I have said good bye to Australia and the comforts of the
homes of the friends and family I stayed with there. The reality of backpacking in New Zealand is
very different to travelling in South East Asia. For one thing there are many more
groups of Gap Year kids who are here to work and party and less solo travellers.
Secondly New Zealand is predictably and significantly more expensive than Asia,
this means that I have had to book my beds and busses a few weeks in, I no
longer have the freedom to make it up as I go along as I did in Asia, and I no longer
have the luxury of being able to move on immediately if I don’t like a town or
a hostel. I am now as far away from home
as I am going to be and nearing the end of my trip, so despite the fact that I
am desperately missing Asia I know I have to make the most of my month in New
Zealand and not dwell on the things I cannot change.
I have ten days to spend on the North Island before I meet up
with my friend Owen in Christchurch for our two week tour of the South Island
in a little camper van. My route is
already planned, after a quick poll of my friends facebook conducted from
Australia. Ten days is not nearly enough and so I have eliminated Taupo, Napier,
The Tongariro Crossing and the Coromandel.
Instead I am going to make my way from Auckland to Wellington via the Northland
and Rotorua.
My fight from Sydney lands at close to midnight, I had briefly
considered staying at the airport to save on accommodation costs. The average
hostel bed in New Zealand seems to be about £20, which doesn’t sound much,
but when you compare it to the £5-10 I was paying in Asia for a single
room it seems extortionate. Even after a month in Australia I am not used to
these western prices. I saw sense and booked a bed in the city centre and am
surprised at how quickly and easily I am through customs and airport security and
sat on the airport express bus to the city. I have been sent the security code
to get into the hostel and there is a little envelope for me at reception with
my room key and all important wifi code.
I let myself into the dorm room where there are already 7 girls sleeping
soundly; I’m now a pro at sleeping in dorm rooms I have my torch to hand so as
not to disturb the whole room, and identify the empty bed... of course it’s a
top bunk – just my luck!
The next day is free to explore the city, I also identify
the bus stop where I will catch the ‘Naked Bus’ up to Paihia. I am not practically
taken with Auckland but then as I have discovered on this trip I don’t practically
like cities and one day isn’t really enough time to properly explore.
