Our New Zealand Airlines plane, a Boeing 767, eventually took off at 20:40 local time and arrived in Auckland at 11:23 local time, 22:23, GMT. The flight time was therefore 9 hours 43 minutes. It was a bit of a bore although I did manage to get a few hours light, neckaching sleep. I was more selective of which bits of the airline food I would eat during this flight but I still felt a bit queasy. It's probably, and hopefully, related to the lack of sleep but the airline food has been pretty awful.
After passing swiftly through passport control and customsm, where we actually had to declare things for the first time, due to our adventures in Africa and the Maldives. The officials were interested in our wooden bao game and my seashell which the skipper of the Blue Marine had gifted to me following one of our safari boat dives.
We went straight to the tourist information desk and began searching for budget accommodation and information on car hire in New Zealand. We grabbed some leaflets and sat and considered our options before I leaped into action and began using the handy information desks direct speed dial telephones which were programmed straight to the youth hostels, free of charge. On my third attempt I successfully booked a twin room for the night at the YHA hostel in the centre of the city. On reflection the cost was a bit more than the guide was quoting but to us British citizens, NZD 56 which equates to USD 28, is pretty good for accommodation and we do feel secure in the hostel. The facilities are good, clean and plentiful.
We took the big blue airbus from the airport to the hostel and caught some shuteye for a few hours. Later on we booked another twin room for a second night, having heard that the city is very busy at the moment, and went out for a walk having washed and dried all of our laundry. We can see the Sky Tower from the youth hostels sundeck and it looks very silver when it is lit up at night time. We made it as far as a planned bar off from Queen Street and had a home brewed beer or two while it turned cold and wet outside. Then we wandered back up the road in search for some dinner but by this time everywhere except Burger King had closed so we had to settle for fast food. It tastes the same as it does back home.
We slept very well during the night.
Copyright 2002 Helen Fuller. All rights reserved.