Day 0 (Monday, 5/8-2013):
Today Sune, John and I went to Odense, sort of to say goodbye and apparently also play magic because they had a draft going, which took longer than expected and therefore included in my blog as time says 01:15, meaning it actually is now...
And what a terrible day it is, weather-wise. Total I think had perhaps 3 hours of sleep, but that's okay! It means I can easily sleep on the plane. Eventually my last bits and bobs are packed and Laura drives me to the train, and then suddenly I am at CPH Airport. Before getting off the train, I overheard a conversation between a guy I later found out was called Yusuf and one og DSB's On Time Team members, about him flying at the same time as me, where he was worried if he would make it. At the airport I quickly found out where I was supposed to go, but noticed Yusuf looking confused, so I told him to just come with me. We walked and talked, got through check-in, security etc. and eventually ended up at the gate and could board.
One thing I had noticed was that Yusuf carried only one piece of luggage, and it weighed nothing. The explanation being that he had brought only bags, and was planning on buying all his clothes in Kuwait and then bring it home - smart... Now, I'm going to New Zealand though, and I don't really think that plan will work out that well, as things aren't really cheaper there.
Cool thing though, the plane was so empty (about 30-35% full), it was easy to find some nice and comfortable seats in the exit-row with plenty of legspace for me... Funny as in earlier today I read about Tall People Club in DSB's Ud og Se magazine - probably a club I should actually join :p
Eventually we landed in Dubai airport and here I parted with Yusuf who was continuing to Kuwait.
Day 2:
Not the most exciting, basically just waiting for 10 hours at the airport before moving on again. Dubai Airport is not bad though, plenty of shops always open and everything is nice and clean except for when there are chinese people around. In the 15 minutes I spent at Burger King trying to survive the night with a healthy snack, two different families managed to drop a soda and leave it and it's contents on the floor, as well as a pack of fries... Like a baws!
But again, except for that, it's a stunningly beautiful airport, definitely worth a visit (and I didn't even leave the transfer area!). The most amazing thing however, was probably that this airport caters to the needs of absolutely everybody, including pedophiles... Why else would they have signs showing where the unaccompanied minors are located? ( http://i.imgur.com/Np8viYv.jpg )
Time to board the airplane came along nicely (eventually), and boy was it nice to hear someone speak english again, and then with a kiwi-accent, now I am actually getting excited!
Day 3:
12 hours later, and yes they passed quickly in an A380, short stop in Sydney before continuing to Auckland, which actually concludes these travels, technically, as I have yet to but a ticket for Wellington. But that's a problem I'll manage in Auckland, which I eventually ended up in. Getting a ticket was quite easy, and an hour later I was on the plane, and another hour and I was in Wellington - almost there!
I called up my mate Chips whom I had discussed pickup with earlier, and about 30 minutes he showed up with Gene hanging out the window and holla at me (interj. 1. an exclamation of greeting. 2. an exclamtion used to show excitement or enthusiasm. verb. 1. to call. 2. to summon).
We went to Gene's place to play some Magic (that card game, you'll hear lots more about it over the next 4 months) with 2 others. I ended up sleeping at Gene's place, since I could not get in contact with Carol, my host.
Day 4:
I eventually left Gene's place to go have lunch with Chips at a mexican place in the food court ( http://v.gd/foodonwillis - that's the entrance, there's probably 20 different food choices downstairs incl. mexican, turkish, indian and many more ). Chips lives with 2 other guys, one who works there and will shortly be the manager of the place, and they make delicious food!
After this, Chips went back to work and I hurried to Vodafone to get my phone working - 140,- DKK for 250MB of data... I get unlimited in Denmark for just 79,- DKK. Oh well, I knew those were the conditions from last I was here.
I got it working and then waltzed up to greet Rebecca at Creative HQ on Level 4, 50 Manners Street, where I interned last year and I am going to again this time around. Rebecca was the only one in this day that I remembered from last. Tui, who I also know, was there, but in a meeting. I chatted with Rebecca for a few minutes and then went up on 108 The Terrace to say hi Nathan, my boss last year, to catch up with him.
I had a nice talk with Nathan who invited me to stay for a while until he was done working and then I had a beer with him and everybody at the office. Very nice afternoon of catching up on what has been going on since I left.
I got a hold of Carol, with whom I agreed to get picked up the day after at 13:00.
Eventually it was time to depart, I went back to Chips' place, stayed for about 15 minutes before we went to eat with some of his friends who had just been at Beervana ( http://www.beervana.co.nz/ ) and were indeed very intoxicated (as one would expect). From here it was back to Chips', play some cards and eventually go to bed.
Day 5:
Pretty lazy day all in all. Woke up around 8:30, got my first shower since I left home!, went to get brunch with Chips, then back, play cards and wait for Carol to pick me up.
Carol came by, and she is a wonderful lady who lives far far up the hill in Northland, we almost can't get any higher (pictures will come later, the weather is bad and there's really not much to show right now http://i.imgur.com/BS563df.jpg ). The house has a very interesting architecture, which I will write more about later as well (you'll see). We got Cleo, the cat, the most playful and fluffy thing ever, the loveliest creature who knows nothing better than to spend all day in front of the fire on her back ( http://i.imgur.com/wfbZuoU.jpg ), so that's what we did on the 6th day, Sunday, me and her, watching Comedy Central...
All in all, everything's well! I didn't quite make it to the 7th day before relaxing, but, we can't all be as awesome as God!
