Once we'd settled into our hostel we wandered around Auckland trying to get our bearings, and some lunch, before deciding to head out for the night: our first chance to dress up on the trip... although just how much a backpacker is able to dress up is questionable!

We headed to the bar downstairs for our 'free meal', but were hugely disappointed to find that the free meal was six wedges and half a cold processed burger! Scrumptious. After having a hoarse-voiced Canadian shout about how much he loved the hostel for fifteen minutes we made our way to the big streets in search of a pub. We failed to find a pub, but we did end up in a side alley bar where the cast of Shortland Street (apparently still running!) hang out! There was also a claimed sighting of Dan from Neighbours! Who needs Hollywood?

After some exceedingly drunk man wedged himself onto our table and got a bit too friendly for our liking we quickly asked if we could join a group on the table next to us, luckily they obliged as they heard the drunkard had failed to get to the toilet in time and didn't want him to join them either! We ended up drinking with two Kiwis, one bloke from England who was a self-proclaimed army brat living in Auckland, his too arrogant for words Aussie boyfriend, and a Canadian from Alberta who was studying in Auckland. Needless to say it was an interesting night, but we cut it short after a while as we were talking to everyone else except each other!

We'd been to Food Alley for our Thai food and so went to a bar nearer the hostel, where, after a $4 bottle of Heineken, we were joined by another drunken idiot. Maybe I'm just intolerant to them, but I don't suffer fools gladly, and when they continue to tell me I 'could be' pretty, that I'm 'manly' and I think another one was that I looked like Prince William, I get a little fed up of having to share breathing space with them! We eventually escaped the booth by running to the toilets before heading speedily back to the hostel!

Next morning we nursed hangovers with big breakfasts at a corner cafe in the city before going up the Auckland sky tower. I'm not too sure what the big draw was meant to be there, as there's no other point of interest you can see from it! It's always cool to be up that high, but it was no CN Tower! What did make it interesting was the number of people attached to lines as they jumped off the building! One minute we'd be sitting having iced chocolate in the sky lounge, the next there'd be a person just waiting to fall! As with the bungee neither Jo nor I took up the challenge!

Another night out for us on the Saturday as it was last together, but we were still so tired from the previous that we simply went to the cinema to watch Julie and Julia, which we were both pleasantly entertained by, and went in search of the most amazing milkshakes in Food Alley. Unfortunately the shop was closed! Back to the hostel to prepare for our flights the next day!

We went out for another big breakfast on the Sunday morning, this time we were both ready for them! A walk through town as the marathon runners surrounded us on their way to the start line: put us to shame as we walked slowly up the hill! Somehow it came to noon and we made our way to the bus stop: Jo's flight didn't leave until 11 that night so she had the rest of the day to enjoy Auckland, but I was off with my bags to the airport for the seventh time this trip!

I had a window seat next to an American couple, it wasn't the best flight as I couldn't stretch out that much, but considering it was eleven hours it went pretty well! My time travelling adventure had begun: another form of transportation to add to my list!