January 21, 2001 - Sunday - Cook Islands to Auckland, New Zealand
New Zealand didn't look anything spectacular from the air and after we landed, the area surrounded the airport looked like any other suburb in the States. I also lost a whole day as a result of crossing the international dateline - I started my trip on Saturday at 1:00PM and 4 and a half hours later, it's Sunday late afternoon.
We decided to stay at the YHA International in Auckland and took the shuttle bus there. My YHA card got me $2 off the shuttle bus. The YHA was huge and impersonal, and it was very difficult to meet anybody in such a huge hostel.
Todd, an American that I met in the Cook Islands, and I walked outside and went downtown and got some food at an Asian restaurant. Another American who we saw at the airport walked by and we started hanging out as a trio. I was getting a weird vibe traveling with 2 other Americans for some reason. I decided later to travel via the Magic bus.
I parted company with Todd the next morning and moved to the Brown Kiwi hostel, recommended by my guidebook. After taking the bus to Ponsonby and checked into the hostel, I met a cheeky lad named Stephen. He's from Scotland currently being a bum in New Zealand. He's job hunting but not in a hurry to get a job. When I met him, he was reading a book in the lounge.
It's always better to go to a small hostel, preferably without a TV if you want to meet other travelers. Big institutional-like hostels is pretty much just like a hotel where it's almost impossible to meet other people other than the ones sharing dorm with you.
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| Stephen making his mother proud - New World supermarket in Auckland, New Zealand |
Talking to Stephen is almost like talking to Grounds Keeper Willy from the Simpsons. His accent was unmistakably similar and it's a bit hard to understand, but amusing at times. We went to the supermarket to get some food and while he was waiting for me at the checkout, he guzzled a jug-o-juice he just bought. It was such a sophisticated scene that I had to take a picture.
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| Me, Alex and Stephen at the Brown Kiwi, Auckland, New Zealand |
I also met Alex(andra) that evening - she's a Brit who's working locally as a waitress. She's got a real spark - something tells me not to cross her or suffer some nasty consequences. I think there was something going on between the two but I never figured it out. We played cards and chatted that evening before heading to bed.
;)
;)
