So my time here is pretty much over. I'm getting a bus to the airport in about an hour. It feels like only a couple of days ago I was telling people that I was coming here, now it's all over and I'm nearly on my way home.
I was up by 9am this morning. I made sure that I had packed everything that I'd arrived with, put my bag in storage, then headed out for breakfast. I had time for a final walk around town, an hour in the sun doing Sudoku in the park (I'm actually not that bad at it anymore) and a yummy, cheese and spinach pizza twisted thing for lunch.
Here comes another 30 hours of travelling. Woo. At least the food and movies on Emirates are good.
xx
Saturday, 10 April 2010
Friday, 9 April 2010
I ate ice cream on the beach
After breakfast this morning I walked over to one of the bays on the outskirts of the city centre called Mission Bay. It was actually a bit further than I thought, but I guess the walk will have done me good. On the way I had a quick detour round a local farmers market, where I got to try some fresh chilli humous with fresh pitta bread and some local beef sausages, and an aquarium. The aquarium was small but had a nice sections on Antartic explorers, penquins, sting rays and sharks.
Mission Bay is small but very nice. It has lots of restaurants and ice cream shops on the beach front. I met one of my friends from the Kiwi bus, Rob, who is staying with family who live near the bay. I had freshly caught fish and chips for lunch and then we sat on the beach and ate ice cream. It was great. The weather has stayed beautiful, I'm getting very freckly.
After a walk up a little hill nearby to over look the bay I headed back into the city. The walk to the bay was along the waters edge and was very nice but took about an hour and a half.
I'm back at the hostel now, I have to pack to leave tomorrow and I don't want to. I intensely dislike packing. I'm kind of hoping that if I ignore it then my stuff will just pack itself. I think I'll go for dinner and then contemplate packing then.
xx
Mission Bay is small but very nice. It has lots of restaurants and ice cream shops on the beach front. I met one of my friends from the Kiwi bus, Rob, who is staying with family who live near the bay. I had freshly caught fish and chips for lunch and then we sat on the beach and ate ice cream. It was great. The weather has stayed beautiful, I'm getting very freckly.
After a walk up a little hill nearby to over look the bay I headed back into the city. The walk to the bay was along the waters edge and was very nice but took about an hour and a half.
I'm back at the hostel now, I have to pack to leave tomorrow and I don't want to. I intensely dislike packing. I'm kind of hoping that if I ignore it then my stuff will just pack itself. I think I'll go for dinner and then contemplate packing then.
xx
Thursday, 8 April 2010
I ate one of the biggest pieces of chocolate cake I've ever seen
I was up bright and early again to another beautiful sunny day. I ate breakfast in one of the lovely parks and rang home (Dad's birthday). It's kind of weird in the mornings here when I'm speaking to people at home as it is still yesterday there. Odd.
I headed up to the Auckland museum for a few hours looking round. It had a big exhibit on how civilisation developed in the Pacific and another large Maori exhibit. They were really interesting and there was so many really stunning carvings. There was a massive kayak (waka) actually inside the museum that was one of the largest built, it can fit 100 men into it. There were also natural history exhibits with dinosaur skeletons and information about volcanoes. One of my favourite things in the museum is the skeletons and recreations of the giant Moa birds. They are like really big emu's and were hunted to extinction a long time ago. I wish there were still some alive here.
On the top floor of the museum was a few rooms dedicated to the wars New Zealand have been involved in since the 1800s. The civil wars between the European settlers and the Maori, the Boer war, the first World War, the second World War and the South East Asian conflicts. It was interesting to see these wars depicted from a New Zealand perspective. Half way around the world from us.
Once I was done in the museum I headed back into the city centre to meet a friend from the Kiwi bus who had just arrived back in Auckland. We went for coffee and chocolate cake. I'd been eyeing up the cake for the past few days and decided that it was neccessary for it to be in my life. It was well worth it. After that I went for a long walk to one of the nice suburbs just out of the centre of Auckland. It had lots of lovely looking art and trinket shops as well as actual art galleries. There were more cafes and I just about managed to persuade myself I did not need another chocolate overload in the wonderful chocolate shop and cafe. It took a surprising amount of restraint. I walked a big loop around the edge of the city centre and ended up back on the main strip.
