Barefoot boxing

Auckland - Nov 3, 2006
I emerged from Auckland airport to witness the sunrising on the southern hemisphere, slightly unnerved that Nov 2 had escaped me somewhere en route. From this point on I was following the traditional plan - push on and see what happens. On the Skybus into town I carefully reviewed my accommodation options and used the tried and tested method of selecting one - pick the first in the list.

First impressions of Auckland:

1. There seem to be a number of people without shoes (and not homeless and not crusty hippy types either), just padding about barefoot out of choice. I have to say they usually weren't wearing suits atop. (This phenomenon got out of control further down in the south island.)

2. There are a similarly large number of people carrying cardboard boxes. So many so that I noticed it and it started to fascinate me. Maybe it's a bit like when you're a kid and your parents got a new car (well, usually secondhand but new to them anyway) and all of a sudden the roads seem to be packed with the same make and model. Who knows? Certainly not me.

Rather like with the Mexican Goths of Morelia I was a little too shy to whip the camera out and snap these two strange facets of Auckland life.

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Memo to self: do not take up a career as a journalistic photographer

"Errr..sorry to bother you, would you mind if I took a picture...silly question, of course you would...sorry...how crass of me...please forgive me...here, have a Milky Bar...I won't trouble you any more...I'm off now...sorry...forget I ever asked..."
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Instead, here are a couple of snaps of the city of Auckland. If you look hard, I'm sure you'll see someone barefoot and carrying a box.

Downtown in the City of Sails, so called because everyday there's at least one shop that has discounted the price of its wares. [Must have a word about the spelling error with the City Council.]

A volcanic crater (I forget the name of it...let's call it Tongatingariro) looking north to the city

PS How sad is it that I'm doing this on Christmas Day? I think it's time for a sherry.