The Day took a turn

Morning started in the best of times, and evening is ending in the worst of times.  Had a nice drive along the East coast.  Scenery was spectacular with amazing beaches.  Then the navigation confusion set in.  The GPS navigator has a NZ accent.  This is confusing in and of itself, but Kadizzle also ran the Google version on the phone.  Now add to this some dinger tailgating the slow American and you have what almost turned out to be a disaster.  Kadizzle turned right into the right lane towards a car coming head on.  The accident was averted, but the other drive must have given Kadizzle the NZ finger.  It was some hand signal that signified Kadizzle was an idiot.

Somehow the navigation confusion ultimately led Kadizzle to a place he had considered going down the West coast.  So that part worked out.  Then it occurred to Kadizzle that there would be some problems returning the rental car.  This led to the mother of all navigation mistakes.  The car GPS led Kadizzle through a frustrating maze of Auckland streets.  Auckland is a very big sprawling city, and it is laid out in the most confusing fashion.  Mrs. British accent GPS was either saying B or D and that is a real mess when those are both choices on the large motor lane where Kadizzle had all sorts of problems.  The road signage makes it even worse.  At several intersections you could go right or left to Auckland. Kadizzle was trying to find the car rental place.  After Kadizzle finally found the place the woman there was so busy on the phone that she put people on hold and tried to talk intermittently.  So to solve the return problem it is an extra $40 dollars to leave the car at the airport.

Getting to the airbnb involved more maize work and an American pissing off a few more NZs.  About to explode from frustration Kadizzle finally made it to the airbnb.  Now the next surprise.  No mention in the communications that the home is hidden behind several others down a narrow driveway.  Thinking Kadizzle had the right place he banged on the door.  Nothing happened.  Now what in the hell do we do.  It sounded like people were around somewhere so Kadizzle whistled and shouted hello.  Finally a Chinese woman appeared at the door and indicated this was the place.  Mrs. Chinese person speaks nor understands much English.  So she calls the owner on the phone to be an interpreter. Kadizzle wants a glass with ice so he can have some cold water.  Moa's wife gives Kadizzle a glass measuring cup with ice in it.  The place has no provision for 110 American plug in so the phone and laptop will go dead.  Ah, almost forgot, the Chinese lady has a barking  rat dog.  Now for the dinger.  The place does seem to be very clean and Mrs. Moa made Kadizzle take off his shoes and put on sandals.  This seemed great until we walked through the living room and there were the dog droppings right in the middle of the floor.  They have since been removed.  Now I see why you have to wear sandals.

As if the day could not get worse Kadizzled decided to check on his plane ticket for tomorrow. It turned out something went wrong.  There was no ticket purchased.  Kadizzle had to rebook the whole thing.

Two strange things registered with Kadizzle as he drove.  The young school children everywhere go barefoot.  They all wear uniforms, which apparently do not include shoes.  Seems strange to see even older kids with no shoes.  The next strange sight was what appeared to be civilians moving a modern tank down the road.  With no warning here is a tank half on and half off the road.  Who knows what that was about.  Tomorrow the adventure heads to the south island.  May the day go more smoothly.