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| Erin got to experiment with the sepia tone on her digital camera, taking this contemplative shot of Glenn at Tongariro National Park |
| Erin's Journal 01-23-03 New Zealand Today we woke up pretty early, due to the wind rattling the wooden blinds. The three guys in the room completely ignored it, but I of course hadn't slept well in my squeaky top bunk and had to get down and find a way to keep the shutters from banging. The rain was pouring down outside, and I was glad we were leaving today so Glenn would not be upset about another wasted day here. I managed to doze again before the guys started getting up, and was finally stirred to shower up when Glenn returned from his. After my sojourn to the tiny shower, I was again glad we'd only been in this hostel for one night. How could this place get a high recommendation in the guide book?! We packed our bags for the airplane journey, then stored them out in the main hallway for the day. Our airport shuttle wouldn't arrive till 1pm, and the rental car people were due at 10am to pick up the car from us. We would have the time between to explore Ponsonby on foot, or read, or type journals, as we wished. Well, we waited for the car people for almost a half hour, watching the rain, then called to find out they were nowhere nearby! They assumed we'd have nothing better to do, and when we explained we hadn't even eaten yet, they said to go find breakfast and they'd be by sometime later. Glenn angrily reminded them that we had a shuttle at 1pm and to get the car before then if they wanted the keys back. We walked up the block to the main street and found a little cafe for breakfast, then stopped at a bookstore having a sale on the way back. I got 3 more books on sale, which added to the weight of my daypack, but look forward to these new reading materials! I love books - I don't think Glenn gets it, why I'm always keen to look in the bookstores even when I know I shouldn't buy any more! Anyway, we went back to the hostel then and he caught up on his journals while I read a gossipy magazine. The car people got their car, and the shuttle showed up almost on time, so the morning had flown by. It took almost an hour to get to the airport (the drive took all back streets, which I'm not convinced was the fastest way). For the last time, I will repeat: New Zealand has the worst drivers!!! In Kenya they were aggressive in the extreme and scary, but not STUPID like this! Not to say the Kiwis are stupid, because they absolutely are not. Some of the people we met were the nicest, most friendly and easy-going people, and seemed quite intelligent. But the anonymous ones in the cars - suicidal! We got through check-in and customs with no problems, then waited almost 2 hours to board our flight. The flight itself was pretty full, but uneventful. There were some bumps, but my increasing malaise with flying didn't disturb me too much. We watched the in-flight movie, The Banger Sisters, and enjoyed it, then finished our Grisham books. Then right as I was pulling out the pda to do journals, they announced they were landing and to turn off electronics! So we rode home with Elaine, who was kind enough to pick us up at the airport, and shared our stories with her and John over dinner, and I immediately got into doing my journals after the meal split up. I finally finished off those journals I'd failed to complete in Tasmania, and got current! |