Welcome!

Thank you for checking out my travel blog!

I'm new to this blogging thing so it's a work in progress, as is life. But I've learned a lot in my 26 years and continue to learn and grow everyday.

Life is a journey full of many different paths and choices. I've never really known what I wanted to do with my time here, at least occupation wise. I've been through countless ideas, aspirations, and dreams.

I have however always known ever since I was little that I wanted to get out and see the world. Eager to experience different cultures and see the places you only read about. The places you see but can't fully appreciate until you're there. The ones that appear so visibly intoxicating when you ARE there, it's almost as if they're not real at all.

So I am presenting my knack for storytelling and reasonably acceptable grammar to bestow some stories to you.

I've been out of the U.S. for a little over a year now and it seems that I'm always a little behind on my viral writing. But I have been keeping journals of my travels for myself and will continue to share my information and experiences with anyone who wishes to be a part.

I try to keep things in perspective and someone once told me not to worry about documenting the travel itself too much because you might miss the experience. So I'm trying to find that balance.

Am I proud of everything that I've done in my life? No, I don't believe anyone truly is. However, I created this blog as an archive of stories and adventures that I am proud of.

Hopefully, other than a collection of my travels, some of these passages can become helpful, maybe even insightful or if anything...at least a little entertaining.

Feel free to comment, add any questions, or just tell me some of your thoughts.

Cheers

Monday, March 19, 2012

Road Trip New Zealand: Leg One; Auckland

On our trip through New Zealand we stopped off at several cities for several different reasons.  We were doing one of Matt’s friend a favor by driving his truck all the way down to him in Wanaka on the south island.  He was a snowboard instructor there during the winter and usually came back up to Auckland during the summer but had chosen to stay down south (rightfully so, Wanaka was one of my favorite places) It’s still uncertain whether we actually did him the favor or he did us a favor by letting us perform this task.  Either way, we were stoked and it worked out for both parties.
           
             Matt had purchased a fan pack to see a few of the games during the World Cup, so we mapped our trip out around those tickets and some destinations were chosen for us because he knew people in those cities…i.e….free place to crash and save money.
 
Maria
            Our first stop was staying in Maria’s (our surrogate Tongan mother) daughters’ house in Auckland.  We arrived early, began drinking and catching up.  It had been a few months since we last saw each other and I was excited to see my old friend. 

            We stayed for a few hours alone with the sun and our bourbon; once one of the roommates came home, we decided it was best to leave for the city.  She was not on our level and I don’t think she ever will be.  Her name was Buzz Killington.

            It was the night of the opening ceremony of the Rugby World Cup.  Needless to say, Auckland was an absolute madhouse!  People from all nationalities were everywhere! Dancing, drinking, waving flags; we had a game of spot the Americans (we counted 4).  It was an amazing site, Auckland seemed a little unprepared. 

            We made our way down to the harbor where there was a parade being held.  We got to see a little bit but spent most of our time wading through the sea of travelers and Kiwi’s.  Going nowhere in particular, trying to find some free space where we weren’t standing shoulder to shoulder constantly.

            Matt and I started off for the stadium….but there were 2 problems…1: there was no chance of catching a bus or train because there was too many people and we’d never get there in time and 2: we really had to pee!

            We start roaming around the streets looking for anything resembling a bathroom…nothing, as I mentioned, Auckland was NOT prepared for this many people.  When all of a sudden as if our brains were on the same wavelength, Matt and I realize we’re standing in a city, with thousands of buildings, which all have plumbing.  We now know our mission…find a way into one of the locked buildings.

            Easier said than done, except we’re quite savvy when it comes to these “squirrel activities” and spot someone walking into a building so we rush over and grab the door as it’s closing.  Hop on the elevator and pick a floor.
           
            No bathrooms, we start our way to the stairs because we figure this way will be more ambiguous.  While walking around we take a wrong turn, security.  Great.  Time to make moves!  We rush back up the stairs, I think it’s written in the description of a security guard to be overweight/out of shape.  I want to do a study of this.  We escape a little too easily.
           
            We pop in one of the rooms a few floors up…and lucky for us, there’s a conference being held.  Oops!

            We politely ask for directions to the bathroom.  They surprisingly give them to us without hesitation.  We finally have solved one of our 2 problems. 

