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Articles Tagged ‘Auckland’

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Good On Ya Gert!

Sunday, May 20th, 2007

Unbelievable! I pout, I gripe, I foresee giving my car to some lucky (?) traveler who is willing to drive me to the airport, and then….

I sell Gerti in the kitchen.   After breakfast, over tea.

Irish husband and wife liked her looks, found her comfy.  BUT…”We have a friend who’s a mechanic we’d like to look at it.”  I sweat.  “Sure.”   I gulp.   But, when Gert’s popped her top, the mechanic peers in and whistles:  “Now that’s an engine!” he says.  And after the test drive:  “They don’ make em’ like that in Ireland!” And to his friend:  “Let’s take ‘er for a drive later.”  A joyride?!  In Gerti?!? 

So, as a farewell to my trusty friend and a tribute to her new owners, an Irish limerick:

There once was a lassie named Gerti,

Old and grey, but still feisty and flirty,

Tho’ she was known to be loose,

And chugged down her go-juice,

Still she’s proud, that the crowd, thinks she’s purty! 

Posted in New Zealand | 1 Comment »

Easy Come Easy Go….for some things

Sunday, May 20th, 2007

Back in Auckland, I’m sadly void of adventure bookings or ways to muddy my boots. Instead, I’m in the business of “stuff” these last few days.
–stolen stuff as backpackers went shopping through a bag of clothes set aside for me
–stuff I THOUGHT was stolen until the hostel owner solved the mystery of “The Bikini Top in the Back Bushes” (crazy cat!)
–abandoned stuff I left with a kindly man in Hamilton until December
–stuff stupidly given away (the bike rack that I left under my car last night)
–and other stuff I CAN’T seem to give away (the car that will haunt me until my departure)

At first I was optimistic and a bit perky about selling the car; I even revised “The Gerti Song” to be more buyer-friendly and put it in the window. I had another bright sign indicating the “bonus” of my mountain bike and rack (the bike’s back tire is ailing irreparably). My confidence, however, was leveled this morning when a mechanic at the city auction talked an eager couple out of a near-certain sale. Guess he was a bit more thorough than the mechanic who told me initially, “It’s a good one!” (Where was HE today?)  So, I then drove Gerti to the grungier Backpackers’ Car Market where I sat for another five hours without so much as a nibble. Well, nibbled through most of the vending machine, but that’s another bored, orally-fixated problem. Tomorrow is destined to be identical. And the next day…?  I have to wonder:
–Is this degree of boredom (and junkfood nausea) worth the money?
–Will I suffer nightmares if someone buys “the package” and I imagine them careening to their death, by bike OR by car?
–Will Gerti forgive me if I simply euthanize her? (aka sell her to a parts shop)

To Be Continued. . . 😉 

 

Posted in New Zealand | 1 Comment »