I suppose I should have something healthy for dinner tonight. xx
I headed up to the Auckland museum for a few hours looking round. It had a big exhibit on how civilisation developed in the Pacific and another large Maori exhibit. They were really interesting and there was so many really stunning carvings. There was a massive kayak (waka) actually inside the museum that was one of the largest built, it can fit 100 men into it. There were also natural history exhibits with dinosaur skeletons and information about volcanoes. One of my favourite things in the museum is the skeletons and recreations of the giant Moa birds. They are like really big emu's and were hunted to extinction a long time ago. I wish there were still some alive here.
On the top floor of the museum was a few rooms dedicated to the wars New Zealand have been involved in since the 1800s. The civil wars between the European settlers and the Maori, the Boer war, the first World War, the second World War and the South East Asian conflicts. It was interesting to see these wars depicted from a New Zealand perspective. Half way around the world from us.
Once I was done in the museum I headed back into the city centre to meet a friend from the Kiwi bus who had just arrived back in Auckland. We went for coffee and chocolate cake. I'd been eyeing up the cake for the past few days and decided that it was neccessary for it to be in my life. It was well worth it. After that I went for a long walk to one of the nice suburbs just out of the centre of Auckland. It had lots of lovely looking art and trinket shops as well as actual art galleries. There were more cafes and I just about managed to persuade myself I did not need another chocolate overload in the wonderful chocolate shop and cafe. It took a surprising amount of restraint. I walked a big loop around the edge of the city centre and ended up back on the main strip.
I suppose I should have something healthy for dinner tonight. xx
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
I loved the weather
The weather today has been perfect. Clear blue skies, sunny and hot. I sat and had my breakfast by the harbour sitting on a bench in the sun. Perfect start to the day.
I did all my souvenir and present shopping this morning. Not sure if I have enough room in my bag for presents. It will just have to be squashed down. After grabbing an interesting sounding sandwich, chicken, peach (which was actually apricot) and avocado, I headed to a massive park to chill out for the afternoon. I had to walk through the university, which looks very nice. It has some super modern glass buildings and lots of little houses for it's offices. The park was busy because it is the easter holidays so there are kids everywhere, but I found a nice sunny hill to sit on. I simply chilled out and read my book for a few hours and ate my sandwich, which turned out to be very nice. I've noticed that in New Zealand they tend to put whatever they can get their hands on into their sandwiches. Oddly they generally seem to be very nice.
My flip flops have given me blisters so I limped back down into town, stopping in a really nice little boutiquey shopping square for a smoothie. Once back at the hostel I came across a few people from the Kiwi bus I was on. It's really cool to randomly come across people you know when you don't expect it. They all have to be up super early tomorrow so we're just going to chill out tonight. I don't have to be up early, but I know I'll wake up early anyway, weeks of getting up between 6.30 and 8am have meant that I now wake up before 9am every day. This will be remedied when I get home.
xx
I did all my souvenir and present shopping this morning. Not sure if I have enough room in my bag for presents. It will just have to be squashed down. After grabbing an interesting sounding sandwich, chicken, peach (which was actually apricot) and avocado, I headed to a massive park to chill out for the afternoon. I had to walk through the university, which looks very nice. It has some super modern glass buildings and lots of little houses for it's offices. The park was busy because it is the easter holidays so there are kids everywhere, but I found a nice sunny hill to sit on. I simply chilled out and read my book for a few hours and ate my sandwich, which turned out to be very nice. I've noticed that in New Zealand they tend to put whatever they can get their hands on into their sandwiches. Oddly they generally seem to be very nice.
My flip flops have given me blisters so I limped back down into town, stopping in a really nice little boutiquey shopping square for a smoothie. Once back at the hostel I came across a few people from the Kiwi bus I was on. It's really cool to randomly come across people you know when you don't expect it. They all have to be up super early tomorrow so we're just going to chill out tonight. I don't have to be up early, but I know I'll wake up early anyway, weeks of getting up between 6.30 and 8am have meant that I now wake up before 9am every day. This will be remedied when I get home.
xx
Tuesday, 6 April 2010
I got on the most security lax plane, ever
Apparently there isn't much security on domestic New Zealand flights. They don't need your passport and they don't check your ID. You can take on food and bottles of water. I suppose there's not really that much here to interest terrorists.
