Monday, April 1: Showers the whole day, very humid, clearing in the afternoon
The Cell Block, 91 Cameron St., single with toilet ($60)
The alarm hadn’t yet rung (by about a minute or so) but I was still up @ 7:30 and had plenty of time for breakfast and to check the net to see if my further booking in Auckland had been reneged upon (it had not), and pack the rest of the stuff, which was all done by 9:00. Locked up Jarrad’s place and put the key into the safe and away I was having selected a relatively rain-free period via radar to time my walk to the bus stop.
Was about the first there, although peu-a-peu people gathered, and so far the weather held, I was in no rush to get on the bus when it finally arrived with about ten minutes’ delay, as I was going to be one of the first passengers off again. When I came to load my luggage the driver told me to put it inside the bus (a double-decker again) which also made sense.
Then we were off on the short trip to Whangarei in a couple of showers. We were back on time here and I called in briefly to the i-site to get a map and then go around the block. Was looking for house numbers at one intersection when a friendly real estate agent asked to help and directed me back along the street to where the hostel was.
Quite a strange place – the only jail I have stayed in – but no locks on any of the doors so will have to lock up the valuables in the suitcase whenever I leave the room.
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Lunch had to be organised which meant a trip to the nearest supermarket, PaknSave, for some ham, milk, and kiwis. With that out of the way and things sorted into two fridges I checked out the other shopping possibilities and took off for the Warehouse to see if any of the sought after T-shirts were available.
They were, but only in S, so I tried them on and they fit well enough. Then it was on to Countdown for some beer and to check some prices. Brought this stuff back to the hostel and then set off checking out even more shopping possibilities. Nothing much in the dollar shops (certainly not the jandals I had seen in Whanganui – there is a lesson to be learnt here) and then through town to the New World/Countdown shopping center, again to compare prices. One last stop at PaknSave netted the bandaids that held up so well on the paddling tour, a bottle of orange juice to complete breakfast tomorrow, and a couple of crunchie bars to round the price down.
Briefly checked the internet again to see if Rayna had given a sign of life (she hadn’t) because I will be arriving in Auckland so early and cannot get into my digs until 6:00 and the suitcase will have to be stored somewhere for the afternoon.
Then to the possibly last Chicken Tikka of the tour @ Indian Aroma, 23-25 Vine St (with plain naan, $16.4), a little bit of cabbage and a sufficient portion of rather watery mint sauce to go with it all.
Am considering doing the Te Whara Track tomorrow, as the weather promises to be better. There is a track shuttle service for $40. Will see if anyone in the hostel is also interested. The backpack will have to be emptied for the trip. And there is a chance of some surf.
