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April 3, 2006
Avoiding big cities like the plague...
I tried waiting out the weather in Taupo but the rain just kept up so my dreams of cheapazz skydiving went down the drain. Next stop Wellington.
Normally I would have dedicated more time to a nice capital city like Wellington but I've finally learned my lesson after both Sydney and Auckland....big cities are backpackers black holes ebbing party-filled money sucking gravity. They will never show you what a country is truly made of.
Besides that, when I got into Wellington it was cold and windy...and I mean windy. The winds were easily on par with those found at the top of the Tongariro Crossing...I shit you not.
I stayed at the Downtown backpackers... mostly cause it was right across the street from where my bus arrived.
In the morning I caught the airport bus for my flight to Christchurch. Now, a lot of people will tell you that a few minutes here and there don't matter and that you should enjoy yourself and relax while travelling. They're somewhat right except that every minute can count. For instance, I couldn't find where the bus was going to stop. I finally took the time to ask some guy at a magazine stand who pointed me in the right direction. I saw an orange bus off in the distance so I jogged for a minute to catch up with it. I had to bang on the window so it wouldn't take off without me but I caught it...luckily. It was lucky cause it got me to the airport right in time to catch my flight. So that minute of jogging was worth it. Of course, the real moral, which I reveal in embarassment and for your learning purposes, was that when I glanced at the bus schedule in the hostel, I should have noticed both the gap in bus service for the half hour around which I needed it as well as the actual time that the bus arrived at the airport. Catching a bus on time is important...but catching a flight is paramount!
When I got into Christchurch I found the cheapest rental car possible - a little Suzuki Swift and headed out of the city. Money sucking black holes they are!
Posted by Dr.Unk at April 3, 2006 5:28 PM
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