Day Tripper

New Zealand... again.

February 2nd 2007

6am. My alarm wakes me up at the now customary time, and after a shower, I throw the last few things I need into my snowboard bag. After a beans on toast, I set off for the bus-stop for a jam packed excursion.

Sydney is about 22degrees this morning, grey and gloomy, so I’m not too worried about leaving this time.

8.30am. Check-in at Sydney airport. I see my bags get carted off to the oversized baggage man and I make my way through to the gate, and start to anticipate what is almost a novelty since I haven’t done it in just over 3months. My passport gets stamped as “Departed Sydney 02 Feb 2007”, a few pages previous, a page has a stamp saying “Arrived Perth 02 Feb 2006” and a few pages prior to that one, a big sticky label informing the details of my work visa “Valid from 12 months from first day of arrival”. Time to leave.

10.10am. Back in the luxury of an Emirates flight, I’m watching Pirates of the Caribbean 2 as the planes tail tilts back as we lift off the Australian tarmac. Pretty soon, I’m being fed whilst cruising of the Tasman sea toward Auckland.

4pm. I pick up a shiny newish Silver Ford Focus from Hertz, and I’m in full voice as I drive through the rush hour traffic toward the Central Business District in the “City of Sails”.

5.50pm. Re-united with Nick and Lucy, who hang back from their trip North to catch up and have a bite to eat at a pub near their place. Great catching up, and over way too soon, the two of them were soon on their way and headed off to check in to my hostel.

8pm. I’m a backpacker again; despite having no backpack, and checking in with merely a towel and toothbrush.

8.35pm. Lift of Destiny. Unsure of what to do with myself this evening, I hit both up & down buttons on the elevator. If a descending lift showed first, then I’d walk the city and maybe find a bar to chill with a beer. If ascending, I’d check out the ACB roof bar where a “wild party” had been advertised.

8.36pm. Ding. Upwards. I met a Norwegian girl in the lift who was meeting up with a large group of Scandinavian friends and my night was set. Free punch meant everyone was having a great time despite some pretty dodge music. The English in the house were ecstatic after finally beating the Aussies in a one-day cricket match. The music was really terrible. I’m taught some great phrases in Spanish by a guy from Chile.

February 3rd 2007

1.35am (approximately). Head hits pillow.

8.30am. Dude in room turns light on thus waking everyone up. Kinda handy as an early start was needed regardless. I shower and check out and head for my wheels a little excited at the thought of what I’m about to do.

9.45am. I drive over my 3rd famous bridge in a year, as I head North of Auckland.

9.57am. I can only remember one of the Spanish phrases from the previous night.

10.10am. My throat is saw from ‘yelling’ too much to my music as I pull up in the car park at SnowPlanet. I check in and get geared up.

10.30am. I cut my first lines of snow since the Dubai dome, which had raised the bar in terms of indoor domes I’ve visited. Auckland SnowPlanet it pretty good however, it’s slightly longer than what I’m used to in England, and the snow quality if pretty good. The best thing however was the terrain park. I nice big kicker with a good quality landing zone meant I was busy all day. Later on I hit the straight rails and also had an attempt at a kinked one, a little cautious to avoid injury in a foreign country.

11.55am. An early lunch, I recommend the Bacon and Egg Quiche.

2.05pm. The sound system plays The Verves Bittersweet Symphony. I love this place.

2.34pm. Oops, I realise the time and leave sharpish. The car is loaded up and I have to head back to Auckland airport already. Regardless I’m well happy after getting the better part of 4 hours back on snow. I set off toward the airport.

3.14pm. I’m lost.

3.25pm. Back on track.

3.50pm. I arrive at the airport, drop the car off and repack my snowboard bag.

4.10pm. Queued up for the pleasure of paying $25 departure tax.

4.20pm. Standing in line to check-in. Flight due to take-off in 40minutes with about 20minutes of people in front of me waiting…

4.24pm. An angel calls out and asks if anyone heading to Sydney is still checking in. I get fast-tracked to the front.

4.26pm. Unable to check in, I overlooked pre-paying my tourist visa for Australia.

4.28pm. In another queue across the check-in hall, awaiting a woman to complete the necessary administration associated with the required visa.

4.47pm. Back at the Emirates desk and I'm finally given a boarding pass and an escort through customs and x-ray control.

4.58pm. Sat down at last as the plane taxi’s from the terminal.

6pm. After nearly 2movies, a great monkfish meal and 2 white wines, we touch down in Sydney and I’m home…