The flight from Christchurch to New Zealand took about an hour and ten minutes so it felt like we were barely in the air. I have adopted a girl (Lisa) who was on my shuttle bus to the airport from the hostel and sat next to me on the plane. We are staying in the same hostel in Auckland. Once we were checked in we went for some lunch and a wander round the city. I have already done all that but Lisa hadn't so I thought I would tag along, I have loads of time over the next few days to do things that I've missed out on. I spent the afternoon very irritatingly having to do some washing even though I leave in 3 days. I had run out of clean pants and apparently there are no shops that sell cheap pants. Where do Kiwi's buy underwear?? So although washing is expensive and annoying, it's cheaper than buying new pants. Tonight Lisa and I are going for dinner in the food court underneath the hostel. Yay Thai food :)
So now I'm back in Auckland. It's warmer here than in the South which is really nice. I have three full days here. I'm going to go shopping, to the aquarium and to the museum.
xx
The flight from Christchurch to New Zealand took about an hour and ten minutes so it felt like we were barely in the air. I have adopted a girl (Lisa) who was on my shuttle bus to the airport from the hostel and sat next to me on the plane. We are staying in the same hostel in Auckland. Once we were checked in we went for some lunch and a wander round the city. I have already done all that but Lisa hadn't so I thought I would tag along, I have loads of time over the next few days to do things that I've missed out on. I spent the afternoon very irritatingly having to do some washing even though I leave in 3 days. I had run out of clean pants and apparently there are no shops that sell cheap pants. Where do Kiwi's buy underwear?? So although washing is expensive and annoying, it's cheaper than buying new pants. Tonight Lisa and I are going for dinner in the food court underneath the hostel. Yay Thai food :)
So now I'm back in Auckland. It's warmer here than in the South which is really nice. I have three full days here. I'm going to go shopping, to the aquarium and to the museum.
xx
Monday, 5 April 2010
I explored Christchurch
A lot of people I've spoken to about this city have said that it's boring and there is nothing to do. Maybe I'm just easily amused, but I quite like it here. Despite the weather being drab, deary and a little bit wet this morning, I headed out to explore. After breakfast in a nice little cafe in the tram station I went to take shelter from the weather in the Art Gallery. It was free and there were several exhibitions on. I pretended to be arty and took my time wandering round considering paintings and photographs. I think I prefer photography.
After that I continued to be a bit cultural and as the weather had cleared up a bit went for a long walk round the botanical gardens. It was lovely and had tranquil little ponds and a rose garden. After this I continued walking and went round the park. It's called Hagley Park and is the thrid largest urban park in the world. It is pretty big, there are several football and rugby pitches, a 12 hole small golf course and a trim trail for the runners round the edge. As usual, I wished I was running.
Once done with the park I headed back into the city. The architecture of some of the buildings is so lovely. It reminds me a little of Stratford and of films I've seen set in Oxford (I've never actually been there). Apparently people say that Christchurch is very much like England (the weather certainly made it seem like that this morning). I can see what they mean with the buildings and the large catherdal in the centre. After a quick lunch, I've discovered the wonder of freshly baked steak and cheese pies, I continued around the city centre. I brought myself a very pretty (and a little expensive) bracelet. It's a New Zealand version of the Pandora bracelets and you buy little New Zealand style charms to go on it. I love it.
When I arrived back at the hostel the Kiwi bus from Queenstown had arrived and there were a couple of people I knew. It's been very weird being without my Kiwi bus adoptive family so it will be nice to go out with them tonight.
xx
After that I continued to be a bit cultural and as the weather had cleared up a bit went for a long walk round the botanical gardens. It was lovely and had tranquil little ponds and a rose garden. After this I continued walking and went round the park. It's called Hagley Park and is the thrid largest urban park in the world. It is pretty big, there are several football and rugby pitches, a 12 hole small golf course and a trim trail for the runners round the edge. As usual, I wished I was running.
