Check it out!!

I am TV famous in New Zealand!
http://www.3news.co.nz/Thirsty-from-the-man-drought-Go-to-Great-Barrier/tabid/367/articleID/138903/Default.aspx
This was on the news tonight.
We had it up on the big screen at the pub.

Odds and Ends and Tiger Woods

So about a few days after I got here, a rumor that Tiger Woods was on the island began to spread. There were searches and reports of sightings. But on an island of 750 people, if he was here, we would all know it. Despite that he was probably never here, the reporters of the New Zealand Herald caught wind of it and set out to Great Barrier Island. They spent a great deal of time here at the Currach interviewing the owner, John, and the various locals that spend their afternoons here. They were here for about three days and a few days after they left, this showed up in the paper. Salli is one of the friends that I have made here. She is very fun and... well you can read about her. So, because this is story that surfaced, the reporters clearly did not find the Tiger. Over the following days, a few more Great Barrier articles popped up. As a result of these articles and an earlier article in North and South magazine, business has been booming. John has gotten people calling that want to come stay at the lodge and that want to come meet him. Tonight, channel 3 news is coming out to the pub to do a story on the abundance of available men on the island. So we are all going to be dressed our best and giving the island a good name. We are bracing ourselves for a busy night and it is my third night working the bar. So I will have to learn fast or die. Wish me luck!

Great Barrier Island

I have made a friend, Henry. She has a computer that she lets me use.
I have been on here on the Barrier for abou two weeks now. My initial intention had been to leave on the 21st which is Thursday, but... i have been offered a paying position, made good friends and just become too attached to this little island. so i think i am going to stay on for a bit with my absolute deadline for departure being the end of this month.
I live across the street from the beach here so i have been spending a fair amount of time there.
I am finally off of doing dishes and working behind the bar and waitressing. Both are fun and tonight was my first night. I did OK but I didn't know how to make a lot of the drinks. But I have the beers down anyways.
Lena and Francie from Germany have left and gone to see more of New Zealand. Nina and Dave have gone to South America. Ashleigh is going back home to the north island tomorrow. I am the last wwoofer/seasonal worker now. I think we are getting a new wwoofer this week.
But i am getting on well with the locals. i know most of the regulars now buy name and i know their strange little stories that follow them around. Like Harry that wears a helmate, creepy andy and bad teeth beard guy. Just to name a few of the notable. There are others with more flattering titles and reputations, they just dont have fun names.
I have moved out of the backpackers where i was staying and have moved into a deluxe shed at the bottom of the property. It is quite nice.
There mosquitoes here are really really horrible and are loving me best. it is turning into a problem. i look like i have something of a fatal disease.
I have not really done anything notably exciting here. i just kind of hang out and live here and try to stay out of trouble. which i am managing fairly well.
This is the beach that is across the street from the Currach Irish pub where I live and work.
This is work crew at a staff breakfast before they all left me. We are at the Wild Rose Cafe which is just next doot to the pub. Really good/expensive food.
I love and miss you all. Bye bye.
-MB

Internet is $12 an hour here and a 30 minute hitch away

Hey all!
I am on great Barrier island now and i am in a hurry typing here but i wanted to let you all know what is going on. sorry abour any typing errors.
since i posted last:
-i took a 4 and a half ferry ride fron Auckland to the island
-Arrived at the Currach Irish Pub
-Met:
--Lena and Francie fron Germany
--Nina and Dave from Holland and Scottland respectively
--Ashleigh fron North island NZ
--Sally from England
--and other people here and there
-done lots of dished
-cleaned windows with dishsoap and a washcloth
-Beach, beach, beach
-had my first bar/pub experience. it was fun. I hung out with my new friends, danced with lena and francie. I was hit on which was new and different. Sean Kelly and Baz was the irish band there. they were good.
-and hitchhiked (but only 30 minutes to get here)
I already have some good stories from this place. but i cant tell you now later. i promise.
i cant post anything or e mail from the pub but i can read comments on the blog and facebook.
Bye.

Last Day in Auckland

I figured out how to hook my camera up to this computer!
This is one of the trees in Albert Park (which i mentioned yesterday). Such a great climbing tree for someone afraid of heights!

This is the Auckland Ferry building that is just down the road from where i am staying. I think it is just a lovely building.

And this, among other restaurants and cafes, is on the street level of the building. It's as if i never even left.

I am finishing up my last day in Auckland. It has been good here but i am ready to go. The big city is kind of a lonely place when you don't know anyone. I am excited to wake up at 5:20 tomorrow morning to go and catch my ferry to Great Barrier Island.

Did more walking around the city today. I did not stray quite as far today though. I did a walk by tour of a bunch of different backpackers in the city. had lunch down by the water (just down from the ferry building).

