Auckland in a Day?

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Greetings Friends! So about the spotty reports from NZed but posting the blog is a distant second to actual expereinces that I am having. But here is some more info for y'all out there in cyberspace.

After getting my bearings at Pauls just outside Auckland Julia and I were ready to do some sightseeing. But first things first World Wide Gomes (WWG) needed a little bit off the top and sides. Yes, a good ol haircut, Kiwi style! We were very lucky to be able to borrow Paul's car, and since they drive on the OTHER side of the road and Julia was here 10 years ago for student teaching and driving then, she was the designated driver! So off we went. Driving just a couple of miles to a neighborhood shopping center ( think of a city or main street boutiques, not a strip or shopping mall). We went to the area because Paul recommended the place as a good and cheap place to get a hiarcut. So I walked into the first shop. "That would cost $20". Nah, moving on. A block down I walked into the next one and the barber said "that will be $15 and there is a wait". So looking across the street I saw another barbershop (yes 3 within 100 yds of each other)! I walked in to find about 5 gentlemen playing POOL in the backroom. Never seen a barbershop like that in the states. I asked how much for a haircut and he said $10. OK, now we were in business. So the barber passed his cue stick to a friend and we walked back up front and he showed me to my seat. He put a smock on me and asked what I wanted done. He had a bit of an accent, I asked him where he was from and he said he moved to NZ from Fiji about 10 years ago. I told him a little bit off the top and shorter on the sides and back. He said "about an inch?" Wait! I thought we were on the metric system over here? So after about 20 minutes the man showed me he was done, and it looked damn good! The only thing that I found a bit different from the American style of barbershops was the lack of sterilizing techniques. The comb he used wasn't pulled out of the "blue bottle". And the guards for the electric razor were sitting on the counter with a fair amount of hair trimmings on them. I tried not to think about it too much, or lice, and thanked him and payed with a $20. He gave me a $10 back. Now this would NEVER happen in America. You can't get tipped very well if the customer only has big bills. Well, they don't really tip in NZ. People in the service industry don't expect it and people like waiters don't have a reduced pay rate like they do in the US. So I asked the barber for smaller change and he gave it to me and I turned around and tipped him $2. He stood there very confused and pointed at the money I left for him on the counter. "No, thats for you" I told him. He smiled and shook his head. My friend Paul said that was probably the first tip he has ever gotten for cutting someone's hair! So with my new sporty "do I was ready to roll. Before headinig to downtown Auckland Julia and I stopped for lunch in the neighborhood and got some Indian food. It was actually like a "Little India" area and all kinds of ethnic shops that reflected that. So with full stomachs we were ready for our drive down to the Auckland musuem to take in some local culture.

So after some impressive driving by the DD, and a little help from passerbys with parking (I asked how long we could park and a gentlemen said "it says right there on the sign, 2 hours", that being a blue sign with only the number 120 on it, oh yeah, I get it!) We found some 180 parking and in to the musuem we went. It is a $5 "donation" to get in. They are open 9-5 and we got there at 3. I asked how long it took on average to go through this 3 story musuem. "Some people do it in an hour, some people take all day." Ok, I think I'll do it in 2 hours :p So off we went to the first floor, native culture, mostly of the Maori people. This was very fascinating and I found a book on Maori tattoos that I read through for about 10 minutes. There was also an amazing video on Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man, and a Kiwi, to summit Mt Everest. This video was about 10 minutes. Then I went inside a Wharenurui, a Maori holy house where they asked you to take your shoes off out of respect. I was in there for at least 15 minutes. So as time ticked by we headed to the second floor with only a half hour left! I decided to bag the 3rd floor that focused on there war memorial and focus on the 2nd floor exhibits of the natural and science world. Damn! What do you mean you are closing in 20 minutes? I started to pick up the pace and take quick photos. So much good info and great exhibits and layouts. What I was most impressed about was every once in awhile you would find a little cubby hole where there were a few computers, library books and info desks for individuals to find out even more info on things that interest you! And then they had a whole wing set aside for kids. All kinds of "hands on" exhibits and little people tables and benches for kids to gather around a do arts and crafts that the musuem had laid out for them. Needless to say it was a worldwind tour and I think I got my $5 worth!

Tune in next time when I wrap up my Auckland expereince and then it times to take a trip to a popular surf beach on the west coast.

Cheers, WWG

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Comments

[Heather]

Lice?
Oh, I bet there are other, even more fun, critters in the back country you're about to see.... ...I hope you make your entries into a mini travel guide someday. Great writing Gomez! Be safe.