It's been a busy old week. Well, busy if you ignore the fact that I've spent most of it sitting on my arse in seats of varying comfort. Because that's what travelling is, you see. No one walks anywhere these days, and Lord forbid you stand. Especially not with that great hoofing backpack attached to your rear.
My Australian Holiday Visa ran out, you see. This means that I've been away from home for exactly three months, that I have completed one country out of the four I plan to visit, and that err, I had to leave the country before I got deported by Government Officials.
So on Monday, I took a train to Sydney. I arrived well after 9pm in a city which I refuse to re-visit without walking down to the illuminated Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Those landmarks are to Australia what Big Ben is to England: the iconic, instantly recognisable symbols of an entire country. It's still the one place in Australia that makes me stop and think, "Well, well, well, lucky Jo. Just look at where you are tonight".
Early the next morning, I flew to Auckland. Instead of embarking on 2.5 months of travel as planned, I await my instructions as to when the ever-organised Polo Player is flying me back to Australia. Supposedly, Thursday. More likely, Friday night. Possibly, not at all.
And so, I wait and enjoy a few days of doing absolutely nothing except having lie-ins and doing what backpackers do best (if you've forgotten already, that's sitting on their arse) and pretending I'm in the future (I'm GMT +13:00. Today will be rubbish. Go back to bed).
Yesterday, I dragged myself vertical to explore Auckland. I did what I usually do when faced with a few hours in a city that's not my own. That is, look at a map of where I want to go, put it away out of embarrassment, immediately forget the right way to head, and walk in the wrong direction. Having eventually found the shops, I bought, wrote and sent the most unromantic Valentines card I could find. To be clear on this point, I actually used the words 'Sorry I can't be there to spend this vastly commercialised day with you'. Then it rained.
I returned to the hostel, where I have...yep... sat on my arse in seats of varying comfort ever since.
Welcome to Auckland, New Zealand. Otherwise known as Limbo.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
New Zealand is amazing!! You should definately try and make the most of your time there, even in Auckland there's loads of things to visit. I hope you get to go again before you return to the UK as it is definately worth staying a few weeks.
I've got a couple of days now, but I'll be back in May for about 3 weeks (maybe longer). So fear not, NZ's definitely on the radar!
I've got a friend in Auckland if you want someone to hook up with.
I guess there are worse places to be stuck in limbo in.
'Sorry I can't be there to spend this vastly commercialised day with you'. Then it rained.
Genius.
Poor old Auckland. It's going to miss you.
Brennig - The offer is much appreciated, but I've been and gone. However I will be returning!
Perp - Thou speaketh the truth. Worse places indeed. Like Dartford.
Mod Cons - I also referred to it the whole way through the card as 'V-Day'. I can't even bring myself to write the word.
Ellie - It'll have me back plenty more times on this trip...most of my flights in and out of Fiji and America go via Auckland, and I've got a flight there with the boyf in May. Auckland will be sick of the sight of me.
Post a Comment