Auckland, NZ

hey all it is i the travelling bum updating you once again on my adventures.

Upon landing in NZ on Wed we new where we were headed, Base Backpackers in the heart of Auckland. I am still with the boys from England. Our hostel actually got us so excited that we have dubed it a solid hotel! Complete with restaurant, club, cooking facilities and an observation deck on the 7th floor with spa. The view from this deck afforded views of the bay and shipping yard plus a great look at the famous Sky Tower, Aucklands version of the Space Neetle. Our first night was spent hanging out and not really doing a whole lot. Well except for going out on the town for a bit. Due to an Oscar the Grouch we requested a room change the next day and were moved into a room with more upbeat peeps. Actually a whole room full 7 of us in all.

Thursday was just a kick around the city. We spent about 3 hours in a cafe on the main queen street. After drinking instant coffee all week in Fiji i indulged in several latte's. A definite treat. We hit some of the cool book shops and i picked up a surf guide for the entire country. The city is really interesting and full of different people. I was surprised to find such an enormus Japanese population. Walking the streets was sort of like being in San Fran and LA at the same time, minus the dirt and excessive beggars. Not to From our room at the "hotel" we spotted a long white bus deal which appeared to be serving food. Our hunch was confirmed as we wolfed down tasty burgers. We attended the club attached to the hostel and had a great time.

Fri was another repeat of Thursday.

On Saturday we decided to be a bit more productive and look into renting or buying a car to get around the islands. Although we never really made any arrangements we got a lot of research out of the way. The night took a very interesting turn. We had been hearing some talk of a very hip bar which was totally made from ice. The minus 5 degree bar to be exact. After dawning our huge coats and gloves we were escorted into this giant freezer and found ourselves breathing fog and admiring the various ice sculptures which adorned the room. Everything from the bar to our glasses were made from ice. We enjoyed a cocktail and i chomped into mine when i was finished. This was a one off place that was fantastic and a totally cool experience. Dan and i even got a bit silly and tried to see who could last the longest without our jacket on. We are both fine, I think i won though. We all went out in the viaduct, a trendy strip chaulk full of nightclubs and fine dining. Super long night with tons of fun.

Sunday was another chill day that we spent kicking around and not doing a whole lot.

Today we went out to a couple of car buying shops that are set up specifically for backpackers. Almost all the cars appeared to be on their last legs and none fell into our target price range. We decided that the risk in buying the car was not worth it so we plan to rent a vehicle and head up the coast to pahia tomorrow!

Evything is going great, I am healthy and enjoying a relaxed time here!

hope everyone is great and enjoying life!