People started dropping.like flies after the 16th if June starting with Sarah, one if my good friends, then two more, Dani and Tim, the following day. I wrote my last final in the 20th, and went ti get my tattoo from Arapeta at Otautahi on K road the following day. I'm glad Nick was able to get up and come with me, though I would have rathered a woman's input. He and I then met up with buds near the Ferry Building, (Cough, sneeze, laugh laugh laugh!)and Kat and Carli both ended up back at the tattoo shop to draft their own! I went with them Friday to hold Carli's hand (she was a trooper) and help Kat with the placement.
Saturday, Carli and I ventures over to Waiheke where I rented a motorcycle!!! It was an old school 250cc Honda, but it did the job for my inexperienced self. Carli was almost not permitted too rent as she's only 19, but in the end they let her take out a scooter. The poor thing maxed out at 50kmh, so I had to constantly pull over ti let Tue build up if cars behind us to pass, but it was worth it! We had pretty good weather, it only rained long.enough for is to.go inside and grab a coffee. Then we watched an amazing sunset from Trigg Hill!
Monday Heather, Carli, Kat and I rented a small car originally destined foe Paihia in the Bay of Islands, but given the 3.5h drive ti get there, we opted foe.the closer Piha beach on the West Coast about 1 hour from the rental dealer. We then beach hopped from Piha to Bethells (where we saw a Caution Quicksand sign!!) to Muriwai (where Colin and I hang glidded) then back to Auckland for the last PSV blowout party! Cody DJed and we didn't get broken up by Lexi!
Tuesday, Griffin, Noah, Rachel and I went for breaky/lunch at this amaZing place called the Fridge in Kingsland. I had French toast, and it came with seared bananas! The majority of PSV cleared out Tuesday night, with 2 shuttles full of.people leaving all at once, and Abe with a car-load of people! (he bottomed out at the top of the PSV entry gate with 5 people and 4 people's stuff!) I was pretty bumbed after that major departure as I said goodbye to 2 of my closest friends. PSV was very quiet then.
Wednesday was Griffin's departure. We went for breaky at Fraser's in Mnt Eden which was pricey, but totally worth it! (I had pancakes with honey comb butter, fruit, and_____) we then wandered back to PSV for Griffin to finish packing. He left to.catch the bus around 4pm, then I went to dinner with Celia later that night. We ate at a Thai place in Kingsland. It was delicious! The BYO laws are great, we shared a bottle of white for 5$!
Thursday I borrowed Abe's car (he rented one in anticipation of his departure on Friday) to visit the MOTAT museum. It fulfilled my nerdy side! The museum has 2 parts connected by a tram, and entry was free for the month if June. One part is full of machines and engines and cars and telecommunications equipment, details of the polar expedition etc, while the other part is an aviation museum! There's were tons if.cool planes and details about Jean ____ a e-mail kiwi pilot who kicked ass on worldwide solo flights! That night Abe, Andy, Girish and I went for a drink at the Windsor Castle in Parnell. There was live music and good company to celebrate Abe's last night.
Friday I visited the Auckland Art Gallery in the morning, passes through the UoAs gift shop to.pick up a tee, and hurried home to pack for my dive.trip up to Northland Dive to so my Advanced Open Water Dive Course!
Saturday and Sunday we're spent in the water or.freezing in the boat or in shore. Some Sun would have been nice, but we made due. I complete 5 dives: peak performance, navigation, night dive, deep dive and a wreck dive! All in all, the weekend was a success, and a good way.to end my time with the AUUC. (though I hope to.see.some if.them tonight when we go fir.drinks in at the Kingslander!
Phew. Today I've been stressed about packing, returned a shirt to.Ice Breaker (I had to.play the leaving student card), gone to get my tattoo checked (it looks great!) and wandered down Queen Steet one last time. I'm currently sitting in the same coffee shop where I enjoyed my first kiwi panini with chutney, and fell in love with kiwi coffee (mochaccinos specifically). So much has changes since then...
I'm really gonna miss New Zealand. Im off to OZ tomorrow!
