Classing it Up

Despite the fact that I will probably have to live off of rice and potatoes for the next month, I ended up springing for the swank motel room and $100 later I was standing outside a creamsicle-orange coloured complex with mixed feelings about what I might find. As it turned out, despite the retro exterior, my room had a full, comfy queen size bed, satellite tv, a full kitchenette and there was a hot tub out back (spa pool in kiwinese). As another antidote to my sniffles and doldrums, I took my mamma's advice and grabbed the ferry to the North Island for a change of scenery.

New Zealanders know how to run a ferry- the place had it's own movie theatre, playground for the kids, cafe, and best of all, a full bar. I skipped the movie and had a few beers on my crossing. As I entered the ferry terminal in Wellington, a man was standing at the base of the escalator holding a sign with my name on it. You wouldn't think that a place called Ezi-Hire Car Rentals would think of the finer touches but I have never had better customer service in my life. They are even letting me drop off the car in a city that they don't have an office in at no extra charge; "someone will come round and pick it up, no worries". I really am becoming fond of Kiwis.

To finish off the evening I went to see the new Wolverine movie at this really cool movie theatre downtown. All doric columns and Maori-carved crown mouldings, and even real curtains in front of the screen. I paid the extra $3 to sit in the leather seats in the middle- very swank- I even got to bring in my glass of wine from the little jazz bar in the lobby. Turns out that the whole place was refurbished for the Return of the King world premiere, which they held there. There were all these small plaques on the seats listing who sat where during the premiere. I sat where Frodo sat! A gal has to geek it up once in a while.

-A.