Kiwi

We awoke, tidied and re-packed, scoffed our remaining yoghurts and checked out of Base Hostel. Once the important business of returning the key was done on time, we headed to the jobseekers office for a consultation.
The results were unpromising. We were told that jobs at the moment are practically endangered, due to seasonal issues and many redundant Kiwis. Oh dear. We faced absolute dread as the possibility of not being physically able to work, and therefore, the realisation that the money was out hit us.
However, the nice lady, Jodi, phoned a hostel a Hawke's Bay on our behalf. The idea here is that the hostel owners in work-saturated districts use their position as a sort of go-between backpackers and contracters. Therefore, once we have a booking in a hostel, the owner will lead us into jobs as the contractors call each day needing workers and the owner can tell them how many willing people are ready to go. This is probably what we shall end up doing, as it allows us the slim chance of work, whereas nothing else seems to hold that option. It is still a gamble though, so we have left it for a day in the hopes that something better will come along or that there will be increased chances of the venture working in our favour.
In the meantime, we popped along to the bank and sorted out our very own New Zealand bank accounts. We are now practically pure Kiwi, as many natives keep informing us when they hear how long we have been in the country.
We spent some quality time in the library again, Alex finishing up his portfolio site and I freaking myself out with the accuracy of a palmistry book.
Then, we popped along to the Chifley Suites to harangue the receptionist once again - this time, for entrance to the upper realms, where Alex's mum, Val, had arrived a few hours previously. It was bizarre being back in an identikit copy of the room we occupied back in September, but cool as well and lovely to see Val. We had tea and a chat and then Alex and I embarked on a foraging mission for pizza.
Amazingly, we managed to get lost on the way to the pizza place and discovered a whole new road in Auckland, with mosaic walls and restaurants. Once we located Dominoes, we ordered our tasty pizzas, inhaling the scent emanating form the ovens and I resisted, with every ounce of self-control I could muster, adding chocolate fudge brownies to the list of pizza and garlic bread that we bought. It was hard!
We returned to the Chifley Suites and we all munched through the yummy pizza. It was soo good! Being without an oven is not an option for the future, natch.
We have made plans for tomorrow's meeting, as phones are proving to be tricky beasts here. Its muffins at dawn and more plans from there!