Ready for the holidays
Auckland is finally opening up and we’ll be heading off for the holidays. We can’t wait! There’s so much to do with final Christmas gifts to buy and things to buy for camping. I need to get organised. Fortunately Albany Mega Centre has everything you need for the summer holiday with the family.
It’s been a difficult few months in lockdown at home with the kids. Balancing home stuff, the kids schooling plus my job has really taken it out of me. And as the prospect of a summer holiday looked doubtful I found myself getting somewhat depressed. The opening up of Auckland was like pulling the curtains back and letting the sun in. I’m like an excited school kid, ready to hit the road.
We’ve got a very busy schedule for the holiday. First it’s the long drive to Wellington to catch up with my parents, then a couple of nights with friends in the Wairarapa before a camping holiday with the kids in Hawkes Bay. Less than two weeks to go, and typical of me, I’ve left everything to the last minute. I’m feeling anxious about it. A trip to the Albany Mega Centre is definitely in order.
First stop, The Warehouse for some gardening things for mum and dad’s Christmas present. While I’m there I get a voucher for my sister and a whole lot of Cadbury Favourites to give to friends we’ll pop in to see along the way. Just up the road, at Rebel Sport, I grab a couple of Nerf guns and some vouchers for my nephew. My sister won’t be pleased but no doubt she’ll buy something equally inappropriate for my boys to “help them discover the pleasures of poetry” or similar!
I pop into Hallenstein Brothers and buy a couple of sweatshirts for our boys. They’ve both grown a lot in the last year, especially over lockdown, so last year's clothing won’t do for those chilly nights sitting around the camp.
Then it’s off to Farmers. We need a new outdoor dining set to take away. I find a great picnic basket set, complete with hard-wearing plastic plates, cup and cutlery. This will be excellent at camp.
Next stop, Kathmandu. We’re pretty set up for camping stuff so there’s just a few new things we need here. Firstly, a couple of camping seats for sitting outside in the evenings. They’ve got a good selection and I find two really nice ones. We also need an airbed for my eldest son. The old airbed has been on the floor in front of the Playstation over lockdown and it has developed a slow leak.
We’re spoilt for outdoor camping stores at the Albany Mega Centre. I grab a picnic blanket from Macpac and outdoor lights from Bivouac Outdoor. I notice a new store called Mountain Warehouse and check it out. It’s got a great selection of outdoor adventure clothes and equipment. No doubt this will be a regular for me. For now, I get away with just buying a new hammock.
Just over two hours and I’ve gone from anxious to Mr Organised. I feel really pleased with myself. As I drive home I wonder why I ever worried. Every year, and no matter what we have planned for the summer, the Albany Mega Centre lets me get everything we need for the holiday. I’m feeling happy when my wife’s text came in “ Did you remember to book the campsite?”