and feeling like my tummy was going to turn inside out it was brill You don't feel like you're falling that fast wh http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-143666.html Hi AllSadly I have now left the sunny shores of Australia.....but it gets good coz I'm in New Zealand I shall miss Oz terribly but I have a feeling that the best is yet to come in Middleearth. I've only investigated the city of Auckland so far but from what I can gather NZ is very green peaceful and lush. Very uncommercial and ideal for the backpacker who just wants to 'get lost'. So far I hav http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-130231.html oufafter 24h hours on the plane we are arrived in auklandfor the moment we fight against the sleep to be able to go to bed at nightalready done quite a lot in aukland don039t what we will do tomorrowthe view from the sky tower is really impressiveevery thing okwe should never stop in LA it was one hour of queue to come back in the same planeno time for a walk or shoppingwe had t http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-127772.html Well this is my last entry for 2006 and it seems amazing to think I am half way around the world in hot sunshine when it is meant to be Christmas. Fortunately it doesn't really feel at all Christmassy and I am hoping it stays that way so I don't get too homesick. I am currently back in Auckland again as I have a flight on Christmas Day itself cheapest I could find from Auckland down to Q http://www.travelblog.org//Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-112729.html