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I landed today in Auckland at 12.01AM. It was a 3.30 hours flight from Melbourne. The airport seemed good, but again nothing to match the class of the likes of Changi (Singapore) or Suvarnabhumi (Bangkok). But anyways, a critical viewpoint has become a part of me as I travel I guess. It is but natural when you get to see more than one country, the more you have to compare.
After I landed I found out that I had booked the ticket for ‘today’ night, which was the 16th, instead of the 15th night (which was ‘today’ morning). Yes it was confusing. Thankfully, only one room was available in the Best Western Airport Hotel near the airport and the Information desk at the airport helped me secure it. The free shuttle van from the hotel came to pick me up and dropped me off at the lodge. It was 1 AM already and I had nothing to eat as everything was closed. Nevertheless, two Mars bars did the trick and I logged on to wireless internet in the hotel lodge. A day without internet is a day without water. It’s surprising how the needs of a common man have become – from hunting and eating berries and living in caves to wine tasting, gizmos, plastic money and beachfront apartments. The fact is that the more we crave for the more the harmony of the brain is disturbed, the more we achieve the more we want.
Went off to bed at 3 AM and got up at 9AM to get ready for the meeting with Mike at the Kawasaki Office and the big handover of the Concours 14 to me. |
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Minutes later I was shaking hands with Mike with a shine in my eyes, hunting for a sight of the Concours. Mike came across a very pleasing and helpful personality for a person of his importance and stature. He said that the joy lies in small details. And I agree. He had specially come to the office for me on a Saturday. Now I knew how particular the Australians were about working on Saturdays or after hours, but not this man. Mike showed me around the NZ Kawasaki HQ and finally led me to the Concours. After this trip I might be testing some Kawasaki motorbikes. Report and pictures will be on xBhp as and when it happens.
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My task then was to filter the stuff from my suitcases and put them into the bike. I also had to setup the tankbag (non magnetic but with a wire lock). Now I had four luggage containers : Tankbag, side panniers and one backpack. I kept all the camera equipment handy in front of me in the tank bag. The laptop and external HDD went into the backup to shield it from the hard bumps. The side panniers took my clothes, wires and chargers, some books and magazines and breakfast (white bread, jam spread and 2 litres of chocolate milk. I was also carrying a tripod on my back.
After setting the things up in the bike, I stashed my suitcases in the Kawasaki office till the end of the trip. Now I was ready to go. Just before I was about to leave Mike presented me with a ticket to a MX Supercross at the Telstra Clear Stadium in a suburb in Auckland.
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My first trip on the bike was from the lodge near the airport to the venue of the MX supercross, a 10 odd kms ride. I found many people on the streets and redlights to find my way. I find it the easiest to go into a gas station on the side roads and ask for directions if required. This time it was two Indian students, one pukka Punjabi, basicall laughing out each and every customer that entered into the shoppe. Poor gullible souls, they probably didn’t know what the ‘Punjabi Munda’ was making fun of! But hey all in good spirits! And he was studying Homeopathy, so it’s not entirely his fault if he was cranky! Chak de phatte!
The event was happening in a ground near the stadium. I entered through the indoors and exited to the main dirt arena which was specially created for this. The roar of bike engines could be heard across the main road. I could already see the MX bikes flying high over the mud crests and rolling around the troughs like they were flowing on water.
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The power and the strength of the chasis of the bikes seemed unreal as they floated high up in the air and landed real hard. This was the first time I had seen a MX race up close, and nothing better to see it here in NZ, where the culture is developed. In fact I was told that dirt riding was more developed than road biking here in NZ. Maybe due to the fantastic off roading options they have.Coming back to the race, there were various categories. Amongst them there was junior race with 6 year old kids, fully dressed up and riding mini-MX bikes like they were pro – in fact they were pros, just young ones though. I immediately remembered Mael, Ken’s (Krishnendu’s Son). Ken is a member of our club xBhp and he has a very cute son who is treading along his father’s path. Here in NZ, the biking culture is deep rooted and runs across generations. Now by a biking culture I mean they are really into it. The sons, daughters, fathers and mothers. The ladies know all the technical terms, many of them ride bikes too. The fathers of course, no matter how old they are, I can now be never too surprised if I see a 65 year old guy taking corners on a BMW like maybe even we cant. The people seem to know how to live life to the fullest here, and not just earn money, raise children and then wait.
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