General admission

First, let me tell you about airports. I love airports. Everything from the colourful establishments to the temperate surroundings gets me giddy with excitement. Or perhaps that kind of feeling is triggered by the anticipation of my journey. It has come to the point where I even adore the smell of the stale air mixed with carbon fumes - you'd know what I'm talking about as you're just about to board a plane.

I happened to be the first to board my flight (after the elderly + disabled), which was a first for me. It was just coincidence that they started the line where I stood, which was at the furthest point from the boarding counter.

But enough of my flight tales, here's what happened last weekend:

We had to take a train ride to the Penrose station where Mt Smart stadium is. The train ride was slow and steady (and won the race compared to the day before when someone yanked the emergency stop).
This was how the queue looked like the moment we got off the train.


The walk was long but it was enjoyable - beautiful sunny evening weather in Auckland with all kinds of people on tow.


I was ready for the occasion with my face paint! A guy called me warrior - maybe he was referring to the ultimate warrior? Anyway, it earned countless smiles and some other good stuff ;) Good thing I bought those colours too 'cos my next dream destination would be Old Trafford haha :)


As we descended onto the stadium, we noticed that something had already descended. It was gargantuan. I've never seen anything like it. Someone told me that it had to be hauled over by 6 jumbo jets. Well here's the actual fact according to Paul McGuinness: there was no way it could have been flown in by plane so it had to take a ship. Another fact: they have 3 of these "things" at their disposal (let me guess - one for North America, one for Europe, and one for everywhere else?)



Not that many seats taken - mainly cause everyone's packed themselves on GA / General Admission / standing only / best place to watch a concert



Jay-Z was tight. Imagine him as an opening act and you'd be like Waa? No way! Well he was the opening act and he ripped out some of his best. I particularly likes his remix of Alphaville's Forever Young.





Oh yeah, the smell in the air was pretty familiar - with the face paint (and a tablespoon of friendly demeanour) it wasn't too difficult to score some :)

That's the first half of the story!