Day 50 Suitcase Fiasco

After getting a lovely seat on the coach (prime location with a window view and a spare seat! – it’s the little things) we set off to Hamilton, late of course. The ride was long, around 9hrs I think, but I think this road trip has cured me of most of my car sickness as I was fine, I even managed to read!

The plan was jump off the coach at Hamilton, get a taxi to Caitlin’s house, Caitlin would let me in, I’d get the key to the car, get my suitcase out, get a taxi back to the bus station and then catch the last bus to Auckland… None of that worked out.

Caitlin text me yesterday evening saying work had called her in so I’d have to jump off the coach, run to her work, get the key from her, get a taxi to the house, get the car key, get my suitcase from the car, get a taxi back to the bus station, and catch the last bus to Auckland. That was Problem number 1, not a big one.

Problem 2. Caitlin became ill and so wasn’t coming back to Hamilton, she was at home having called in ill to work… A bit of a problem but still solvable… Just a pain as the other three people she lives with were all at home so the house in Hamilton was empty… But a quick phone call to the landlord sorted it out, she’d meet me at the house and let me in to grab the car key.

Problem 3. My bus was running behind schedule, of course. Which meant the 45 minutes I had to get my suitcase and get back to catch my bus was cut to under half an hour… which wasn’t too promising considering it’s a 10minute drive from the bus stop to the house…

Problem 4. The land lord took forever to get to the house, I rang her before I even got to Hamilton to tell her there I’d be there in 10 minutes… But still that’s wasn’t too much of a problem, I mean it was just going to be a tight call.

The real problem came with Problem 5. Tash, Caitlin’s housemate who George had given the car key to, had ‘mis-placed’ the car key. It was meant to be on top of a dresser, only it wasn’t. Nor was it on the floor around the dresser, or on the floor anywhere, nor the kitchen table, lounge table, lounge bookshelf etc. Me and the Landlord, Dianne, ended up searching the entire house looking for this key – I needed to get into the boot of the car to get my suitcase so I could catch my flight home!

By this point I was pretty desperate, I told Navin there was no point waiting for me as this could take ages (my taxi driver who was lovely and who gave me his card promising a discount if I needed to catch a taxi to Auckland). Then I called Matt (who lives across the street from Caitlin and was the owner of the car before Tom).

Then we attempted to ‘break into’ the car… Dianne’s husband got out their pick up truck and tried to help matt but it soon became obvious, neither of them were professional car thieves and neither of them had broken into a car before! It was an interesting sight I have to say watching four people gathering around a car on the street attempting to break into it with wire hangers…

In the end I found the car key (at the bottom of one of Tash’s handbags) and managed to get my suitcase out. And then Matt offered to drive me up to Auckland which was really nice of him!

So I made it to Auckland, a few hours later than planned, but with my suitcase! I’m spending the night in Auckland before catching my flight back to the UK! 

Day 49 Ferry Crossing. Take 2

Everyone in my dorm was checking out this morning so all our alarms went off at the same time – and in case you were wondering it’s a very weird and startling experience being woken up by 6 alarms all chiming and singing different songs at half 8 in the morning! Not one I’m in any rush to repeat. Although the girl across from me falling out of her bed in alarm was pretty funny…

Packing up your life is an art and I think I’m rather capable at now, as by 9 I was up, dressed and packed ready to go! I opted to forgo breakfast as my recollection of the last time I took the Cook Strait ferry had sadly not faded from my memory. The Ferry was, of course, running half an hour late, so me and Natalie went to sit in the sun and make the most of our last couple of minutes on the South Island.

The Ferry was a pleasant surprise. It was incredibly smooth, and I got through the three hours on board without feeling the slightest hint of motion sickness! Me Natalie and a lovely French girl whose names I cant remember for the life me, all walked into Wellington together as we all stayed at the same hostel in Picton and me and the french girl (who I've just had sushi with but still can't remember her name) are staying at the same hostel in wellington and both catching buses to auckland tomorrow!

The perfect spot outside the art gallery to eat sushi, read and soak up some rays!

After claiming my bed – an important ritual necessary for survival in hostels, I went into the centre of Wellington to book my bus up to Auckland and generally finalise the details of how I was going to get my suitcase back (a lot of taxis and running is going to be necessary) and and going to get the airport. After which I bought myself a book, I read the  second one in Hanmer where they had a little library, and so I found myself desperate to read the first one. While having a chat to the bookshop owener I came to the startling realization that once again I’d found myself sucked into a series of books that was likely going to take years to finish as the author, Patrick rothfuss, is apparently as bad a geroge martin for taking his time writing his books – as if I don’t spend enough of my time waiting for the so longed for next installment and trying to keep track of books im waiting to come out…

So after getting some sushi (finally) I settled myself in the sunshine outside the arts museum to read my book J

Wellington Harbour is just beautiful at night!

