Went in at about 11.00, got to town and midday and walked along the waterfront (after V had chicken and chips and I had a Hawaiian burger from the railway station pie cart for lunch), as I was saying, walking along Frank Kitts Park (X Games were still going strong), over to Civic Square, which was just as impressive as Kirks to the tourist LOL, and then into Te Papa.
V's friend who had been over said it would take a good day to see all of the museum, but I was pretty sure it would take half a day tops - and of course Wellington and NZ newbies would have to read every little signpost, whereas I think it is about my fourth or fifth trip playing host to tourists to the museum - I should know the good bits by now. And what with V not liking art, that cut another hour off the Te Papa time.
Did the earthquake/volcano/natural part, then the stuffed animals, then the outside bush area, then the modern marae and the Maori stuff, the Treaty of Waitangi in thirty seconds (as it should be), the European stuff (was a bit too arty for V), and Golden Days - where V fell over. They've changed it a bit, the Erebus part wasn't as stirring as it had been in the past - the Jack Lovelock sport bit is still awesome. By the end of it was feeling at homeeee... bleah, crying.
Then the food court and the shop and then out - two and a half hours, if adding the art bit probably about average. Then the bus out to Kilbirnie to see my former local KFC and supermarket (sad I know) and walking back to the former flat, past the former local fish and chips shop, V saw my old flat and then needed to rest at the bus stop, picked up a bus into Hataitai, and went to Burger Wisconsin - YUM. Chicken, apricot and cream cheese burger indeed LOL. Then a quick couple of beers watching the cricket at Hataitai pub, half in hope that TF was drinking locally, and then the scenic number 14 bus back to the train station, and waiting forty minutes for a train home - could have used the diary then LOL.
Monday was what shall we do today day, because Basic Wellington can be seen in two good days, and we were up to our third in town. Not much enthusiasm shown for the Botanic Gardens by V, so shopping plus other bits was the go. I picked up a Hurricanes polo top - try as I might to will myself into a playing jersey, yellow just isn't my colour LOL. And then broke and had KFC for lunch and then onto Reading Cinemas. Wanted to go see something at Embassy but with the timings would have been a five minute dash through Courtenay Place or a four hour wait for the next Finding Neverland session.
So off to Reading and would be a one hour wait for Alexander or one and a half for Finding Neverland. Also had the option to see Garden State at Rialto but forgot about it. To the Sports Cafe to kill some time, Pats were slaughtering the Steelers in the conference final - Superbowl Monday my time, and then back to see Finding Neverland. Extra box of Tangy Fruits for the sister on the return to Oz, and a good movie - is Dustin Hoffman in EVERYTHING this summer? And six boxes of Snifters from a newsagent OMG embarrassing - LOL, they aren't THAT good.
Back to Trentham and had fish and chips for tea, also got a paua fritter - V was very impressed by the food and the price, though less so with the paua... a packing evening...
Then yesterday, checked out of the motel - had made plans with BI from former work to have an early lunch at Arizona, just a block away from work. Of course, when we get in Arizona is closed for refurbishment so I stake out the back entrance to work until BI arrives. Change of plan, let's go to Leuven, the Belgian bar instead. AW was already outside, champing at the bit for a beer. JL, former boss, also made a quick appearance before heading to the gym, but that was it, apart from BI staying almost two hours - was a nice catch up and TF would have been there for sure except she had the day off... then off to the airport.
Where they were unsure of the veracity of my passport - oh, you could have switched pictures, and then a minor fraying because a tear the front page almost in half, and you have to get a new passport, you will be turned back at Aussie Immigration and we will be fined for transporting you. Stayed calm at the desk but as soon as I was away I vented. Big time. Incandescent with rage is a good saying for how I was feeling. V could have flown but decided to stay with me.
Taxi back INTO town, and the cheapest centralish hotel I could think of. Then rang Internal Affairs for the details of what I had to do, and ringing parents to say we would be a day late. Then dropping the new application for passport off at Internal Affairs (as it was damaged could get a new one, valid for the same time as the old, for free).
And then felt mega flat for the rest of the day. Burger King for lunch, Starbucks for frappucino, Maccas for tea and Starmart for snacks - not a lot of inspiration there... The central city room wasn't as nice as the suburban one and was more expensive - but we needed it. Watched movies til late and then a thousand and one things bouncing around my head took me ages to sleep.
This morning, had a McDs bagel for brekkie, went to Farmers to let V have a final look for stuff (she hardly found anything to buy) and then picked up the bulk of the photos. Had a quick look at them at the hotel before checking out. Went down the waterfront to have an icecream and just a bit of relaxation time before heading through Civic Square (just as impressive the second time LOL) to pick up my passports.
It had been processed - yay - and my old one came at the same time (yay - don't want to forget all the stamps and places I have been the last ten years) and a huge weight came off my shoulders. I had felt so naked and so stressed without a passport. Took V for a quick tour of an NZ supermarket LOL, and then take two for the airport thing.
The same girls today who had barred me from going to Brisbnane yesterday couldn't be nicer today - maybe I should have headed completely out of sight of the departure desks before throwing a tanty LOL. And am currently in the air to Oz as I write - airline service has changed so much in the last nine years since I started travelling. Menus for meals (that you DIDN'T have to pay for) - complimentary nuts and orange juice - and within the A380s Richard Branson wants casinos on them? LOL, why not throw in brothels as well - ahh, unsubstantiated rumour mongering of what the air hostesses get up to with first class passengers LOL - a place I will never be...
Okies, completely caught up, and Economist read, lucky I brought a book...
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