Devonport and Casino
Trip Start
Jul 12, 2006
1
113
230
Trip End
Jun 18, 2007
Auckland,
New Zealand
Saturday, November 25, 2006
The post office was only around the corner so we all went there, Lee sorted out the change or ownership with Simone and I posted back the torch we'd found when we left The Falls Backpackers in the Catlins. It only cost $5 to return it and I felt better knowing it was on its way back, I hope Debbie didn't think we took it on purpose
Auckland from the Devonport ferry
. The change of ownership was done and dusted, Simone was the proud new owner of Corona and as previously arranged Lee drove it back to Simone's home of Devonport, just across the water from Auckland city centre. Simone isn't used to driving on the left hand side so she wasn't confident about driving it back on the motorway and asked if we'd take her back. Everyone had said that Devonport was a lovely place to visit so we didn't mind at all. It was a lovely day again so we parked up near the port exchanged money and handed Simone they keys to her new car. I was really sad to see Corona go, she'd been good to us after the original problems but I'm pleased that we sold her to someone as nice as Simone. We'd chatted loads in the car on the way back and she seemed a really sound girl, so I hope she gets a fair few more miles out of Corona.Lee and I were chuffed as well, selling the car to the first person who had looked at it meant that we were saved from several days of car markets and the expense that comes with them. We decided to go for a look around Devonport and to get a coffee to celebrate. After a little walk around we decided on Spitfire, just off the main street. It looked like a really nice restaurant, the brunches people were tucking into looked lovely but Lee wasn't hungry so we ordered a couple of coffees, grabbed the papers and relaxed. After a while the smell of the food worked and we ordered, Lee had the big breakfast and I asked for Eggs Benedict with bacon
Auckland skyline
. About 20 minutes later the waiter brought over two poached eggs with bacon, I looked at them a bit surprised and then told him they were wrong, I explained our order again and he went off. The waitress that took our order came over and said there had been a stuff up, she apologised then said the food would be over in a moment. About 10 minutes later they brought over my correct order, but Lee's still hadn't arrived. People were coming in after us and getting their food and I'd finished mine but still Lee's hadn't arrived. The waitress came back again and apologised saying the chef was busy but Lee's was coming. After about an hour we decided that enough was enough and Lee asked where his breakfast was. The waitress said it was on its way again, then another bloke came over, the manager it seems and asked us what the problem was, Lee explained that he'd been waiting an hour for his food and the guy said, well you changed your order didn't you?. Erm, no we didn't actually but the dosy bint in the pinny probably took it down wrong and then tried to blame us, I don't think she realised that the manager would actually come over and tell us what she said, but he did. Anyway, the manager said did we want the breakfast still, we could have it for free, and we said yes. So we waited, and waited, then after about 10 more minutes we decided to stop wasting our time and leave. The guy apologised and gave us my food for free which to be honest I'm glad about because it wasn't even that nice and quite overpriced for what it was
Me in the posh harbour
. Lee was quite upset, hungry and a bit peed off that we'd wasted so much time when they staff didn't know they bottom from the elbow so to speak! We had a walk back down the main road, trying to find somewhere else to eat and then came across a lovely little place called Clarry's. It was like an old tea room café, lots of old ladies sipping tea and regulars chatting to the staff, who they all knew by name. It had a nice atmosphere about it so we headed in and Lee ordered the full breakfast special. I think it was worth it because the stack of food he got when it arrived was huge. It was literally a mound of cooked breakfast on a plate, much more than he would have got at the other place, I paid half seeing as I'd got mine free so all turned out ok in the end.To get back to Auckland you have to take a 15 minute ferry ride across the water, it was a lovely trip with great views of the city from the water, arriving back in Auckland with $750 each in our pockets. It was a good feeling, it also meant that we were back on budget again for the first time in a long long while. So what did we do? Well, we had a walk around Auckland city centre, which is much like every other city centre. Lots of fast food places, souvenir shops, a few pharmacies, loads of shops and tons of internet places. We had a few beers in a few different places then somehow managed to find ourselves at SkyCity, which is the home of the Sky Tower, restaurants, bars and the casino
SKyline tower
. Yes, the casino. There were were, $750 in cash in our pockets, a few beers in our bellies and a great idea in our heads to go to the casino. We actually got ID'd going into the casino which we both thought was great as you have to be 20 to get into one. The casino was quite good actually, loads of pokies (slot machines to you and me), a fair few table games but upstairs was the Poker Zone. Which is, of course, where we headed. They had several cash games going and Lee managed to bag a seat on one of the cheap ones as soon as we arrived. The casino is really nice actually, they had big screens all around showing the cricket so I sunk into one of the comfy leather chairs, ordered a glass of merlot and some deep fried camembert with plum sauce and watched the Cricket. I was tempted to have a go myself but there wasn't any other ladies playing and I didn't' want to be the first. After a couple of hours and a few merlots later, Lee was doing pretty well and seemed to be in for the night so I decided that if you can't beat 'em join 'em. I suppose for poker that should be if you can beat 'em, join 'em Anyway, I decided to stick my name down and at about 8pm I got called to a table. It was quite a friendly place, full of locals but I still felt slightly weird sitting at a table full of men who obviously play poker a bit. Still, I thought to myself, I've come 3rd in a poker tournament in London and out lasted Lee in a poker tournament in Vegas so I'm sure I can hold my own, and I certainly did. I did not disgrace myself one bit, in fact I made enough money to pay for my drinks all night, some more food and still walk out with $130 profit. I was going to quit at about 1am when I was so tired but then I found out that the casino shuts at 2:30am so I held out till the end. Lee did really well, he dominated his table and came away with a stack load of notes. We were both very pleased as we feel into a cab at about 3am to take us back to Parnell. I couldn't believe how slack the casino was though, people were talking about their hands mid game, people were taking in foreign languages about their hands, while in play, which is a complete no-no. Players were acting out of turn the whole time, string betting, not announcing their moves... it was all very slack. You'd never get away with half this stuff in Vegas, no way, and to top it all the dealers weren't that good at the maths either. Still, it was a good night we had loads of fun and chatted to lots of different people but I was shattered by the time we got back and trying to get back into my bunk, when drunk, in the early hours of the morning was hilarious. I only hope it was the bed I trod on rather than the bloke in it when I climbed up. 
