Day 3: 3/01/13
I slept a bit last night, but not much. Shell rang in the morning and Mam, Dad and big Padraig skyped- all wishing me well in New Zealand.
I had breakfast and chilled for a few hours before leaving. I noticed my phone had no coverage but I didn't pay too much heed as it happens now and again. At one stage it said invalid sim so that wasn't a good sign! I wasn't sure if there was something wrong with the phone or if the network just had bad coverage. It was too late really to head I an apple store as I kinda thought there was nothing wrong. But when I didn't come back I was wondering. I left a message with meteor to check if my roaming was still on after getting the new phone. I tried ringing the apple care line but I was just put on hold for ages. I had to forget about it then as it was time to go to the airport. During the day I think I've realised what the problem is. When they put in my sim yesterday it didn't allow it straight away as it was Irish but he took it out the back and did something and it worked fine. I received texts on it yesterday and everything. Last night there was a notification on my phone to update the software. I had done this exact same update on the last phone so I didn't think anything of it. But now I realise when you update it, it restores the settings. So it must be set again to Australian or whatever. So I don't know how to fix it and it looks like I won't be able to receive texts.
I sent an email to Mam when I was leaving Mikes house to explain this as I didn't know hen I'd have wifi again and it told me it couldn't send because p something to do with the server. Things weren't going well!! When I got to the airport they had wifi and I saw the messages had actually sent and the wifi does seem to be working okay so that's good! Mike brought me to the airport so it was handy.
I went to check in at one of the kiosks but it couldn't do it for me as I was going international. I checked in at the desk but they could only give me the boarding card for the first flight. I had about an hour to wait but I was on the wifi most of the time trying to see what was wrong with the phone so time flew.
The first flight to Sydney was only an hour and a half long and there was no one on the seat behind me so I had plenty of comfort for my reading! The fellow on the other side of the empty seat though was twitching and turning all the time- he was either very nervous or had some kind of ADHD or Tourette's or something!!
I had an hour and a half to change terminals in Sydney. There were signs for the Quantas bus transfer and there was a desk there and when they tried to print my boarding pass it wouldn't work so they said to head on over to the international terminal and get it over there. So I did that. The bus didn't take too long. When I got there though it wouldn't work either. I've a feeling the one in Brisbane did something wrong- she seemed a bit dozy! They spent about 15 minutes ringing supervisors and things to sort it out but they got it eventually. They didn't know why there was a problem.
It didn't take too long to get through customs or anything so I had about half an hour to spare at the gate.
On the plane there was a young Asian girl beside me with no English and a young guy inside her. He spent the whole flight trying to chat her up through signs and drawing pictures. It was quite funny!
The flight didn't feel too long as I read the whole time. I was going to attempt to sleep but then I thought I probably wouldn't sleep tonight.
The form for gettin into New Zealand was complicated enough with loads of questions about visas. I had looked it up and I knew I didn't need one but te questions were making me wonder!! They let me in anyway with no real questions so I must have been okay! The bag was on the carousel when I got out and flew through the baggage inspection.
The next air bus was coming in about half an hour so there was a few people waiting around for that. It drops right outside the hostel so that was easy enough.
I got more lost inside the hostel than anything as there were just elevators there and it took me a few minutes to find the sign that said the reception was on the third floor. It looks like a nice hostel. There was a good few people up playing pool, having a drink, etc and this was half one in the morning. Of course when I got to my room they were all in bed with the lights off and only the top bunk free, so there was a good bit if rummaging! It was only then that I realised I hadn't asked about the wifi and it looked like you would have to pay for it so I didn't bother going back to reception seeing as I'm only going to be here for about five hours in total! I don't know will I get much sleep!
It's weird to think I'm in Auckland. I'm looking forward to joining the tour in the morning and getting started with the sightseeing. I'm disappointed that it doesn't look like ill be able to receive texts but hopefully the wifi will be good and ye will just have to keep in touch with me through email, the blog, skype, Facebook, viber or what's app. There are lots of ways to stay in touch but unfortunately they all involve wifi!! I'll be able to get it fixed in the apple store when I get back I think but that's no good to me right now! Anyway it will have to do. At least I won't spend any money sending texts when I don't have wifi- every cloud!