You Can Go Your Own Way...

So like Johann Sebastian, I'm back only I'm sitting in the domestic terminal in Auckland. Last couple of weeks were really hectic at the Aussie Millions, made some good news friends though and saw some people I hadn't spoken to for a while. Anyway, I left Australia today after a couple of days in Sydney, was there for Australia Day. Amazing how such a laid back bunch of people got so patriotic all of a sudden, I've always been in the 'Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel' camp.

So originally, the plan was for Dan and I to go to Auckland and hang out there for a week, but then we talked about hiring a car and driving around, finally I decided, fuck it, I want to go lots of cool random things. I increased the days in NZ from 7 to 11 and in Fiji from 11 to 14, shortening my Hawaii escapade to just 3 or 4 days but I think it'll prove to be the right decision.

I've decided to do a couple of backpacking tours, which might take me out of my comfort zone a little but that's mainly the point. Dan decided he'd rather travel around the North Island and play lots of golf which is cool but not something I'm interested in. So he's sticking to the original itinerary and I'm on a new one and we'll catch up in Hawaii.

I'm not that worried, when I originally planned to travel alone this was the kind of thing I was going to day. I think staying Melbourne with Dan was too comfortable and more of a laze-around holiday for me than I should've done. Now I've signed up to two week-long backpacking tours in New Zealand and Fiji and I've become much more excited about it all. Booked an...80 pound return flight from Christchurch to Auckland (the pause was for me looking for the pound sign on this computer and not finding one) and staying in a hostel for next to nothing.

3 people separately have told me to go to Queenstown while someone else said do the TranzAlpine Train Ride. The trip I'm doing does both of these things and it's all called 'Back Paddock' which gives it an amusingly dirty name for no reason whatsoever. That kinda sealed the deal for me.

After that it's on to Fiji for a couple of weeks for another trip which also should be good fun. I've got no idea what's going to happen over the next 3 and a half weeks, and I actually like that.

Song of the Day: Emilia Torrini - Jungle Drum