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Practice Run 2: Night Lights, CBT, and a fare-dodger
4 Comments · Posted by andrew in Uncategorized
Hit/miss: Hit.
Today’s highlight: The ferry building, and watching a middle-aged lady getting caught trying to fare-dodge.
Today was the second and final day of my partner’s work training, which saw her attending two different sites – one at the bottom of Hobson St, and one at Stanley St. We figured out she walked over 6km today.
Today was also the evening of the CBT drinks and the last night of the Night Lights at the ferry building.
Once again we parked and rode at Baldwin Ave Station. Today’s travel was to Northcote, then Takapuna, then back to town to meet up with my partner between her two courses, then down to the train to meet up with the CBT folk.
Northcote to Takapuna is a little slow but overall ok. Bendybus from Takapuna to town made some worrying noises at every little bump and the driver could’ve caused an accident at Fanshawe/Hobson by turning from the right lane on Fanshawe to the left lane on Hobson. Red lights seemed to be merely a suggestion to this guy too.
Next up was the CBT trip. It was nice to meet you guys, and I wish I could have stayed for the whole thing but my partner was still in town and we needed to get dinner and have a look at the Ferry building. Hopped off to turn around at Henderson.
Following dinner we checked out the Ferry building’s night lights display. This was much better than the Town Hall and the building looked fantastic. You had to be there to get the full effect. Quay St was closed to traffic for the event.
We headed back to on the last train west at 9:33pm. Most seats were full. We were amused to watch a middle-aged lady caught out trying to fare-dodge on the last train home by pretending to read a magazine, then looking so indignant when dobbed in by pretty much everyone around her.
bus · CBT · discovery pass · fare dodging · ferry building · train
James · October 25, 2009 at 8:48 pm
Your life, travel wise, is certainly more complicated than mine was when I went without a car. My schedule was pretty much to and from work with occasional walks to the supermarket or bank etc. In fact reading your posts has brought home to me just how repetitive it all was. I did have use of a car if I needed it for emergencies and the like. My carless days were in Wellington where everything is a little more intimate than Auckland. Keep up the good work.
Admin comment by andrew · October 26, 2009 at 5:58 pm
I’d imagine this would be easier to do in Wellington! There is far more within range of the big transit corridors.
So what made you return to using a car?
James · October 26, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Convenience. I still use PT quite a bit though. Looking forward to the new trains too.
Admin comment by andrew · October 27, 2009 at 6:54 am
Yeah, you’re lucky you’ll be getting new stuff. I’ve seen the photos of the mock-up of the first unit (here if anyone’s interested).
Latest (unconfirmed) rumor up here is they’ll be mothballing the wires in the middle of the North Island and sending the (25 year old) locos from there up here to haul our (35 year old, ex Brit Rail) SA cars which creak at any gentle corner and sound ready to snap on the tight ones!
*sigh* at least we’ll be getting half a new fleet I guess.