Briefly back “home” at the City YHA in Auckland until Monday. Went down K-Road with Amy and Sue last night and discovered bars and clubs we’d aimlessly wandered past while living here which looked fantastic but which we were too knackered for. If only we’d seem them before, kind of thing. Had a lazy day at Starbucks and Victoria Park Market before we leave for Whitianga on Monday. Starting to get a bit tired of living out of a backpack and am really looking forward to working our way down to Wellington so that we can find a permanent bedsit/flat: somewhere that’s ours, rather than another fecking hostel.

Will also be good to catch up with Dan and Joanna down in the capital and also watch a bit of Super 12s and see the Hurricanes in action at the Cake Tin. They’re a bit like the Manchester United of NZ rugby with big names like Jonah Lomu, Christian Cullen and Tana Umaga. Doesn’t look like I’ll be able to watch the Footy FA Cup Semi-Final between the Arsenal and Spurs on Sunday. Firstly, it’s on at 2am over here (so no pubs will be open) and secondly, no TV channels are even showing it so I’ll be relying on text messages from my Dad. Feeling very confident after we saw them off at Highbury on Saturday and then beat Valencia on Wednesday. Always close matches but even with Glenn Hoddle as their new manager, I think we’re just too good for them at the moment. Just a big shame I’m not back at school to get revenge on Nat, Hadj and Fat Matt for all the shit I took when Spurs beat us in 1991! Come on you reds!