5. Auckland

Luckily the international arrivals terminal was operational again post-terrible-flooding, and apart from a section of squishy floor you couldn't tell it had more recently resembled a paddling pool. After a late arrival, I woke the following day in the airport hotel to more pouring rain and another long-imagined hotel swimming pool opportunity that wasn't going to happen. Everything outside was wet, the sky grey, the air humid. I felt anxious about part of the city being flooded and not knowing where that was. I also realised i'd left my NZ power adapter in Malaysia so had a mini-panic about running out of phone battery and not being able to get anywhere. I think I was quite tired... 

I got myself over to a a lovely hostel in the Ponsonby area, called the Verandah Parkside Lodge, and my new backpacking lifestyle began in earnest. The buzzing kitchen was full of twenty-somethings (ahem!) chatting about hikes and tents and food and bookings. We woke up to five people in our four bed dorm on the first morning, as the swiss boy had brought the american girl back to our room. Unfortunately most of us hadn't noticed so we pulled open the curtains to let in bright sunlight and went about getting ready for the day while they shrank under the covers awkwardly.

In Auckland hostels the bright eyes of the newly arrived meet the jaded wisdom of backpackers who have had their New Zealand time and are on the way out. Lots of advice is exchanged, and the FREE FOOD baskets bulge with cast-offs. (Mostly full bags of flour I notice. Who donated these? Idealists planning to bake their own bread en route?).

I checked out the docks, I went to the national museum, I got on an e-scooter. Nice enough city I thought! I could imagine living there. In fact I even went to a snazzy yoga class full of young lulu-lemoned lovelies fawning over a flirty male instructor. 

WAIHEKE ISLAND IS A SILLY PLACE

On the first dry day after the rains I joined a German and a Japanese girl in a daytrip to Waiheke island. The boat was packed with Aucklanders, dressed up and giggly, looking forward to a boozy lunch on the long Waitangi day weekend. The island is delightfully green with rounded hobbity hills topped with vineyards. The vineyards all offer wine tastings and food, with fun playgrounds to keep the kids entertained. Strong holiday vibes all round. I felt sorry for the locals having to live amongst the inebriated tourists all the time though. We watched the local bus driver lose his cool with a bunch of drunk middle-aged guys blowing vape clouds at each other and pressing the stop button repeatedly. 

FINALLY HAD MY FIRST SWIM... in the sea! It was cold and delightful. Too cold for those spoilt by travelling round Australia for a few months, but perfectly manageable to the hardened Brit. I did get stupidly sunburnt on one shoulder where i'd missed with the suncream, so feel suitably chastened on that front. That old hole in in the ozone layer eh.