{"id":434,"date":"2011-04-02T07:40:46","date_gmt":"2011-04-02T13:40:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cheatingbulldogs.com\/?p=434"},"modified":"2011-04-02T07:59:53","modified_gmt":"2011-04-02T13:59:53","slug":"antipodean-adventure-australia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cheatingbulldogs.com\/?p=434","title":{"rendered":"Antipodean Adventure: Australia!"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Australia Day 0\/1<\/p>\n

I think at this point I\u2019m going to give up on the day numbering since without an adventure tours brochure to check I\u2019ll quickly forget (plus I already screwed it up anyway I believe.)<\/p>\n

My last night in Auckland was rather bizarre. After a long long long drive from Wellington to Auckland, David and I checked into the YHA City but unfortunately we couldn\u2019t get a room together. Despite only getting a 6-share (I wasn\u2019t entirely sure I\u2019d stay there but also wasn\u2019t sure I\u2019d be able to cancel in time so I went cheap as possible) I found myself upgraded again, this time to a real double. David ended up in a quad up nice and high. Niall was staying out in a hotel at the airport as he was leaving uber early and wanted a nice sleep for the limited hours he had, but for the meantime he left his bag in David\u2019s room. I didn\u2019t meet my roommate, but he had left pants neatly pressed and hanging as well as a lot of other tidy stuff so I joked with David that he must be German. (Kidding, I\u2019ve met lots of nice normal German folks on this trip too)<\/p>\n

We headed out to try to find a drink or two before we met the remaining ladies of the tour at a pub for dinner. The guys had spent more time with Auckland nightlife than I had, though given one of my two nights was me recovering from jetlag that doesn\u2019t take much. We first went to a bar that had a rooftop garden patio that was really nice, but sadly reserved for a private function, so we left after a quick beer in the indoor portion. Walking uphill half a block we came across a few picnic tables in a narrow semi-alley filled with businesses. It was somewhat of an odd setup, the downhill curve of the alley meaning those tables must have had their legs precision cut to fit and stay where they were. In addition customers of both the pub we drank at and the little Korean noodle place next door seemed to use them. Eventually after eavesdropping I learned that the tables nominally belonged to the pub but that there was some sort of arrangement between the two businesses (I\u2019m guessing they share the cost but they\u2019re in the pub\u2019s name because they\u2019re licensed.) Makes sense for the pub, though they serve food there were also a fair number of people coming by for a noodle bowl, sitting at the tables then getting a beer when the waitress came by.<\/p>\n

Dinner was in a pub that most of the AT gang had visited their night in Auckland before I joined the tour. Unfortunately it was fairly busy due to a trivia night so we ended up in the basement, but it was still a fun night of reminiscing and good natured grumbling over certain incidents. Things ended early though, after so long on the road and an early start we were all kind of ragged. Niall especially needed to get to bed since he wanted to be at the airport for 4ish in the morning.<\/p>\n

\u00a0I went back to my room to find that my roomie had been back but was not currently there. I was actually pretty thankful as the two plug outlet for the room was situated right over his bed in the middle of the wall (whoever did the wiring for that place is a moron.) Sadly, just as my laptop and ds had been charging for about 4 minutes in walked my roommate wearing nothing but a towel. He turned out to be not German, but a 75ish year old Brit who immediately announced that he was getting up at 4am. I told him that was fine and he was good to turn out the light when he was ready (I was going to write on my laptop and play some peggle or something) but inwardly I was groaning, having wanted a solid uninterrupted night\u2019s sleep on the (at least moderately) comfortable beds at the place. Things got even better when about 30 minutes later after he\u2019d dozed off and was snoring he started muttering then almost shouting unintelligible nonsense. Super fun, though he was at least back to mere muttering by the time I tried to sleep an hour or so later.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll give the old guy credit though, he very quickly packed and left after his alarm went off and but for the ridiculously loud slamming doors of the Auckland YHA City I\u2019d have only really been awakened for a few minutes. All too soon after that it was time for me to get up and make my way to the airport. Thankfully the airport bus that I\u2019d bought a round trip for on my arrival had a pickup spot just as close as the dropoff had been. Sadly it was down the el-steepo street from the pictures and with my heavy bag and day bag my knee was seriously pissed off at me by the time I was at the bus stop. I said my goodbyes to Auckland as we headed south to the airport, but I know I\u2019ll be back.<\/p>\n

It was a little strange to have to do customs both exiting the country and upon arriving in Australia, but the staff in NZ were actual human about things (the woman serving me was very cute too which helps) and the post-customs security people were also friendly and very efficient. Though I had no idea there was an airport of the year award, it doesn\u2019t surprise me that Auckland has won it. The absolute kicker though was the apparently brand new safety video from Air New Zealand as seen below, keep an eye out for everyone\u2019s favourite kiwi Amazing Race host as well.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=3iaTEgoezNQ&playnext=1&list=PL211F31142DB54F44<\/a><\/p>\n