Auckland, NZ 3/9/05

Auckland, NZ 3/9/05

It’s an early morning airport entry. Just a few hours ago on the dark streets of Auckland I felt like Harry Potter; 5 a.m., standing on an empty street in a big city, backpacks strapped to my front and back, waiting for a bus to pick me up. Granted it wasn’t London and I was waiting for a City bus on its regular schedule but if the Knight Bus would have rolled up like it occasionally does for Harry I would have probably gotten on it too.

It’s an odd feeling to be in such a big place with tall buildings all around you and no people anywhere in sight, especially when you are waiting on a bus and you have not even seen a car go by…in any direction. You just keep looking at the sign that says “Bus Sop” and hope that soon you’ll see some headlights heading your way and not a slow mob of marching zombies like in some horror movie. I’m not sure if it was because I had a flight to catch or the setting but I swear the minutes went by really slow.

As a newspaper blew by it looked the start of an old Michael Jackson video and I laughed out loud just as a bus finally came around a corner about 6 blocks away. Unfortunately it didn’t look anything like the Knight Bus. Oh well, back to reality. A fitting reminder I guess because I’m leaving New Zealand in about an hour. My big tip is winding down.

Auckland was exactly like everyone described it to me; unimpressive. It is just a big sprawling city with a couple neat points but no overwhelming “WOW” factor. Of course I still had a good time. Also, I only had about 20 hours to experience it. Hardly enough time to judge any place let alone a large city.

I lost two of my traveling buddies, Brian and Stephan, after Rotorua and that just left Amy and I on the same route. We arrived in Auckland together and walked around the city for awhile. We took in the view from the Sky Tower, a structure similar to the ones in Seattle and Toronto. I fought all temptation to do the Sky Jump from the top of the Sky Tower and instead settled for a Ferris Bueller type lean against the glass. After much encouragement Amy joined me as we leaned our foreheads against the glass and looked down. I think that basically summed up the entire day and night; Amy and I challenging each other to try new things.

I have been traveling with Amy for 5 days and each time she speaks her thick, slightly blue collar, English accent entertains me, especially when she is venting about not being able to find a “proper cup of tea.” Always the optimist, I have been telling her, “I’m sure in a city the size of Auckland you’ll find one.”

When she asked, “Will you join me?” I knew I couldn’t say “No, I don’t like tea.” without getting a heavy dose of my own Try New Things mantra back at me. So yesterday I had afternoon tea with a girl from England in the Victoria Park Market. It was fun and even with her tips of trying a little milk and sugar in my tea I can still say without a doubt, I don’t like tea.

Other highlights of Auckland were our walk through One Tree Hill Park (yes the song was in my head the entire time) and taking Amy for her first sushi experience. I may not like tea but I hid my distaste better than Amy did when she tried sushi for the first time. It was like feeding a 5 year old.

Oh and I had another great hostel experience too. It was a big bunk room this time. I think there were 12 of us in there. Lots of snoring! Good thing I was only sleeping about 4 hours in there.

It’s time now to leave New Zealand. I’ll keep my reflective thoughts on the experience until an entry on a Sunday morning at the Starbucks in WPB. I’ll be drinking a mocha, not tea!

MJF