Back across the world

Well I'm writing this way after I came back but realising I didn't put an account of my final day in Auckland!

I had a good day today, the sun was shining and although it was windy it was a perfect day to end my trip. I got up early after packing last night and headed up the road to find somewhere to have brekkie. I was going to go back to the Irish Bar that is open all day and does a nice brekkie but it was a bit weird in there this morning. I found a great little cafe off of the main street and had a delectable scrambled eggs on toast! I then headed to the Quiksilver and Billabong shops. I needed a new suitcase! After trying to pack last night I realised there wasn't enough room as I had bought loads of stuff in Auckland!

I finally settled on a massive Billabong one, it worked out at £90, but for the size of it it was cheap! My current O'Neill one cost me £90 last year in Cardiff and that is easily a third the size of my new one! I took this back to the hostel and packed all my belongings, I had to check out by 12 so I put my suitcases in one of the massive lockers.

I walked around the shops a bit more and then made my way down to the harbour. There was the biggest yacht I've ever seen at dock! It was a motor cruiser with a yacht on top! I have pictures! The weather was a little bit iffy at this point so I thought I'll have lunch whilst it passes. I treated myself to pan fried red snapper and chips at a harbour side restaurant and a glass of fine New Zealand wine! It cost about $17-18 and at the time I was like oh no too much! I look back now and laugh! It's only £7-8 for four fillets of red snapper and chips! It was one of the best meals I had in New Zealand!

I went back to the hostel after this and went online where I bumped into some people off the Kiwi Bus who were stood outside waiting for the airport bus as they were flying to Australia. We chatted for a while and I still had an hour to kill so I went online and updated the journal.

Waiting for the bus and the sun was beaming down so I was glad the bus was late as I got a much better tan!

The airport was a bit of nightmare as I got there 5 hours before the flight opens under the impression that the gates would open 3 hours before the gates closed 2 hours before the flight!? Geddit?! Well it turns out in New Zealand for international flights they open the desks 2 hours prior to take off! Agh! I was planning to spend a good few hours shopping in the duty free lounge! It also meant that a lot of the shops may be closed before I got through!

It worked out ok! I was first in the queue so I checked in and ran up to pay the $15.00 airport fee thing. This left me plenty of time to shop and call mum before I took off! The shops were really nice, I got some more bits and bobs for xmas pressies and some duty free perfume for me.

On the flight I sat next to a really nice kiwi couple from the South Island who were going to spend Xmas with some relatives in Scotland. They were about the same age as me so we got along for the whole 24 hour flight! We had a stop over in LA for 2 hours and I managed to jump the queue into the waiting area as I seriously needed the loo, I felt so guilty - NOT! The waiting area was pretty dire! They laid on free food, like Lays Crisps and fruit and drinks, but they didn't open the magazine rack so I couldn't buy any Hershey's to bring back!

It was really quick getting through arrivals at Heathrow,