            We come out of the bathroom where one of the ladies from the conference is standing, she asks us who we are and why we are in their advertising firm.  “We’re looking for Marie, she told us to come and meet her here”, we say.  Her reply “Oh, well Marie has left for the day so you’ll have to leave and give her a call”.

            Whew…good thing there was a “Marie” working there.  Poor Marie, I’m sure she had some questions to answer on Monday…

            We leave the building and head off to the stadium, as we’re walking, we catch up to this couple with too many beers (no such thing) and they’re worried they won’t finish them all by the time we make it to the stadium, so the good samaritans we are, we feel obligated to “help”. 
           
            After a few miles of walking uphill, we make it to the stadium.  I actually get a ticket into the opening ceremony game for a very modest $120.  Considering people were paying hundreds and in some cases thousands of dollars to see this game I was excited.  Even though I didn’t know a single thing about rugby or really cared what was happening, I was there to drink and be merry.

            Matt and I found out shortly after that our seats were on opposite sides of the stadium.  We make a pledge to meet up inside, but little did we know that part of the stadium was newly erected and not a part of the other.  No way to meet, so I’m on my own.

            I walk up, find my seat and couldn’t have been around a better group of strangers.  A father and son duo from Christchurch on one side of me. A hilarious Kiwi who took his “All Blacks” (the name of their national team) very seriously, on the other.

            He also had several quips of slander (not racist or anything, but good fun) about both the teams, which delighted us all.  The father decides to take me under his wing and teach me about what’s going on in the game so I’m not completely lost.


My view of the Opening Ceremony

             Thank God for that because I was completely lost.  I was sitting above the north end zone (I think that’s what it’s called) with no idea what the rules were but I had a great view of the field, my trusty Beam water bottle, and by the end some new acquaintances to keep me up on current events, so I was fine.

            Great game, amazing atmosphere, couldn’t ask for a better night.  Until it was time to make it back to where we were staying, that’s where it took a slight turn. 

            For the past few entries I have been making comments as to Kiwi’s not having any sense for direction.  This played a great deal in our night because we were literally a few suburbs over from the stadium and we ended up all the way back on the other side of Auckland.

            Why?  Because we asked several Kiwi’s where we were, told them where we needed to be, and hopped on at least 1 wrong train.
           
            Some were ordinary people but some of them had those specially appointed “hats and vests”…as in…”I’m getting paid to know these things, I SHOULD KNOW THESE THINGS!”

            It’s like walking to an information booth with no information! How did you get employed here!? Don’t they give you a pamphlet or at least ask you if you’ve ever been in the city!?

            I am not a happy camper.

            About an hour goes by of us asking people and going to the wrong bus stops.  Walking all around Auckland, the All Blacks won so it’s absolutely mobbed with people.  We can’t catch a taxi.  We can’t catch a break.

            I walk into a 7-11.  “I’m done with this, I’ll call a cab company”, I say to myself.  I ask the man for a phone book.  To which he replies, “What’s a phone book?”.

THAT’S IT!

            I go off.  I, in no way kindly explain to him what a phone book is, why dryers are prevalent in 2011, why tomato sauce is NOT ketchup, whatever.  I knew New Zealand was a little behind on the times but this is starting to get ridiculous! No phone books!?

            Matt drags me out of the store because apparently I’m causing a scene.  So the best thought in his mind was to bring me out to a crowded street. 
           
            I’m still fuming, some local Kiwi boys hear me talking about how Kiwi’s have no sense of direction.  They get upset and come over to see “what I’m on about”.  I tell them they’re Kiwi nation is awesome but they suck at life when it comes to directions.  They disagree and don’t seem to like my American accent (go figure).

            Then, without a moment’s notice one of them who was waiting in line at the bus stop asks the bus driver a question….come to find out, they’re in the wrong place!

            Lost! HA!  Silly Kiwis! 

            Needless to say that’s the end of that conversation, they walk off and I’m beaming with delight.  I use this energy and motivation to hail a cab…ahem…steal a cab actually. 

            What do you want me to do?  The cab driver wanted cash, the guy didn’t have it, they argue a little so I hop in the back and show him money.  Matt gets in, let’s roll!  End of argument.

            $20 later, we’re back.  Cab ride took less than 10 minutes. 

            We were within walking distance the whole time. The game ended around 11, we got back around 4am.  We’re idiots, leg one complete.


Where we stayed


Before we left
Heeeerrrrreeee's Matty!


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