Goodbye En Zed

Tonight is our last night in Auckland. We had a nice dinner at the rotating restaurant atop the Sky Tower.

Tomorrow, we're off to Canberra, Australia for a volunteer stint at the National Folk Festival. Then, back to Hobart after Easter.

I've got a batch of good stories from our travels around New Zealand. However, my overall impression is that the tourist industry is well in control of many of the activities. Their promotions far exceed what actually transpires, leading to a disproportionate collection of disappointments and resentments. Don't mean to whine, but I've got lots of whining stories alongside the 'cool people that we've met' stories. As soon as I get back to the part of the world that doesn't charge by the tight-assed minute for internet access, I will spill my guts.

In the meantime, if you plan on going to NZ, plan your time carefully, budget way more than you think, and consider going anywhere else. NZ is not the green and wild expanse that they promote. It tempts [mostly] young and foolish folks to 'embrace their fear' and do dangerous things. And, they charge 60 bucks to take yet another bus driven too fast on curvey roads to get there. Then, they drop you at their uncle's cafe where you have to buy your lunch. I'm quite tired of it and I'm looking forward to our previous comfort back in TAS and a visit to the states in June.