Randoms:

I don't know if this is normal for seagulls but i saw one fly by today with another bird in its beak. It was strange.

Another thing, while it is true that "they speak English in New Zealand", they also speak every other language under the sun. In all of this walking I have been doing around the city, I have heard people speaking so many different languages. Auckland must draw a more diverse crowd than Seattle.

Nothing new or super exciting to report really, just keeping you up to speed.

-mb

Day 2

Today was the walking day.
I woke up at 7 just to see that i could do it then went back to sleep till about 9:30.
Hit the streets at about 10 and walked around the city. I went east and found the Victoria Park market which featured a number of stalls selling mostly souvenirs and other street market things. I then crossed the street to Victoria Park. It is 70% giant open field that was not really being used for anything. It would be a great location for a Sunday pick-up game of soccer. There are awesome trees here. They are very thick branched and kind of sprawling and low to the ground. So there were a bunch of those too. There was also one of the coolest playgrounds i have ever seen. Lots of swiveling and gliding things.
I made my way back to city centre and passed the Sky Tower on my way which my guidebook describes as "a giant hypodermic giving a fix to the heavens." People bungee off of it which the thought of makes me pass out a little.
I passed city centre and went up the hill to Albert park, which is a bit fancier than Victoria Park. There are fountains and statues and groomed ,blooming flower beds. It also has the neat trees. I walked around there for a bit and then hit a road that i followed for a bit too long and got lost. I made it to the international district, not the touristy kind, but the unidentifiable squashed birds for sale in the window, rice warehouse, Arabic graffiti kind. Took a left at the hospital and got out of there. On my way back to knowing where i was, i found a grocery store. I picked up some food and juice to last me my time in Auckland (thought the strawberries did not go as far as i had planned). Went back to the hotel and crashed for a bit. Made lunch and watched the last half of Three men and a baby ( i figured out the electricity).
My ferry for Great Barrier Island leaves at 7 on Tuesday morning and i have yet to figure out how i am going to get there from my hotel. So i set out to find where it was. I again got quite lost but eventually found it. it is right across the street form the Auckland Fish Market. The walk is ok but may be a bit much at 6 in the morning with my big backpack. I don't know what is going to happen so that is all i have to say about that.
In other news,
-upon going to brush my teeth last night, i found that all of my toiletries had gotten a nice shampooing on the flight, including may brand new thing of floss. I am so angry. Really, just furious.
-as i left this place yesterday, i walked out side to find that there were 7 firetrucks on my street. Apparently there was a massive gas leek in one of the buildings on the backside of my block. But all is well. New Zealand fire engines are cutier than American ones.
-The Segway is much more popular west of the US. I saw a bunch in Fiji and have seen a fair few here as well.
That, i think is all for now. i feel like this was a lot of words for little excitement.
Karaoke highlights today include Hotel California and Let it be.
-mb

I am here! I have made it to my destination of Sweaty Little Basement Computer Room.
I am not going to unload the entire 24 hour airport/air plane travel saga on you but I will give you the key points and a mini timeline.
3 hours at seatac-2 hours to LA- 4 hours at LAX- 11 hours to Fiji- 4 hours at Nadi airport- 3hours to Auckland.
My last two flights were on huge two level, 70 row, 11 seat wide airplanes. It was neat.
I had Window seats on all flights which was good because i had my own space, a view (of clouds or nighttime darkness), a wall to sleep against and limited human interaction.
I took an Ambien for my flight to Fiji and about 15 minutes later i was crying uncontrollably. I don't know why- so that made me laugh, but mostly on the inside; mainly i was crying. Along with the tears came a mini panic attack that had no real foundation, just a feeling of panic. Luckily most everyone around me was sleeping so i could just do my weird little thing alone. After about three hours of dosing off and waking up minutes later crying, i was out for good. Just to be clear here, i was not upset or scared or anything, i just couldn't stop crying. it was weird and i am very skeptical about taking Ambien again. We were woken up at about 3 in the morning Fiji time for breakfast. As i had specified my vegetarianism ahead of time i got a super special vegetarian dish in place of other people's eggs and sausage. I got what was either very soft tofu or diced egg whites drowning in what was either a curry sauce or olive oil with a cloudy yet acid yellow die. So that was good.
After getting off the plane all went smoothly with customs and luggage and i was in my hotel room an hour later.
My room is nice and very"green" as none of the electrical functions work. It is the middle of the day so maybe you get light privalages at night or something. Not too big of a problem but did have to pee in the dark.
But now, the Japanese Karaoke version of Evanescence's greatest hits is getting to me so I am going to head out into the sunny warm city to look around a bit.

I am a blogger

i made a blog.
for my trip.
i will do my best to keep you up to speed.
-mb