When you live in the South Pacific, you should really explore it a bit
I know Kiwis who have never left the boundaries of New Zealand. Heck, I know people down here who have never left - and continue to refuse to - the South Island of this insular nation. I , on the other hand, couldn't live without expanding my comfort zones or see new places and meet new noders, er, people. With my brother (representing a large German company) being down in Melbourne on business with his delightful partner and me being in Auckland for the Steely Dan Concert, I thought I use the proximity of an international airport and extend the weekend for a little trip to the capital of Victoria and meet my protector, financial advisor and all around good guy.
Emirates Airlines flew me within 3 hours thirty and in comfort over the Tasman Sea. The only problem was my seat neighbour from hell: without introducing myself (or my profession) I knew within the first minute about her medical conditions (arthritis and epilepsy {though never fully diagnosed, which screams Pseudo Seizures}), the fact that she hasn't flown for 27 years (honeymoon to Fidji) and that the poor people on her right were her long suffering hubby and her embarrassed daughter. After half an hour of instructions of how to use the in-flight entertainment system, the pillow and the blanket, I finally switched on Ocean's 13, just to be interrupted every 15 minutes to get her luggage out, let her through to have walkies and loo breaks and still get interrupted with details about her medications. After 3 and a half hours of purgatory I left elated and made it within half an hour to my hotel, the very soon going to be reviewed (and it's not going to be pretty folks) Hilton on the Park, to meet my waiting bro. Highland Park and Heineken ensued, and after an refreshing nocturnal snooze, today the outskirts of Melbourne beckoned. What a refreshingly well designed place Melbourne is: public transport in abundance, excellent beaches, nice air and a general cosmopolitan atmosphere around it. Sorrento felt positively European with its little beach cafes, good eateries and general snobbery around it. Nevertheless without a doubt a great weekend retreat for the upper middle classes.
More tomorrow.