I feel like all I am doing is booking an checking out itineraries lately. I had to plan the rest of Australia, Tasmania, Sydney, check hotels and airbnb, flight, best prices… (don’t book on expedia.com.au but on expedia.com – it’s 20% cheaper if you go via the US site – same flights….)
I urgently needed a place in Auckland though. I was really late, some great (and relatively cheap) places were booked already when I started looking.
But still, there was some good choice. I had no idea about the city, I briefly flipped through my book, to see what would be a hip area…
I rely on reviews, and a couple of descriptions in my book. Sounds like there are bars, restaurants, and it’s close to the center. It’s like a blind flight. But it seems I landed somewhere:
I’ll be staying with Harvey, a photographer, in his quiet, charming place in Auckland in the Ponsonby / Saint Mary’s Bay area.
It’s hard to decide. I just had a talk with my current host Kate about how to decide whom to contact and what to take. I mostly look for price first. It makes no sense to look up places I can’t afford.
Second criteria is wireless wifi, then a washer would be nice. It should be in a nice, cool area of town. I realize how the choice of your neighborhood totally determines your experience.
So, I think I made a good choice. And Harvey is a professional photographer with a number of projects and exhibitions. This will be really interesting to discover.
And the booking and planning continues: