Hi all,
Well we've arrived in New Zealand and so far we like what we see.....
Our last few days in Brisbane were mainly spent drinking because we met some Scottish people at the hostel and so we went out for a few with them... Well a lot actually! The hostel we stayed at was really lovely - probably the best so far on our trip.. It felt a lot like being at home so we really relaxed and chilled out for those last few days..
We flew from Brisbane to Auckland on Wednesday and arrived without any problems around 1800. The hostel we've checked into is nice but there is an offer for a double room with a balcony in a brand new hotel for the same price as a dodgy double here so we're off there tomorrow for four nights. Mmm en suite!
Yesterday, Carl's birthday, was quite a long and drunken affair..! Well what did you expect! We had a lovely brunch of eggs benedict mid morning and then wandered around the shops a bit. Not that impressed so far with the shops, there seem to be even less than Oz! Argh what's a girl to do!
After brunch we visited a few bars before returning to the hostel to change and go out for dinner. I'd booked a table at the O'Connell St Bistro and we had a very very yummy three course meal, with 2 bottles of wine for 120 pounds! NZ Lamb and Snapper, Green Lipped Mussels and Kangaroo Loin oh and the obligatory cheese board for his highness! Another few drinks later and it was midnight so we passed out and have a very bad hangover today!
Tomorrow we'll start to explore the city proper. We're off to the Auckland Museum and the Parnell area of the city and then plan to walk a coast-to-coast walkway from the city centre to the top of Mt Eden where there are 360 degree panoramas. We'll also pop across to Rangitoto Island and walk around a volcano edge!
We've splashed out and booked a big campervan for 5 weeks because although we loved the Wicked, when it rained it was so small and pretty miserable and we figured it's a lot wetter here than Oz so we collect the van on Weds. We'll head North to the Bay of Islands and then south to Wellington during the first two weeks and then over to the South Island for the remaining three weeks.
We've checked out a few job websites and are quite confident we'll find work when we return the van in Christchurch. There seem to be lots of live-in hostel jobs for couples where you are Day Managers and then you get accommodation, laundry and internet for free plus a small salary which would suit us perfectly... Alternatively we'll also look for bar work...
So for now, tara....
Love B and C xxx
