OK, so it's been forever since my last update. Apologies for that. I do intend to update more frequently, so stay tuned!
Anyway, since our last thrilling instalment, I celebrated my 31st Birthday. Thank you to everyone who signed "that card" - it brought a tear to my eye and I also had a lump in my throat (although that may heave been the fish).
Anyway, we celebrated the day by heading out on a pier in the middle of the coldest day of the year. But we made up for it by heading to
Kelly Tarlton's Antarctic Encounter. It's like an aquarium, but has the patented glass tunnel that allows you to see everything over you and around you. They had giant stingrays, and plenty of tropical fish. But all that pales in comparison to the penguins! They are exactly like they look on TV.
We've also been checking out some of the other things the city has to offer - 24 hour casinos for example. I've never been one to play any games in casinos, partly because the odds don't favour me winning anything, and partly because they're so uptight about it in the UK. It's a little more laid back here, and you can just walk into the SkyCity casino in the city centre any time of day and play a few games. I played some Blackjack and immediately showed what an amateur I was by failing to realise my hand was actually Blackjack and almost declining the croupiers offer of more money for winning! So I played a second game and won with Blackjack again! 3rd time proved to be lucky too, but then my luck ran out, and I had to settle for just doubling my money. It's easy to see why people are so tempted by casinos, and I couldn't help but wonder if the non-stop winning streak may have been engineered specifically to keep me playing longer. But I have so far resisted the temptation to return.
A few days later we visited the North Shore of Auckland, in an area called Devonport. It's a seaside town with colonial style houses and even a few fish and chip shops. The fish was good, but the chips were rubbish. Crispy and thick - not soggy and no vinegar in sight. I do miss the Albany Fish Bar. But we had a look around and went up Mount Victoria and North Point (with an old military fort - it looked like a level from "Half Life"). It was an amazing clear sunny day, and we had spectacular views of both Auckland city and the North Shore itself. It's really tranquil in Devonport, and even though it's only about a mile away from Auckland's CD, it would be impractical to live there. The only way you can get to it is by Ferry, unless you want to spend 45 minutes in hte car driving there. If we went clubbing, there would be no practical way of getting home. It would be cheaper to stay in a hotel overnight!
Speaking of living arrangements, we have at last moved into a new apartment. We're now living at the following address:
Apartment 604
145 Symonds Street
Auckland 1010
Feel free to send us a postcard from the UK. But make it a good one. The apartment is really nice. It's an old converted office block that was apparently built in the seventies. It looks UUUGGGLLY from the outsiede, but is splendid inside. It's very modern, but the kitchen's wimpy. The developers obviously didn't expect the occupants to do much cooking as there's no room to prepare food at all. We're also trying to get to grips with the countless Asian supermarkets here. They are the only places where you can readily buy fresh fruit and veg in the city centre, but if you want to buy anything more than that (like spices, or juice) then you (by 'you', I mean 'we') really need to learn how to read
Kanji. Or just keep your fingers crossed.
Still no luck in finding a job a yet, but we've been making new friends. I went out with a few people from Wales last Saturday! Yes, after all my protestations about Wales, I end up spending my first proper night out in Auckland with a load of Welsh boys. Nuts. But it gave me a chance to be formally introduced to the bars and one of the many strip joints that are so popular in the CBD. From what little I can remember of the night, it was good fun. I think I drank rather too much though...
We've learnt afew other facts about New Zealand:
- No need for car insurance, but it is recommended you get some anyway, especially if your car is worth more than a few dollars.
- There are loads of volcanoes around here. They're not active, but still...
- Still no central heating or double glazing, but at least our apartment is MUCH warmer than the last place we were in.
- There are loads of Asians here. Loads. I mean, like, half the city is Asian. It's strange, but cool at the same time. Sadly, they tend to keep themselves to themselves. We hardly see any out in the evenings. They seem to spend a lot of their time in the 24 hour cyber cafes.
- "You can suck my head". It means "you can pick my brains".
- It's crook, not sick. "I'm feeling crook today".
Some things remain unahcnaged however. We've been to the cinema alot (we're going to see Transformers 2 at the IMAX here. Yes!). We've also seen The Hangover. This is a tremendously good film - very funny, and not crass. I recommend it if you get the chance to see it. You won't be sorry.
Right, so this entry was a bit terse. I will attempt to update more frequently in future, so I expect future updates to be a little simpler.
Hey, maybe I'll get a twitter feed...
I looked out of my window this afternoon and saw this. It's pretty clear that Winter has set in properly now. To be honest, it's just like Cardiff weather at the moment. It's cold and wet, so we haven't done much at all this weekend.
We did go out to a great little bar on Friday night. It's called Rakino's and plays a selection of funk and soul music. This is good. The bar only had a capacity for around 70-80 people, so it was nice and cosy. It also had a balcony looking out over the back streets of the city. This was a nice touch, as it was warm and dry outside, even though it is the middle of Winter.
This seems to be typical of Auckland generally. We have yet to see a nightclub in the way we would understand the term in the UK. Mostly there are many different small bars each playing a particular genre of music. This actually works out quite well as it means you are spoilt for choice on any given night, and it also means that each of the main areas of Auckland are catered for. Also, most bars are open all night so you'll probably fall asleep before they do.
The big record shop here (Real Groovy) prints a weekly guide to gigs and nights around Auckland. It seems that the weekend starts on Wednesday and ends on Sunday. There is nothing going on Monday and Tuesday. It's great that there's so much to choose from - on any given night there is a choice of between 10 and 15 different music venues.
And this is what is so good about Auckland. For the most part it is just the same as any big city - people tend to keep to themselves, and there are lots of office blocks. But it is also quite small for a big city, and has a much more personable feel to it. People are much more friendly here and aren't afraid to have a conversation when you talk to them. Yes, there are still problems (there are loads of boy racers tanking it around the city), but these are minor compared to the benefits. There are loads of small side streets which house great little cafes and bars. Vulcan lane is a popular place for lunch around here, and Karangahpe Road (or K'Road) has the best small shops and independent shops in the whole city. Everyone in the places is approachable and eager to chat.
We have yet to meet anyone who is from Auckland originally though. It seems that 90% of Auckland is actually made up of people who moved here from somewhere else. Apparently Wellington is much more home grown, but we have yet to verify this for ourselves.
Until next time...