Day 6. The Ferry Crossing

Tonight is probably one of the last nights I’ll be able to get wifi as tomorrow we’re planning to head into Able Tasman and we’re probably going to be camping a lot and generally be in the middle of nowhere.

The day had a slightly rocky start with the ferry being delayed meaning we had to buy another coupon for the car, on the plus side it meant we had more time to enjoy and explore wellington, we went to this lovely Italian-inspired café and had some hot chocolates as it was drizzly and grey in Wellington today.

 The hot chocolate was basically liquid chocolate. 

After pottering in some music shops (I got to play the flute again which was really good since I can’t even remember the last time I played, probably last Christmas and it was surprisingly how much came back to me and yet how slow my fingers felt! Definitely out of practice).

We decided to go to the Ferry early and it’s a very good thing we did! We went to turn Bernard on and he started juddering and stopped twice just pulling out of the parking space! I got George to pop the bonnet and (because I found a Mitsubishi Diamante car manual in a used bookshop a few days ago and read it while waiting for Axel) I knew how to check the oil and a few other bits and pieces (like the windscreen wipers which we couldn’t figure out, and how to open the boot... you know unimportant things like that).  Anyway when I checked the oil I realized we had barely any in, and I mean the stick was pretty much completely clean! Luckily we had Axel who I went with to the nearest petrol station and bought some oil. Once we put the oil in Bernard started up good as new, and I’m hoping that that’s maybe why Bernard went through fuel so quickly? Wishful thinking I know.

(And once again I’m going to have to tell Mum she’s right, before we set off she told me to check the tire pressure, oil, and water, and to make sure we had a blanket in the car. And so you know, I’ve checked the other two things and I think they’re all good – always listen to Mum is the moral of this story)

Our incredibly healthy lunch right there...

 Not a bad view from the car while we waited 

The queue we were in  and houses which have an amazing view 

Anyway we got the ferry, eventually, and had to wait nearly an hour, the view was pretty beautiful though so it wasn’t too bad. Once we finally got on board the ferry wasn’t too bad either, only a little seasickness. The best bit is we SAW DOLPHINS on the way to the South Island!

 Our first glimpse of the South Island 

 A small salmon farm that we passed

and it was just before this photo that we saw the dolphins!

We’ve checked into Sequoia Lodge now, and it’s adorable! It’s just like a home and the woman that runs it is lovely. We got free chocolate pudding and ice cream as she does that every night, there’s also free wifi, a hot tub, free parking, a BBQ and lots of other bits and pieces that she’s done to make you feel at home. We’re all kind of sad we’re only staying one night – so sad infact we’re tempted to stay another night!

P.S Quote of the day, George to Axel, 'you're so boring you don't want a hot water bottle'

Day 5. Te Papa

Today was all about the Museum, stretching over 6 floors it’s huge but apart from the size it’s got a lot of interactive exhibits so we spent hours there and even spending all that time I don’t think we even covered it all. There was a lot on the formation of New Zealand, geologically, as well as information on it’s climate, environment and all it’s endangered animals. I definitely enjoyed the sociological exhibits the lost and I loved learning more about Maori culture and history.

 There were lots of Maori Quotes around which I loved.

What is given by the land should return to the land

The Weather also took a turn for the worse, with all the storm clouds which have been lingering threateningly on the horizon finally making their move meaning one thing, rain. Although I spent most of the day inside the museum staying warm and dry I did venture back to Cuba street as I just love the quirky, independently owned shops there. I didn’t buy anything, mainly because I know if I do I’ll just have to cart it around the South Island, but there were a lot of tempting bits and pieces. There’s an abundance of cafes and Op-Shops (from what I can tell these are basically charity shops but privately owned and often carrying vintage and designer pieces) as well as an old fashioned record store and quite a few vegetarian and vegan restaurants (which it always nice!)

I picked up a bubble tea while walking around, as I’d heard about them and really wanted to try one! They’re weird, I got the watermelon flavor, it was nice, just strange

And then we spent the rest of the afternoon/early evening playing monopoly with Alex (Another guy sharing our room from France) while it rained outside. Ferry to the South Island tomorrow which I’m not looking forward to as it’s meant to be really bad weather!

The sign on the doors to the hotel - it really is the Windy City!