So just a rambling about my Nz holiday roadtrip of the North Island, its kind of old news to me now I'm back and exhausted lol.
So what a great country! Beautiful tidy places, awesome scenery, things to see and do everywhere I went was something new and exciting, great roads, great food, great people.. I went alone, which some people thought was crazy, but you feel so safe everywhere as I expected. After aboyt 5pm the streets are deserted and that quickly became an awesome exploring time for me in later locations on my trip.
The hol-
Auckland was my first stop for 2 nights. First international flight for me ever, was great. It was very comfortable, I watched the newest step up movie (revolution) which I loved! Air NZ had a Lord of the Rings theme in flight safety video, I felt it was just NZ tapping into the success of Lord of the Rings, than me (not knowing) then realised its big right now as a Hobbit movie is being released shortly (I don't watch the news much) lol. In Auckland I explored the streets big time, the parks, the shopping and went into the museum which was one of the best I had ever been into! Being along you really get a good sense of things. I felt all kinds of emotions just wandering around exploring and got to feel them all on my own without any influence. Dont get me wrong though, I love travelling with someone else and that became apparent when I was up the Sky Tower on the last night and there were a few couples waching the sunset together, wish I had my boy with me for that magical moment.
The next stop was Rotorua. I took a 4 hr bus (for a heaps cheap price $24) from Auckland. This was probably the worst part of the travel, but took a huge drive, an extra hotel stop and extra 2 days car hire (at least $350) off my holiday bill! The bus was full of people and really boring, I did have podcasts which made the trip a bit better. We stop in a town half way to go to a teahouse to eat but they baely had any takeaway food which was a bit of a downer. By the time I went to the bathroom the bus was ready to leave. When I got to Rotorua, the walk to the hotel was easy. After a rest, I went off exploring the water front, it was a nice walk. I also went to the museums gardens and felt some of the thermal pools there may have been a bit huma enhanced (not sure) but I did see pipes leading in and out of some (maybe just for government building heating? who knows). I really did expect much more volcanic activity in the town, but it wasn't in abundance. That night I ate at Nandos (as you do lol) and the next day I picked up the hire car. Side news: I learnt that a volcano down south of me 250km had erupted a bit, but I wasnt to be travelling near it.
Off to Napier! But first via the thermal wonderland of 'Wai o Taupo'. This was a great place til i got hungry and over it. I saw heaps of interesting thermal wonders.. craters, geysers, pools of sulphur etc it was a great experience. After leaving there I was soo tired and had a 200km drive ahead of me. Lucky the road was great and the drive straight forward. The scenery kept me awake so much to look at! Napier was heaps cool. I love the art deco buildings that fill the streets. The whole earthquake and fire that burnt the original town down in 1931 gave the place a bit of emotional feel for me. Walking through the monument was sad to think of what happened, a beautiful town has arose out of it though, love the architecture! The guy owner at my motel was heaps good for a chat, best chat all holiday! I felt right at home in Napier.
Next was Palmerston North, I didn't like this place very much. I loved the wind farm on the way in and spent some time there which was nice. I also went shopping a little bit to check out their NZ Kmart (lol.. was the same as ours, but more sterile basic feel to it). The motel I liked, but the layout was no good. It was clean, but little things annoyed me.. I found half used soaps, half used milk and the bed wasn't made NOT cool! I also didn't like the town very mugh. It's a university town, very normal anywhere town ammenities, not big attractions and traffic lights slow double laned streets 50km/h and irritating claustrophobic feel for me as a result.
Wellington! The next day I left early and drove to the capital of NZ! I loved this city from the moment I drove in. Rolling hills, old english mansions perched high up into the hills, cosmopolital buildings and atmosphere and old goverment buildings. I drove straight up to Mt Victoria as i had an hour to return the car and enjoyed the view, its awesome! After returning the car I found the hotel and strangely got a sense of Deja- Vu when a building exactly halfway between the car place and my hotel was a building I had been outside of in a dream! This isnt the first time this has happened to me on holidays. Sometimes this finding stuff from dreams makes me feel like my visiting a place is meant to be. I check out the buildings inside and out whilst there looking for clues as to why it had got me in so much, nothing. I appreciate the outside though which was the only part I visit in the dream.
Anyway, I walk around the goverment buildings, along the harbour, went to the museum which had an awesome decades display (saw thigns I totally forgot existed in the 80s/ 90s!), went to a lord of the rings artisian market (the movie showed the day folling my departure home) and squeezed as much as I could into the last hours as I went shopping, bought food and went up the cable car to check that all out (I must say it was only a short ride, but the view at the top was great). I was going to check out the botanical gardens at the top but gave up, at that point I decided a rest was in order. I'd seen so much, taken so many pics and was becoming sick and tired of it all. Flight home was good.. I flew a short flight to Auckland than an international home. Was relaxing and watch some more tv shows. Being back home was weird to start as I was just overseas that morning. A few days of rest (well kind of) and I was myself again! Can't wait to do the South Island now!
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