Same Same but different.

The main reason for the lack of recent blogs is that not a great deal has changed since last time. The other reason is that I forgot my password for ages.
I'm still here in Auckland, discovering that saving money for travels is pretty difficult in New Zealand. My plans now are up in the air. The original mission to see South Africa before my ticket runs out may not happen, but if that's the case then I'll definitely make sure that I see as much of New Zealand as I can while I'm here. Although money is always a problem these days, and big nights out are scarce, I can't complain about life at the moment. Since last time I've moved into a new place with a couple of mates from Ireland. Our flat has become a 'halfway house' where people come and go at all hours, occasionally sober but it's a rarity. I've made loads of great friends here, and when I do manage to socialise I'm the lightweight of the group. Our flat is pretty grim, we've got at least three mice scurrying about the place, a TV and DvD player, a settee and a cardboard cut out of Clint Eastwood, and that's about it. The mice are okay, they don't show their faces that often, but Clint is pretty grumpy and it's become a friday night tradition for some drunk person or other to give him a good kicking while dancing to Where is the Love.
Our Neighbours used to be two middle aged Thai Prostitutes, but they moved out last week (I guess they felt we were lowering the tone). And we're on the lookout for anywhere better to live. I've not managed to see much else of New Zealand so far. It seems that the rest of the country hate Aucklanders (On a road trip to nearby Hamilton I saw a huge billboard declaring 'NO AUCKLANDERS!'). Aside from Hamilton I've managed to visit some volcanic hot springs in Rotorua and also been through Taupo, but that can't have been too good as I can't remember what there was there.
Auckland itself requires time before you can like it. The main city is ultra modern (with the most Sci-fi Public toilet i've ever seen, it plays 'What the world needs now is love', and has way too many buttons and switches for my liking) but the surrounding areas are nice. I've been up our local volcano, Mt Eden, a few times, including a night when there was lightning all around us. Watching the lightening strike the Sky Tower was quite a spectacle, and the guys who I was with were convinced that it was aliens attacking.
So, hopefully next time things will have moved on, but for now I'm enjoying myself where I am and hoping that the money fairies will give me a break at some point. I've got more stories but can't remember them now, so will probably do another blog soon when I remember. In the meantime, better get a quick smoke in before going back to work (dammit!)