My traveling life has begun!
Well my trip has officially begun! I am now sitting in a Starbucks half way across the world drinking a creme frapp and a muffin. Yes, I know, so lame. My first breakfast in New Zealand is at Starbucks. I actually came here cause I I was told that the wifi access was free but it is Starbucks so I should have known better. Nothing owned by a big corporation, even in other countries, gives you something for free. sigh….oh well. So I really can’t believe that I am actually here starting my trip. I have been planning this for such a long time and for it now to finally be here is a bit surreal. It hits me every couple of hours that I am not coming home for a year. Wow, freaks me out when I actually think about it for any period of time. It is a good freak out though! What an adventure I have set myself up for! 🙂 The flight here was uneventful and LONG!!!! I was soooo tired on the plane from San Fran to Auckland and I desperately wanted to sleep and my body was just not cooperating. The seats are bigger than normal US flights but for a 13 hour plane ride they are still really small. I wanted so badly to strech my legs out and I couldn’t. I finally did fall asleep for a little bit so at least I am not totally dead to the world right now. So far Auckland is an interesting city. I have only really seen it from the bus ride over to the hostel and my short walk from the hostel to Starbucks. I looks like any typical small city. It has these little alleyways with these hidden malls and stores that reminds me alot of Chinatown and Bangkok.I am going to explore more today. My room at the hostel is not going to be ready until 1pm (it is now 6am btw) so I have some major time to kill. Oh yeah, let me report on the hostel. So far, not a big fan. Of course I have only seen the check-in area (nothing to write home about), one community bath/shower and the 1st floor main hang out room. My lovely shower was freezing cold and the toilet was clogged which was pretty awesome! Love freezing cold showers in the morning. 🙂 The common room was pretty dirty and the room where I am storing my backpack for the time being smells like piss. Not sure why, don’t really want to know why but it smells nasty. Now with all that being said, it still has not dampened my spirits! I am so psyched to be here that I can’t keep the shit eating grin off my face! I am sure by the end of tonight I will have met some people at the hostel so I am looking foward to that. Well that is all for now. I am going to pack this up and hit the road. Think I will head down to the waterfront and see what is kickin down there. Oh yeah, one more thing, we went through the outskirts of Auckland coming from the airport and people think that Long Islander’s have their houses built close together?!?! Man, Auckland takes the cake. I mean you can literally pass your neighbor a cup of sugar just by handing it to them through the window! Later for now. I will update more a bit later. Hugs and I miss you all!
Tags: , Auckland, hostels, New Zealand, plane rides, Travel
kittarina
So glad to hear from you! 🙂 i hope the hostel situation gets better, but i’m sure you’ll survive.
so what is the weather like? warm and sunny??
Hey you’re off to a great start, it summer there, we just got hit with an ice storm last night. Can’t wait to read more. Have a great time
J says, “You go girl!”
Enjoy the warm weather for us. We had an ice storm today:(
Yayy! Congratulations and have an awesome time! I hope you can post pictures, too!
Hostel are a hit and miss. I hope you have clean sheets and cosy bed. Cheers to the new year and a welcomed new adventure. Safe journey.
Starbucks???? Maybe you can hit the golden arches and have a McLamburger for lunch. Be safe and have fun!!!
hey girl, congrats on your arrival to new zeland thats awesome. take care be safe and i look forward to reading your travel blog and living vicariously through you.
Awesome! Very glad to hear you’ve landed safely on the first leg of the grand tour.
Wow, glad that you arrived and are living it up! I found your blog a few months ago and have been waiting for your departure. Like you, I love to travel but right now, I can’t do the year long thing so I will live vicariously through you. lol. Seriously, enjoy your year away and I anxiously await your updates.
P.S., I don’t know why it is saying I am posting from Switzerland but I am from Ontario, Canada. lol. How weird.
Hey Babes! Yeeeeee hawwww! So happy you are a safe. I miss you sooo much already, I think it’s because I know you are gone. I love you. I miss you. Take lots of pix for us to see and are you keeping a journal too????? xoxo
Hey, can you bring me home a Llama? Just kidding. Great to hear your arrival went well and I can’t wait to read more. Love ya!
Hey Jax. glad to see that my little hebrew hammer is alive and well at her first destination. the bathrooms might suck but at least you don’t have to squegee the shower. maybe your next hostel will be a little better. be safe and enjoy
Sorry to hear the hostel is yucky. Do you have another to chose from? Well, atleast you don’t need to be there except just to sleep and stuff. I want to hear what the food is like and am also wondering if we’ll get to see photos as well. Love ya,
Jenn
Hi Jackie ! It seems youve started your world adventure nicely. Have a great time but be careful! Are you able to show some photos of the area? Cant wait till your next blog. Mauro
NICE!!! im so thinking of that comercial now. you know the one. wow a whole year,just hit me wow. picture? where picture? have fun.
Hey Jackie,
When I stayed at the Seattle Hostel in 1988, I met this Maori guy named Greg White. He and I, an Israeli and a Texan traveled the next few days to the Olympic Peninsula (I had a rental car).
Anyway… if you find Greg White, tell him I say hello. :>)
re: the hostel… after a while you will realize that you have to make some adjustments to new places and cultures and you will get used to it.
Here is a website of hostel reviews:
http://www.hostelworld.com/Hostels/Auckland/New%20Zealand/Reviews/
—Gary
Hello!!!! why haven’t you made another post. where are you??? You know I am going to start worrying!!!! You said you would make a post every 2 days.
Sigh, you didn’t say goodbye. Carole from Dr. Turowsky’s office. Have a BLAST.
Hi Honey,
Am so glad you are having a great time and have hooked up with a group. Now I won’t have to Mom out so much. Loved the photos. Keep them coming. Miss you, but am glad you are not here freezing with the rest of us. Love, Mom