Wellington, New Zealand: Days 96, 97, 98

January 19-21, 2016

Day 96: Drive to Wellington, Victoria's Peak, Rosemary Lamb + Pavlova 

I woke to the quiet hum of the surrounding Tongariro forest and shortly after hit the road. The sun lit up the mountains while the distinctive New Zealand clouds tried to cover them. Driving carefully, not over 80km/hr on my little spare tire, this truly proved that driving through the middle of the country is just as magnificent as driving the coastline. After an hour or so, now in cell service, I called the rental company about my tire. They arranged for it to be changed in the next town.

Hong Kong: Days 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21

Day 16: Halloween Arrival

My flight arrived Saturday evening sometime between 8-9pm. After successfully retrieving Hong Kong Dollars from the ATM (first try!), I asked directions to the MTR (metro system). Unlike mainland China, many people here speak english, so asking for directions proved an easy task. Shortly after, I sat on the airport metro, followed by a free shuttle bus to a hotel near my hostel.

Rainbow Lodge sends an email with great details on how to arrive - I'll be sure to read that before attempting on my own next time. It wasn't extremely difficult, but the fire numbers on skyscrapers are not clear. Third hallway leading into the high rise  from the sidewalk that I tried won. I entered the tiny elevator, checked in, and dropped my bag. The extremely friendly receptionist, with gave blood running down her face, suggested that I get ready to go out and join some others from the hostel out when they returned around 11pm.

Not having a costume, I improvised....