Why I Travel by Train, Still Edition

I had planned to post a bunch of videos here that I took while riding the train through the North and South Islands, but the Nelson library internet is not cooperating sufficiently. So look for the "Moving Edition" sometime after the 4th when I will be back in Auckland. Meanwhile, some pics:

Farmland between Auckland and Hamilton.

The viewing platform on the Overlander train from Auckland to Wellington.

The Overlander at the station platform in Wellington.

The Wellington Train Station.

The Wellington CBD (Victoria U. in the foreground) from the cable tram up to the Botanical Gardens.

Preparing to enter the Queen Charlotte Sound from the Cook Strait between the North and South Islands (the ferry is included on the rail pass, ok?)

Passing Arapawa Island.

Approaching the Picton ferry terminal on the South Island.

Interior of the brand-new cars on the Coastal Pacific line from Picton to Christchurch.

The viewing car on the TranzAlpine line from Christchurch to Greymouth.

The platform at Arthur's Pass - highest settlement in New Zealand.

Heading north again on the Coastal Pacific line.

Bliss.

Quick Note

I am on the road, or rather the rail. I bought a two-week pass to KiwiRail, unlimited on-and-off, and started using it on Monday. Went from Auckland to Wellington on Day One (a 12-hour trip). Spent all of Day Two in Wellington, walking around and seeing things. Day Three I woke up early and took the ferry across the Cook Strait to the South Island. There I hopped on the train again in Picton and took it down to Christchurch (about 6 hours). It is now Day Four, and I will remain in Chch tonight, but probably take another train journey tomorrow, the TransAlpine across the island to Greymouth on the west coast. However, I think that I will get off at Arthur's Pass in the morning, hike all day, spend the night, then complete the journey the next day. Don't think I'll stay in Greymouth - just have lunch then catch the train back to Chch for the rest of the weekend. There is some kind of beer festival going on. Don't want to miss the city putting on a happy face despite the state that it is still in (bad). I might work here, after all.

More detailed descriptions and pictures will come later. It's hard to put all that together on the road, and I don't like killing "do-stuff" time at the computer. Check back later...

Kiwi Coffee

This post has been "in production" since the week that I arrived. I wrote this back then:

"One thing that I am definitely struggling with here in New Zealand is their coffee culture. It is huge. I have never seen so many cafes. In some areas with smaller storefronts, there will literally be three per block, but each will have its own character. Variety is not the problem. The problem is that I am a coffee ascetic, preferring a large cup of some house brew, cream, and several refills please. They don't do that here. No drip coffee, and certainly no refills. All of their drinks are Espresso-based. Their creations are very artistic, but I could care less. I am a coffee gourmand, not a coffee gourmet."

After a few weeks, I am of a bit different mind. I appreciate the artistry, and I definitely appreciate the size of a latte in a bowl. I've moved off of the "flat white" that is so popular here - just not enough volume. Still no free refills, but I feel that if I'm somewhere with good internet, magazines/newspapers, and/or people-watching, it is worth the price. That said, I do now have a little "one-hitter" for making drip coffee by the cup in the manor/hostel kitchen (thanks to Danielle for that little item), because I need my fix as soon as I wake up, and can't be bothered with making myself presentable enough for the cafes on Ponsonby in the early AM. That's for later in the day.

At this very moment I am sitting at Bona Pizzaria on Ponsonby, in the Three Lamps commercial district, about 20 minutes after that top picture was taken. That's the owner/chef there on the right. He is now in the back making me a lunch pizza.

New Digs

So this is where I am now staying, down near the south end of Ponsonby Road, rather than the north. It actually backs onto Western Park. This is more of a traditional hostel, with shared rooms and all, though I booked myself a private one. I had to leave Ponsonby Manor because they booked it up full before I had decided whether or not to pay for another week. It is actually my theory that they are looking to turn out those of us that have been there for a few weeks, because we were all given a discount rate, and I believe that NZ law does not allow them to bump it up once you are in. We are now in the height of the summer season and they are having less difficulty filling the place, so out we go! Ungrateful bastards. Truthfully though, the Manor was a great place, and I am REALLY appreciating the unlimited fast, free internet now. At this new place it is pay-as-you-go, and in NZ, that means by data, not by time. Yeah friends, that sucks. After I get this next job app done, I think I'm going to take a merry jaunt down to the South Island and back, but I will be looking to book the Manor again when I return. I will post more pics when I find time to lurk outside the Manor and boost from them...

The Job Hunt

So, yesterday Auckland Council posted the ideal opening, in my opinion - Urban Design Specialist. They also have an opening for Principal Urban Design Specialist, so it looks like they are creating a new team. Therefore, I am now at the library digging into all of the Council's present plans, looking for what they have already done in the way of urban design standards. Below is a picture of my reading list...

Chinese Lanterns and Super Bowl Monday

This is not the best pic, since all I had was my iPhone and not my Nikon, but you get the picture (or you can see professional shots here). It was dusk and the lanterns were just too bright for the little guy to adjust. Albert Park was slam packed with people for this event. A bit too much for me actually, and most of those I went with (fellow nomads of the Red Monkey Manor), so after getting some cheap eats at the food stalls we carried on. I took my band of nomads to what might be my favorite bar so far in Auckland -  The Library Bar. I think every decent sized city has a library-themed bar, doesn't it?

So that was Saturday night. Sunday was pretty laid back. Job apps and such. Monday was both Waitangi Day and the Super Bowl. Waitangi Day is the closest thing that New Zealand has to an Independence Day, even though it celebrates the signing of the treaty that brought New Zealand into the British Empire in 1840, not the day that New Zealand became independent (because there isn't one - seriously, check it out). Everyone gets a day off, in this case another long weekend, but other than that it's apparently not really a big deal. However, since it coincided with the Super Bowl this year, it ensured that there were a hell of a lot more Kiwis than usual in the bars watching the big game with the Americans. They seemed to really enjoy it, especially the second half. And might I add, without the commercials. This missing element had to be explained repeatedly, as we were watching on international ESPN, and all they showed were the same in-house ads for upcoming sporting events over and over and over, interspersed with the same 15 second Avengers ad over and over and over. The upside was that everyone could actually go to the bathroom without missing anything. We watched at O'Hagan's on the waterfront.

New Google Earth Models

It has been awhile since I have done one of these at all, but I have now finished and submitted my first New Zealand Google Earth Model. It is of a small building that was originally a fire station. You can read more about it on its page in the Google Warehouse. I actually started another model first, but it is very complicated and will probably take another day or two to complete. It is of the former Ponsonby post office - a very iconic building at the top of Ponsonby Road that basically represents the whole neighborhood. Below is a work-in-progess pic.

Typically it takes Google about two weeks to approve new models. They can then be found "live" on Google Earth, just by looking where the building should be, with the buildings layer enabled. I have about 30 of these in the downtown Savannah area. You can find them all here.

Perhaps another entry tonight - heading off to the Chinese Lantern Festival in Albert Park.