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Published: January 10th 2008
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Auckland
(Image from http://www.sxc.hu) Thursday 10th So, years after Hayley sent me a postcard of Mount Maunganui (spelling, I haven't checked!)... we're talking primary school here, I finally land in New Zealand! The morning was fairly uneventful (after a night in which I got trapped outside my room as my keycard wouldn't let me back in... Sydney Central's just the YHA you want to be wandering downstairs in your PJs!): finished packing, got the train to the airport, spent 1.5 hours queueing up to check in (apparently always like this with Qantas Sydney, be aware!), another 15 minutes through customs/security, and then there was the quick spend the last $15... what do you think it was on... Kwells - well, all this bus/bumpy plane travel, you've gotta have some spares!
Flight was pleasant enough, the TV wasn't working, but I'm not sure that was any great deal as it was an old plane with small screens and was showing the Stephen King horror 1408, which is probably not my thing. Finished my book just as we landed (after probably one of the nicest airplane meals I've had), and we've now moved on another 2 hours from Sydney, so I'm guessing we're now 12 hours
ahead of the UK, although my phone keeps trying to make the difference 13 hours - must have played around with summer-time or something and can't remember how to change it back! Very nice weather here again, got through passport control and customs easy enough... they checked my hiking boots for bio-hazards... very technical - I had to lift my feet like a horse lifting it's hooves for inspection. Found an ATM, phew, now I have some NZ $'s, which I think are worth a bit less than Oz $'s for exchange purposes - I'll find out soon. Straight out the front to find the Airbus, which is $20 return (no expiry date) into the city, and the driver was very helpful in telling me where I'd need to go to find the hostel... which included "down a VERY steep hill" - she wasn't joking - I kept being run-over by my bag! Hostel was a straightforward check-in - I have a top bunk, but there's a bar to stop me falling out, and it's not actually on top of another bunk which is much nicer. Dumped my bags and headed out into the city, just followed the street down
to the Quayside, looked in some souvenir shops, then found myself near where the supermarket was, so went in. A few differences, but a lot of the food is the same as in Australia, a lot of it the same numbers for prices too, which I guess makes it a bit cheaper. Came back, pretty dark, so got a bus - 50c along the street was REAL cheap - was expecting $1.50 minimum. "Made" myself dinner in the kitchen - reheated a package risotto (nice, made in New Zealand, real food, not dried powder!), and some yoghurt, then found the internet, getting blog up to date, then going to SLEEP!
Friday 11th Slept really well, really tired. Made myself get up 9am, although body still working on Sydney 7am time! Was 10am by time showered, breakfasted, and 10.30 before I'd sorted out what to do for the day. Took water/lunch/pile of brochures/Lonely Planet and was heading for Albert Park when saw Myer's Park, and found a little spot on the edge of a tree... 5 hours later had had enough but had some idea of what I REALLY want to do in New Zealand so can plan a bit
more later this evening. Headed for the Tourist Fair I'd seen advertised - wasn't tempted by anything (aside from some locally designed t-shirts, but that could be an option on another day), then checked out the bookshops for a book on walks in New Zealand, but they are all 'tramps' (i.e., with your backpack - mine's not really designed for that), finish/end in different locations (so can't leave big pack), or are with cars - don't really want to hire a car just to drive to/from. Shall check in local information centres when get to each venue. Now found a MUCH cheaper internet cafe, say here til 8pm, then will go and make baked potato, sort bag, and do some more NZ planning as am being collected by Magic Bus 7.55am to go to Rotorua.
NOTE: New Zealand is 13 hours ahead of the UK..., according to time on BBC website of 8:18am, we are 9:18pm!
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