By the numbers
2 bus’
3.8kms
5,517 steps
I got up early as I was heading off to Whangarei via
Auckland and I wanted to get something to eat. I was expecting wet weather, but
it was actually really dry. I was happy that it was not a wet day as it would
not have been a fun day. I went for a walk thinking some shops would be open
around 8am on a Saturday only to find there were more shops shut than I
realised. I wasn’t interested in a pie for breakfast. The bakery that I had
visited the day before had been closed so I returned to my room determined to
get something from the bus station. I soon realised the bus station opened at
9am and I had 10 mins before it would open and the bus left at 930am. I looked
at Burger King who I hoped was open and I found it was when I walked there. A
small burger and chips were my breakfast before I headed back to wait for the
bus.
I knew where my bus was going to, but I did not know where
it originated from. Since the Hamilton bus shelter has internet access, I had a
look and the bus was coming from Rotorua. The bus actually arrived 5 mins ahead
of schedule and I was impressed by that. Someone actually turned up with a 4
litre container of milk. I have no idea where he got it from, but the driver
wanted it in the bag bay as he reasoned it could explode on the bus and he did
not want milk running down the aisle. I thought fair enough, although I do not
know where he got off the bus. Some of the towns we passed were Ngaruawahia and
Huntly, although I would like to visit Ngaruawahia some day, but unsure what it
would be like at night let along during the day. The bus had working internet
until we came to Papakura, where I found I had picked up the train station
internet. I do not know why it stopped working, but I was not too worried as I
was close to Auckland city.
We actually arrived on time in the city and I could see the
construction going near the bus terminal for the train station that will open
in a few years. Seem to be heaps going on at the moment. I had to catch another
bus to Whangarei, but that wouldn’t be leaving til 1pm and I wanted food before
I left anywhere. There seemed to be some strange people around and one guy who
seemed to be on something tried walking in front of the bus at the Skycity
terminal, but followed me into the loos once we had arrived. It sounded like he
was sick in the loo anyway. I needed coffee and food, which I gratefully received
and I camped out front of the bus listening to my music. Seemed quite a few
people were happy to do the same. I was laughing at some lady who tried to
enter the men’s loos behind an old fella. The wife to the old fella was
horrified and stopped the lady from entering, while I stood a couple of metres
away laughing into my coffee. The driver left us all waiting until he came back
not long before 1pm and we all loaded out bags onto the bus. No one could enter
until he checked our names off, which was pretty easy and chaotic at first with
a bottle neck at the door.
Once things got going it was a pretty smooth trip, although
I think we were on a new part of the highway as we went through a tunnel after
the Harbour bridge. I do not remember it, but i was interesting and a few tolls
along the way. No idea if you can avoid those at all. The bus didn’t take that
long to get into Whangarei, but we did have an uneventful stop for a break
along the way. I did see some sort of prang coming into Whangarei, but the
police were sorting that out. The stop soon arrived and I found that Claude was
waiting for me as I was staying with family. The first thing I really needed to
do was some washing as I had a full load with me and I was lucky to have the
last pair of clothes. At least I might smell a bit better than I have. I have
no real plans in Whangarei apart for visiting a local second hand bookstore. I
am here for three days before I head to Auckland for the second phase of my
research to see if there is other stuff to find. I do not think I have much
left to do since I am here. Usually I would have visited several other places
by now. The whole trip could have been different as I wanted to head round to
Franz Josef and Greymouth. Maybe another time for that sort of trip.
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