Auckland

Auckland is at fever pitch, and it is likely to be for the next two months.



It's the Rugby World Cup. And for the life of me, I cannot muster any enthusiasm about it.



I see the flags going up at work to support various countries and all I can do is roll my eyes.


We have a sweepstake going at work, but I refuse to join in. Not just because I know I won't win anything, but because it just isn't my cup of tea.



Yes, I will join in a sweepstake for the Melbourne Cup. But then again, I've grown up with a father who was into horse racing in a big way and while I used to roll my eyes at that too, I would still enjoy a day out at the races, if only because that meant hot dogs on a stick.



I know I'm not a sports-minded person, but you'd think I'd be into it because of the publicity it's giving our little old New Zealand.



But I guess I'm of the glass half-empty persuasion, because all I see is increased traffic, disruptions to public transport and noise. Lots of noise.



I'm a quiet sort. I grew up in one of our smaller cities and I still prefer that than the big city. I've lived in Auckland for eight and a half years and I will never consider myself an Aucklander, or a JAFA as people used to call them. The term is slightly derogatory.



I once had an argument with a work colleague who had lived in Auckland all his life. He hated it when anyone said anything negative about Auckland. Especially those who have never lived here. Like my father. His experience of Auckland was a day trip to MOTAT or passing through on the motorway on the way to somewhere else. He hated Auckland and he frequently said so. My colleague had a point. How can someone say they hate this city if they've never lived here?



Well, now that I've lived here, I can safely say I have enough experience to judge. And I still dislike Auckland.



When I first moved to Auckland, I had a car and lived out West Auckland, working and studying in town. My first day on the motorway, I clung to that steering wheel for dear life, staring straight ahead. I was terrified of changing lanes and just as terrified that I would get lost. I soon gave up driving in favour of taking public transport. It should have been a lot less stressful, except for the kamikaze speed demons they used to call bus drivers in this city.



One of the big issues I have with this city is the traffic. I just started cycling to work. It's a good thirty to forty minutes, depending on which way I take and all I can say is, it's a good thing it's fairly early in the morning, like 7am, because coming home, the traffic is the worst.



I used to cycle every day. Back when I was a lot slimmer and a lot fitter. Although some would say I was far too skinny. But I would cycle from my home to university, and this was a good 8-10km ride. Each way. So it was no wonder I was skinny.



I'm terribly unfit and my reflexes are incredibly bad. So why am I risking life and limb to cycle in busy traffic? Hmm, allow me to ponder that one. All I can hope for is to keep going until I get a good level of fitness and I might just feel a bit better about cycling in this city. One can only hope.