Don't Let Terry See...

No matter what we had planned to do in New Zealand today, being so far away from home, family and friends for my 30th was always going to be strange and a little hard. Waking up to the never ending party next door didn't make it any easier either. Laura went back to reception to complain and attempt to get us a different room and was met by the woman who had originally booked us the room we had planned to be in. After telling Laura "This is a hostel, you have to expect people to party!" the receptionist suddenly remembered us and the promise she had made when Laura mentioned my birthday, quickly becoming very apologetic. She said we could move rooms if we checked out before 10am and came back at 1pm.

Laura returned to our room still pretty pissed off to be frank, we both expect to hear a few noisy neighbours at places like this but all night long was like salt being rubbed firmly into the wound after they made the mistake of letting our original room go. She had planned a breakfast in bed and an indulgent lie in but now we would have to pack up instead. However we stayed a little while and she made things better when she pulled out a whole heap of birthday letters that she had hidden incredibly well for the last few days. It didn't matter how loud next door wanted to sing, nothing could ruin this. As we hadn't booked anywhere to spend my birthday until the week beforehand I hadn't expected anything from anyone apart from maybe a phone call. Hearing from people I've not spoken to since we left gave me the biggest smile although obviously brought to mind all those I'd love to see, particularly my Granny. On top of all the cards was an impressive parcel from Miss Danielle Keenan. In it was a chocolate bar and a fresh pot of Marmite (plus some lip balm and cereal bar for Laura). Inside the card were messages from loads of my friends, they had clubbed together and raised over 200 pounds for Blakey Aid- now I have to think of a Red Letter Day like experience to blow the cash on!

We packed our bags and checked out. While we waited for a couple of hours until we could get another room we checked the internet where another pile of messages from home came. I wouldn't change anything about the decision to go travelling for a year but ohhhh just to see all these lovely people for an hour! By the time we'd finished off plus a phone call to my Mum we got our new room- it was perfect! A far bigger one with a lush view out to the impressive skyscrappers and bustling streets below and more importantly it was quiet!

What with last night's activities and sleeping in the ladies toilets the previous evening we were about ready to fall asleep. If we didn't then we might not survive the plan to party like animals tonight. We decided to go and have some food first otherwise we might not be able to get up later, so Laura took me to an amazing, totally me kind of place she had spotted earlier- Burgerfuel! Huge slabs of meat, chunky chips and the thickest milkshakes ever!

We got back to our hostel and I fell straight to sleep for a few hours. I woke up to a bouncy girlfriend singing Happy Birthday holding a bottle of champagne, one bottle of white wine and my essential party friend- Jaegermeister! Within seconds of opening my eyes I had the bubbles open in true cork-flying-around-the-room-style and it appeared we were about to get utterly trashed. There were a few things to go to in the city that night but all I wanted to do was spend the evening with my lady in our room and have a lot of fun and that's exactly what we did. We only managed the champagne and decided that as it was officially my birthday in England tomorrow that we would start celebrations off again then- this year I was going to have my birthday twice!

The following morning was how the previous day should have started- cups of tea, slices of toast (with Marmite), a comfy bed and a beautiful woman to go in it. This was much more like it!

After a super relaxing morning and getting another chunk of emails from home we decided to get out and about with our new found energy. We walked up to a place called Ponsonby where we had heard good things about, which included a brilliant area to chill out on hundreds of bean bags under a massive christmas tree in a lush park. When we arrived the tree, which was just made from thousands of light bulbs, wasn't on until later in the evening, so we checked out the park which was full of intriging art pieces and had a look around some more interesting shops. This part of the city had much more character and catered to our tastes with every shop display tempting us to look inside. We had some tasty lunch and quickly went back to pack our bags so we wouldn't have to do it first thing the next day with hangovers right before our flight to Christchurch.

Last night we had only made it through one bottle of alcohol so now was time to finish it off and after one glass of white wine (with aromas of cut grass and moles) each, we could both tell that tonight was going to be the night it was meant to be. One bottle down and some stupid camcorder moments starting up we decided to go out for dinner. With dinner came another bottle and everything from then on in became hilarious! We laughed hard for ages and made the decision to take our bottle of Jaeger out on to the pier and talk to the Penguins (there aren't any in Auckland mind).

After a stumbling walk there to see, well not much (there isn't even a public pier), we remembered the spot under the Christmas tree in Ponsonby and caught a taxi straight to it. We sloshed ourselves on to the bed of cushions alongside people in a similar state and gazed up at a truly mind bending spectacle of lights forever changing patterns shooting towards the sky. There was even a phone box with a direct line to Santa. Even without the drink I would dare anyone not to get a little tripped out staring at the lights for more then a few minutes- we stayed there for hours so you can imagine what we were like (especially after finishing the Jaeger bottle there too!) We were out of it and sang ridiculous made up songs like "Don't let Terry see, don't let Terry see!" (it's illegal to drink in public here- ooops) and "Sky City, across the universe, always following Captain Kirk", nothing that will make any sense to you but at the time it made complete sense to us and we'll explain if you ever see the video!

The evening had been utterly perfect- just like a party back home and we eventually left the light show and headed back for sleep, but not before being loons in the local park climbing trees, going down massive kid's slides in the playground and singing more ridiculous songs. This ended abrubtly when I clambered into a large tube slide to suddenly come face to face with another adult crouching in the flume. This one was probably on more then Jaeger as he proclaimed "Shape shifting Motherfucker!" We walked quickly from the park in fits of giggles with a fair few glances over the shoulder! This will be one birthday I will never forget. Tomorrow we fly to the South Island of New Zealand to start our first day of camping in our three week trip around some of the most amazing places on Earth!