Kia Ora!
Trip Start
Jul 11, 2008
1
16
37
Trip End
Nov 24, 2008
Auckland,
North Island,
New Zealand
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Took 5 flights and had to get off in Dubai, Brunei and Brisbane but after 2 days travel I finally got my feet on New Zealand soil!
I meet some really cool people on the flights who oddly, I never sat beside or near on the plane. What with all the stops I got talking to a girl called Imogen and a guy, Carl. Very cool people and Carl being from New Zealand was able to give me some tips on must sees and he looked at my itinerary I made and said it was pretty good so now to do it!
Knowing Imogen worked out very well in the end as we agreed to get a shuttle bus together once reaching Auckland to keep costs down as we were heading in the same direction
Sky Tower, Auckland
. Well we got in just after 3am this morning and I phoned my hostel but they wouldn't let me in til 8.30am so... what to do what to do... well Imogen is over visiting a friend here and she kindly phoned her friend and asked if I could doss down at her place as well for afew hours. Very nice of them, saved me waiting about in yet another airport sleeping on hard cold seats.So we took a shuttle bus to Mount Eden where her friend lives and I stayed there til 8.30 when I had to leave without saying goodbye as they were snoring loudly! I did leave a note though, I'm not all bad! Had to grab a bus at 8.45 to the city centre to find my hostel and it was dead easy to find, thank goodness as I don't have a map yet and I was kinda going on a wing and a prayer on that bus as I'm guessing..
Carl now lives in Australia so he got off in Brisbane unfortunately but hopefully will meet up with him in the future and we exchanged emails etc. He was on his way back from 2 months in Europe. He hired a motorbike and rode round France, Italy, Spain etc. Sounds cool and he showed me some photos which looked like he had a ball. Has put the idea in my head now of maybe hiring a bike somewhere to do something similar..
Anyway, so what am I doing today.. well we're 12 hours ahead right now so I won't have my hostel room til midday. I have showered though, which was the best feeling after wearing the same clothes and no wash for 3 days! Urgh!
I'm going to get something to eat and then take a bus into town for a wander round. Keep moving until I burn out by about 7 I imagine! Have to get up early-ish tomorrow for an eco tour of the Bay of Islands so a very long, good nights sleep is in order. I might do the Sky Walk up Sky Tower today.. might, let's see when I get there! Doing it today when I'm shattered and jet lagged may not be the best idea but I'll be able to tell in acouple of hours..
