Just like the start of the film Once

This was to be our last full day this side of the international date line. Our next day will last 48 hours. But that will be tomorrow’s tale. This day was one full of meandering, sightseeing and general appreciation of our surroundings in New Zealand‘s largest city. And lovely it is. Albeit with the same issues that beset most modern conurbations. Street sleepers and beggars and add to that countless oblivious and aimless tourists cluttering up the walkways.

I must add that the room we are in currently is the biggest room we have ever been in and both Mrs Verno and my wee avocado are lost within it.

We were headed to Sky City. Site of the BT Tower like structure that serves as a ready way point for tourists and happens to be where we will get the Airport bus because I refuse to pay the robbing bastards that call themselves taxi drivers here. Have I mentioned that? So this was somewhat of a recce mission.

We decided to take a tour bus around the city and what a treat it was. Commentary was great and the tour took in most of the city in the next two hours. Mrs Verno was very pleased that i decided to sit at the back away from the windows in order to take photos.

The photos are not great but such is life. I returned to Mrs Verno and due to movement of the bus leant ungracefully against her fragile frame. Well, I was greeted with Mrs Verno’s reflection that there was 50% more of me now than when we married. Yeah, I know. How do you recover from that? I played the wounded soldier for about two miles and faked the smile you can see above. Like the song Yellow Ribbon I offered to stay on the bus and forget about us but only in jest.

WE had planned to get off the bus at Bastion Point to get the views of the city across the bay. Sadly, and you will all commiserate, the weather decided otherwise as a front of rain crept in.

We eventually got off the bus still talking and ventured to the Viaduct area and found it to be lovely but with the fiercest wind that cut across the actual viaduct. Views were lovely and we started to appreciate how much the NZ folk seemed to love a good title for businesses.

We headed up Queen Street past Dior, Prada and Louis Vuitton. Mrs Verno went into Mecca to peruse the wares there. I stayed out because death would be preferable and listened to an elderly busker. Gave him $2, then took his picture. That’s the way it works. Well, while tootling about I heard a shout and a youth ran past me. Looking back I saw the busker looking forlorn. It seems that just like the start of the film Once ( a great film and to be recommended) the little wagpastie had helped himself to the busker’s hard earned coin. Little bastard. I felt invested because I had just out $2 in his guitar case but I stayed out of it. I did keep a look out for the wee decker as we proceeded up the street. Lucky for him we didn’t see him.

Well, we headed back to the hotel but via the Airship Orchestra. This was a strange installation in front of the main theatre. A lot of balloon’s with eyes that followed you and played music. You can add your own comments here.

Our venture out for dinner had been decided earlier when we spotted a Hawker’s Market type setup. For a while we both had those feckin’ buzzers that have traumatised me so much but things worked out painlessly this time. Mrs Verno had Bao Buns and I had I had Katsu Curry. Cheap and lovely. A view cocktails later and it was time for home and repacking for our next adventure.

A 12 hour flight across the International Dateline and San Francisco. But one question remains and has been raised by superfan of the blog big D from Dundonald. What will become of big A? Well that has yet to be determined.