Backpacking

About a minute later, I was plunged into complete darkness.

"What the...?" A power cut? God, I hope I wouldn't be trapped in here with my own smell... A couple of seconds later, the lights flickered back on - phew! But to my horror, the Star Trek-stylee door started to swish open noiselessly, slowly revealing the tourist-packed Cathedral Square!

"Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

My face must have been a picture. Cue a Matrix-stylee slow motion scene, camera rotating around me as I sent my copy of Ben Elton's Popcorn spinning to the floor and I dived for the "Close" button, trousers still around ankles...

Luckily, I scrambled for the button in time, and a third of the way open, it reversed its motion.

Only to close and start to open again. Aargh!

Holding my trousers up, I made a dive out the door for the cubicle opposite, in which I got my shit together, so to speak. Miraculously, not one person caught me being outfoxed by a toilet. Or so I hope. It's probably all over the goddamn internet by now...

Later that evening I gratefully boarded my flight

back to Auckland. Not grateful to see Auckland yet again, but rather glad to move on to pastures new: tomorrow I would be in Los Angeles. I had mentally moved on from New Zealand, and was hankering for a bit of US action.

Day 296: 23rd November Do not pass Go

Auckland, New Zealand

Arrived nice and early to check in for my flight to LA, only to receive disturbing news on handing over my now distinctly travel-worn passport.

I was informed that due to the fact the laminate on my passport had peeled back as far as the photo, I wouldn't be allowed into the US, because Round the World Terrorists often had passports in bad condition like this. I had no option but to apply for a brand new passport in New Zealand. Which could take up to a week.

Do I hear the sound of a world crashing down around me?

"Couldn't I just glue it down?" I only half-joked. It seemed insane. What kind of terrorist wouldn't make sure he had absolutely everything in order?