Insomnia, Auckland and the 80 Quid Apple!
Trip Start
Jun 08, 2007
1
12
23
Trip End
Jul 05, 2007
Auckland,
New Zealand
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Our last day in Australia was a real ball. The sun was shining, the temperature was up on the previous day so we decided a day at Seaworld, Surfer's Paradise was in order. Great value for money. We saw sharks, an amazing dolphin show, enough fish and sealife to last the rest of my life and rode the rollercoaster, Big Eye (a big wheel similar to the london one).
And then so our last night out in Oz. We took the short taxi ride out of town to Conrad Jupiter's, the biggest casino in Australia (must be on a par with some of the ones in Vegas although Ive never been there). We were all generally unlucky with the gambling though, except for Mark who came out 250 dollars up
Chris and Carl post Ice Bar (in background)
! Great effort!The drinking continued long into the early hours back in Surfer's we we came to a critical decision. Shall we stay through? Or do we do the sensible thing and go back to the room to get some sleep seeing as we had to leave the hotel at 6.00am for our flight to NZ. Me...with my long established drinking career - early night???? Never going to happen was it?
We stumbled back into the hotel at about 5.00am to pack and then made the biggest schoolboy error of all by just having a "little lie down....". Me and Chris woke at 6.00am with Carl banging on the door. We were still pissed and had to get our stuff together in seconds to leave for the 90 minute drive back to Brisbane. I can't remember any of that journey to be honest....or of putting an apple in my hand luggage for breakfast.
I slept like a baby for the entire journey (briefly waking for Thai Green Curry and Rice for Breakfast on the plane which was quite surreal) and landed in Auckland at 3.30 in the afternoon. Carl hadnt slept at all and was dead on his feet. Me and Chris had slept but felt worse for it. Whilst approaching passport control, Chris had to be sick in his hand luggage which was a comedy moment to be remembered forever......
Me Chris and Carl at Auckland SkyTower
.And as for me....I sailed through baggage claim and immigration. Or so I thought. I got pulled to one side upon entry into New Zealand and had my bags searched. Apparently, the Kiwi's are really sensitive about any kind of food being brought into their country. A roguely placed apple in the bottom of my hand luggage caused much consternation and the senior immigration officials were called. I was marched off to a room at the side. Chris and Carl were making the rubber gloved hand gestures in the distance. Oh Dear.
For my troubles I had to pay a fine of $NZ200 for failing to declare food import! Unbelievable!!!!! A sour start to the New Zealand experience indeed. To make matters worse - they didnt even let me keep the apple! See You Next Tuesday!!!
That aside, we checked into our hotel right in the middle of Auckland and went out for dinner. I could have quite easily stayed in and slept this evening but hey, we're on holiday. Just been down to the Harbour area for a few drinks but we're all feeling worse for the last night in Oz still so an early night it is. Lots of sight seeing planned for tomorrow including the Sky Tower, Mount Eden, One Tree Hill, blah blah blah touristy stuff. The fridge magnet hall is now at 13 at the last count after I procured two more this afternoon. Steve/Barry/Roger - you're gonna be so proud of me when you see this lot! Have you all got your postcards yet by the way?
Off to bed......it's gonna be a sleep of note and for the first time of the trip no portly squat caucasion of non-british extraction to complicate the room draw with his snoring antics!
C
Comments
Customs and Immigration NZ Style.
Carl and Chris, I am disappointed that there are no pictures of Colin being led away to be strip searched. With the fancy cameras on the phones now days I would have thought that you could have got at least a sneaky shot of the international fruit smuggling criminal being taken away. Well done for the 'Rubber Glove' actions though. 80 pounds worth of apple, makes Chris's A$ 32.50 for three drinks look ordinary now. Rip off of the holiday so far. Oh, by the way, my lucky streak continues, I have just won the meat platter in a raffle at the local hotel during yet another steak lunch. A$1 buying a ticket for A$60 worth of meat, steak, chops, chicken etc. I must get that lottery ticket.