Albert Park Backpackers Auckland

Well here I am in Auckland all on my own. As it turns out travelling on your own can be a very rewarding experience although there are times, especially during the days, that you can find yourself on your own for a couple of hours. Sunday was my first day alone, although as I said before there were still numerous friendly faces around from the buses. Sunday was also St.Patricks day. I got up just before ten and checked into my new hostel in the centre of town. The plan of the afternoon was to...

Well ladies and gents, I am back in Auckland for the time-being. I have got a job here for the next two months as a chimney sweep and today I nearly got stuck. I've got a brush and everything! It was my first day today, and my fellow chimney sweeps gave me the traditional greeting when I got to the top of my first house... A full chorus singsong of "Chimchimeny Charoo" in harmony. It was tear-jerking stuff. I have to get a flat and all that fun stuff, and I have to save lots and lots of money...

Well it's been a while, and so I think it's time for a new update. I have been in New Zealand for 2 months now and since arriving I have been doing all the marvellous things that you have read about in my previous entries. When it came time to settle down for a couple of months I was loathe to do it, but I have slid into the routines of the job without too much issue and am currently enjoying the sights, sounds and smells that come with living in a hostel. I'm staying in Albert Park Backpacke...

Oh yeah baby! The flight is booked for next Monday, the backpack is dusted, the money is saved and the Lonely Planet is back in business. That's right ladies and gents, in just under one week, I am OUTTA HERE! After an extended bout of limbo - forever seeing the same walls, streets, people, and shops filled with noodles - I am ready to tackle the South Island with an expectation and eagerness close to what I felt the day I flew to New York nearly 5 months ago... Is it really that long!? I wil...

Finally arrived in Auckland on the 7th April after a very long flight! Had read many good things about Malaysian Airlines but all in all they were not that great! And Thomas was dissapointed after the rumours of how fit the air hostesses were didn't ring true! Anyway, we were shattered by the time we landed and couldn't be bothered with the whole hassle of immigration. Thankfully the immigration dudes' philosophy was stamp and go. He didn't ask us any questions about proof of funds or onward ...

Hey I'm in New Zealand! I arrived this morning after a very comfortable ten-hour flight, with three seats to myself. The in-flight movies were a little poor so I instead had fun trying to get my high scores on the various Nintendo leader boards. They record your name, flight number and seat so you can try and out perform other passengers on your flight. As we approached the terminal the captain announced that the temperature in Auckland was fourteen degrees - my heart sank. Having lived in th...

We hitch hiked from Corolmandel Town to Whitiang, cause if we wanted a bus i reckon we would have been waiting a few weeks longer!! Some guys let us sit in the back of their pick up truck, and the views where off the planet, really really cool experience!!! But they dropped us in the middle of nowhere!!! so we had our backpacks on and our thumbs out!! and then a lady from Yorkshire stopped and took us the rest of the way to Whitianga, which was cool, and she told us some places to visit, so w...

The Flight We had to get up dead early in the morning to catch our flight from Christchurch to Auckland The flight departure time was 7.30 am and you can't be too early these days. After a short flight we arrived in Auckland. We tried several Backpacker's listed in Lonely Planet before we got spare beds in Albert Park Backpacker's, which had an excellent location not far from the Sky Tower. Daysleeper If the location was good, the hostel wasn't the best I've been to. We shared room with about...