Once done with the park I headed back into the city. The architecture of some of the buildings is so lovely. It reminds me a little of Stratford and of films I've seen set in Oxford (I've never actually been there). Apparently people say that Christchurch is very much like England (the weather certainly made it seem like that this morning). I can see what they mean with the buildings and the large catherdal in the centre. After a quick lunch, I've discovered the wonder of freshly baked steak and cheese pies, I continued around the city centre. I brought myself a very pretty (and a little expensive) bracelet. It's a New Zealand version of the Pandora bracelets and you buy little New Zealand style charms to go on it. I love it.
When I arrived back at the hostel the Kiwi bus from Queenstown had arrived and there were a couple of people I knew. It's been very weird being without my Kiwi bus adoptive family so it will be nice to go out with them tonight.
xx
I went to Rohan
Today I went on a geeky Lord of the Rings tour to the filming locations of several of the scenes from Rohan and the city of Edoras. The guide actually working on the Lord of the Rings films as a sound mixer and was nominated for 3 oscars for the Lord of the Rings films and won one for the third film! He also worked on the King Kong movie and won an oscar for that!
We drove out to the sites in a big six wheeled Toyota Land Crusier. It took about 2.5 hours to get there as we had to drive back to the mountains. The scenery in the mountains was stunning. There were huge mountains and in the distance was some snow covered peaks. To get to the actual mountain, Mt. Summer, where the set for Edoras was built we had to drive off road on bumpy tracks and ford a few rivers. Getting there was pretty exciting. We walked to the top of the mountain, (it wasn't very big, I'm not sure why it's called a mountain, it just looks like a big hill to me) and got to play with some replica swords and axes that Hammond (the guide) had in the back of the car. It was great having him as a guide as he had seen where all the sets actually were and had actually met all the actors. The swords and the axe were pretty heavy. The sword Aragon uses is massive. From the hill you can also see another filming location of the entrance to the Helms Deep valley. It's pretty cool being able to see places that you recognise from the films. After that we had lunch in a little station they use out there. It's pretty isolated, the only things out there are two farming stations. We got really good sandwiches, chocolate cake and champagne :) happy days.
I fell asleep on the way back. When we stopped for a quick toilet break Hammond realised that we had a flat tyre so all the guys on the trip had to change it. I'm not having much luck this week with vehicles breaking down. We arrived back into Christchurch about 6pm. I think I'm going to meet some of the guys from the Kiwi bus who arrived today for a drink and go for some food. Tomorrow I'm going to explore the city. Apparently there's not much here, but it looks like there are lots of shops, a big park and a nice looking art gallery so I'm sure there will be plenty to entertain me for one day.
xx
We drove out to the sites in a big six wheeled Toyota Land Crusier. It took about 2.5 hours to get there as we had to drive back to the mountains. The scenery in the mountains was stunning. There were huge mountains and in the distance was some snow covered peaks. To get to the actual mountain, Mt. Summer, where the set for Edoras was built we had to drive off road on bumpy tracks and ford a few rivers. Getting there was pretty exciting. We walked to the top of the mountain, (it wasn't very big, I'm not sure why it's called a mountain, it just looks like a big hill to me) and got to play with some replica swords and axes that Hammond (the guide) had in the back of the car. It was great having him as a guide as he had seen where all the sets actually were and had actually met all the actors. The swords and the axe were pretty heavy. The sword Aragon uses is massive. From the hill you can also see another filming location of the entrance to the Helms Deep valley. It's pretty cool being able to see places that you recognise from the films. After that we had lunch in a little station they use out there. It's pretty isolated, the only things out there are two farming stations. We got really good sandwiches, chocolate cake and champagne :) happy days.
I fell asleep on the way back. When we stopped for a quick toilet break Hammond realised that we had a flat tyre so all the guys on the trip had to change it. I'm not having much luck this week with vehicles breaking down. We arrived back into Christchurch about 6pm. I think I'm going to meet some of the guys from the Kiwi bus who arrived today for a drink and go for some food. Tomorrow I'm going to explore the city. Apparently there's not much here, but it looks like there are lots of shops, a big park and a nice looking art gallery so I'm sure there will be plenty to entertain me for one day.
xx
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