Blog Update week 1
Travelling Day arrived on Friday 2nd September – not sure if it was nerves or excitement but I was a basket case! Got to Dublin Airport and made my 1st travelling “friends” – a couple in their eighties who took a shine to me and were off on their hols to Sunny Beach in Bulgaria – hilarious. Anyway..long flights ahead – Dublin-London, London-Singapore, Singapore-Sydney, Sydney-Christchurch. Met loads of ppl on each flight that were travelling too – most over to NZ for the RWC – who woulda thunk this Rubgy was so popular?? (note – I should really get more “into rugby”).
London Singapore Flight – 13 hours, 4 bottles of wine and a very loud Ozzie beside me. I was delirious – could do with a valium. Only to get on another over night flight straight away to Sydney – 2 more bottles of wine and same annoying ozzie. Oh mo dhia. Although the two big rides on my right made up for it – mutes though- so no craic out of them. Got to Sydney and double check my bag was going to Christchurch (you will see why later on!) – and it was.
Got to Christchurch airport and picked up my matching luggage..yes I am getting a bit of abuse about my “non-backpacking choice of luggage”. Oh well. Trisha Mulvey and her BF Brady picked me up – IM HERE!! Went shopping for the day. Landed back to the hostel that night – Kiwi Base Camp. See I dont think I really thought about the “roughing it” element of travelling. I can count on one hand the amount of hostels Ive stayed in...EVER. Uh Oh. Its a new experience to say the least – and Im gonna suck it up! Anne Marie, Marie, Noelle and Kieran were arriving the next morning.
Next day – got my “welcome to NZ” banner at the ready...no sign of my travel buddies for about an hour – not good. Poor Maries bag didnt arrive. This gets a paragraph of its own later! Back to base camp for all my sins with the gang – rocked into our new room, well not-so-new – the room looked like something on the Gaza strip. I actually had to ask the owner was I expected to put the bunks together and make the bed! Im sure I will see the funny side some day.
Tuesday 7th September – we started our “Stray Tour”. We are going on a tour bus of north and south island finishing up in Dunedin for the Irish Game against Italy. 1st stop “Kaikoura” – this place was breath-taking, very picturesque. Following in the theme of tenement-style accommodation – tonight we were staying in Fawlty Towers. Funny though – this place had character. Spent about 8 hours of this day on the phone to simple-tonys employed by Jet Star to get Maries bag. I thought for a while we were being punk’d with some of the people we ended up talking to. We gave up – and decided to head to the airport tomorrow in Welly.
Wednesday 8th September – Up crack of dawn to head to Wellington. Not getting used to Packing – unpacking- packing –unpacking every day. Candy – you would LOVE this trip. We get to pack and unpack every 24 hours. 3 hour ferry to Wellington on the North Island. Again fantastic views – this place is really pretty and not sure if I mentioned but the people are just so nice. Arrived in Windy Wellington – staying at Nomads. Of Course I got landed with the top bunk again – got altitude sickness up there –seriously no need for the 10 foot high bunk! Off to Welly Airport to show them who is boss and get Maries bag ( I feel like I have spend 80% of ma holidays in an airport). Put on my “Dont mess with me” face – not attractive but necessary all the same. Got bag on a late night flight to Wellington from Christchurch. Camped out and survived on caffeine till it arrived. The bag is HUGE. Marie is tiny. This can only end in tears of the funny kind. She has to reverse most places. Did I mention I love my wheelie ;)
Thursday 9th September – had to move hostels – night of mary. Getting used to roughing though – Im complaining FAR less! Got settled and layered up (yes mom – getting great use out of your North Face) – its baltic in Welly. Tan has disappeared – tear L. We had a “Báners Day Out” – did lots of touristy things – museum, cable cars and a few playgrounds. If you dont find me in a New Zealand Airport – I will be checking out what the local playgrounds have to offer. They are very cool.
After all the mandatory touristy fun – we hit the Irish pub. Two glass of vino later – my phone rings. None other than the lovely Sean O Brien (for all you non rugger people out there- thats the Irish Rugby player). I know him from home – and he has kindly arranged that we are going for coffee with the Irish team in a few weeks. I thought Noelle was going to spontaneously combust. It was hilarious. We seriously need to prepare her for meeting these people in person and not just on the phone...breathe in breathe out! So watch out guys – might get an aul picture with Tommy Bowe the big roide.
Friday 9th September - On a 12 hour bus journey to Auckland – hence the big blog entry. Until next week my lovelies....xo xo SJ
PS - blogging is only one way communication - so text messages, emails and facebooks always welcome! My NZ number is 00 64 221 548 449
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