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6 January 2007, Auckland, Auckland Int'l YHA     I've been in-country about a day and a half. I'm a little freaked out, to be honest, but for no good reason. I've screwed up some of the logistics and that's going to make my timetable more difficult, but nothing's seriously wrong yet. It's Saturday today; I couldn't find any banks open to ask about opening a temporary account. That shouldn't be too surprising considering the old adage about "banker's hours", but I'd've been able to find something in California. I didn't think about it yesterday, on my arrival, and so now I have to wait until Monday. How much time will an electronic transfer take for the money to be available, so that I can buy a car? Fneh.     I'd been dreading the flight, a 12-hour direct from Los Angeles to Auckland, but it turned out not to be that bad. I still wouldn't recommend sitting in a confined place as a way to improve my general outlook and attitude, but Air New Zealand really is a step above the current condition of most American carriers these days, either the budget carriers or the normal airlines. Finally, seats that don't feel as if they were designed for someone 4'11" with a recurved spine. And excellent service. First time I've ever flown on a 747, either; with the advent of hub-and-spoke systems in the 80's, most of them have been phased out of service in the domestic US flights. I didn't try to sneak up to the upper floor, but there was notably more headroom even down in the cheap seats. The flight left LAX at about nine-twenty at night and we arrived in Auckland at about six-thirty (local time and a day off). I read some of Peter Senge's Fifth Discipline sourcebook for schools, watched the movies The Departed and Pirates of the Carribean 2 and got maybe four or five hours of fitful sleep before waking back up. Two benadryl didn't seem to do anything, even if they were spaced about an hour apart. So much for experimental self-medication.
    I took a shuttle into the city and dropped my large bags off at the hostel in one of their lockers, bringing my daypack with me for some small exploring. I reconned Queen Street, clearly not a local but blending in to the hordes of other international backpackers. Evidently this is the young part of the city as everyone appears teenaged or in their twenties. It can't hurt that the University is only a few blocks away, as I stumbled on later. I walked down to the piers and poked around briefly, but they were set up for business, not casual nosiness. The climate seemed an odd mix of San Francisco, Norfolk, and a hint of southern California; Monterey or San Luis Obispo seemed the closest analogues, but with east-coast clouds and vegetation. Of course, it's its own distinct place and not a combination of my own former memories, but that's a starting point for comparison.
    I had lunch at a greasy-spoon noodle shop and wandered over to Albert Park, having seen a sign for it. I passed by the Central Auckland Public Library on the way. I do seem drawn to libraries, but (sadly) this one didn't seem to have free wireless... I hung out in Albert Park for a while, but given its manicured design, I soon headed over to the University. I wasn't really looking for anything in particular, but saw signs for the Geology department and rooted around until I found Darren Gravely (CMC '96), who I'd had a couple of classes with a decade past while I was at Pomona. I'd asked Rick for his email a couple of times, but never followed up on it, so it was a complete surprise for me to walk in unannounced. I've got to stop doing that. We talked a while before he needed to meet with a colleague.
    Walked back to the hostel, checked in, spent an hour searching for a backpacker's used-car market before finding it. I'm not sure if I'll use it or not, but it's a potential resource. The flyers at the hostel and TradeMe seem to have better prices.
10 January 2007, Auckland City YHA.
12 Jan 07, Central Whirinaki Hut.
    Came down through Hamilton to Waitomo and the glowworm caves. I, ah, chose not to partake, having an inveterate dislike of tourist traps. Had a picnic lunch while musing about kids on swings, pendulums, and harmonic motion. Did a humid, hot, and short bushwalk for about an hour.
    Back on the road down to Rotorua. Lots of people were napping on the afternoon shift--nice not to be driving, at least. I'd picked up a copy of Anne Rice's Pandora at the Auckland City Hostel and got about halfway through that. Any reading will be pure serendipity the rest of the trip; I left everything but the guidebooks behind. We made an obligitory circuit of historic Rotorua, but I suspect we were most interested in the grocery store, the restaurants, and the bars. Although not necessarily in that order. Very jarring to see fumaroles, hot pools, and other thermal features surrounded by manicure lawns and cultivated gardens.
13 Jan, Central Whirinaki again.
14 Jan. Day 3 on the Whirinaki and out. Rotorua YHA.
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Sabbatical notes
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