Day 22. Trans scenic to Auckland from Wellington
I am staying on the 5th floor of the hostel in a
dorm with one Canadian, who must have come in that day and three ladies from
another country who were European. I have no problems sleeping in a dorm with a
few other bodies. What I don’t like are snorers as they can get loud and
annoying especially if you are really tired.
I think I do enough by walking around all day and beng out amongst the
historic parts of town, where many other people might sit all day and watch
movies when it is wet. I have been nice enough to give some travel advice like
what places to visit in Rotorua if people ask or I just butt in on their conversations.
I know where I am going in New Zealand and have done my research on where I
want to go and visit. There are still many places I do want to go and that I do
not know about that are close. I pass
through on the bus and go, oh I should visit there. I have no problems
travelling on my own around the country as I do my own thing and do my random
stuff. I can change direction in a split second if I do see something
interesting out of the corner of my eye. I hope people do not hear me talking
to myself as I am walking around or else they would think I am a crazy tourist.
I did have to fix up my shoulder straps on my main bag as they seemed to have
gone skewiffed through, but I sorted it out and wasn’t so bad.
It was a nice day to catch a train to Auckland. Auckland is
only an overnighter, where I will be heading to the bay of Islands for another
busy couple of days. This was going to be one full day trip that I thought I
would end up inside reading a book for most of the day. Luckily It hasn’t
turned out to be like that so far. I was able to check in for the train without
a problem and my main bag I dumped with the guys sorting out bags and telling
them where I was going. The seats are comfortable on the train and there is a
viewing platform too. We did have a slight hitch with leaving as someone was
late and as the conductor said, forgot what time to catch the train so was
being escorted. We have radio that podcasts little bits about the area as we go
like about a steam engine museum at Paekakariki, where the engines would be
changed to the bigger ones. Another place to look at some other time.
People would be wondering how would be getting along using
the internet to post my email stuff and basically checkin with the rest of the
world. It does cost and some places you have to pay per megabyte. 20mbs would
be $2, 100 would be $5 and other places charge per hour or day depending on
what you are using. Only one place so far was actually free wifi. I have only been
using the internet early in the morning and at night around when I tend to
write my blogs. I tend to take lots of pgotos and they end up being around 200
or so at one time, luckily I have a computer to transfer them onto under
folders to do with that area. I am usually back at the hostel by dark, which
can be around 830pm or depending on what has been happening that day. I do try
to be back early enough to use the machines for washing and have a shower. I
tend to find a place to eat that is close or if it is connected to the hostel.
I end up eating anything I can get. I have eaten Thai food, Indian, Japanese,
some restaurants and cafes and fast food too.
The train trip is not that bad at all and takes you through
all sorts of country through the centre of the North Island. There are some
awesome engineering feats that occurred here through the railway line like the
via ducts that go over the rivers and chasams. It wasn’t done vie contracts,
but paid as you went and divided into different parts to be done by various
groups. You could get voted out if you were slow and even the fastest guy could
too as he was seen as showing off. We were taken past The desert highway and
Mount Rhuapahu, which never did anything as we went past. I think the rest day is needed asI can relax,
read a book and take heaps of photos as we go along through the different
country. Not sleeping though and have missed some tidbits from the audio. The
audio guide seem to be more around the history of many of the locations and you
can miss some when you end up walking out the back of the train to the viewing
platform. The tunnels are fun to go through and there is no internet for us to
use while we are all on the train. Doesnt bother me as I have other things to
do. I think I should get the book about the trains in NZ as it is interesting.
If given the chance it is recommended to get the train as it is a nice day of
going anywhere and something you can do when not having to rush around for
once. One of the places we passed through was the Maori kings house and also
the cemetery where Billy T James was buried along with several Maori chiefs. I
want to visit this hill, if I am allowed to.
. There seems to be a joke about Auckland and the Bombay
mountains just outside of the city. Once we arrived in Auckland it was just
after 7pm and I still had to walk from Britomart all the way up the hill just
off Queen street at the YHA, which is actually only 20 metres from a local
strip club. I am thinking I like the other YHA that I am staying at next time I
come back. I stayed at the other one last time I was in the city. I did work up
quite a sweat and then had a shower, which made me feel better. I ended up
having a qick meal at Burger King and witnessed a fight and then some arguing
that included the BK guy belting the customer and then throwing him out with
several other staff members acting like a wall. I would never argue with security
as some are big boys and scary too. Tomorrow my next part of the trip is to go
to Paihia with a side trip to Kerikeri.
Tip
Always watch your feet when distracted by taking photos or
else you wont see the step. You will either get hurt by a sudden step or the
shock of your life to the amusement of others
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