How to get across the Bridge Too Far...

(or a Travel Guide for NATCON '03)

If they thought it was a mission in 1944, wait until you try get across in 2003...

...So here's few tips for all non-Aucklander's attending NATCON this year.
For starters, if you're not familair with Auckland and/or have not traveled to the city before- Auckland is big.
In reality Auckland is four cities merged into one sprawling mass. You have Auckland City, Manukau, Waitakere and the North Shore.

Here is local area map.The red arrow pointing to the red oval, indicated where the East Coast Bays Events Centre can be found. Please be patient while the map downloads, it's size is around 114KBs.
If you need another map to show you where your motel is in relation to the venue, email the webmaster at [email protected] and he'll send one out to you.


 

Places to stay:

Motels-

Sea Vista Motel
869 Beach Road,
Browns Bay.
Ph 09 479-6088
www.nzmotels.co.nz/sea.vista

Browns Bay Olive Tree Motel
24 Glencoe Road,
Browns Bay.
Ph 09 478-7679
[email protected]
 

Bed & Breakfasts-

Amorite House
730 East Coast Road,
Browns Bay.
09 479-6338

Channel View House
834 East Coast Road,
Browns Bay.
09 415-9009

Please selected your chosen method of transport-
Air
Car
Train
Bus
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If you're traveling from the Airport.
Why not make the most of the cheap airfares available right now and fly up. However, get the idea of catching a taxi from the airport to the North Shore out of your head. At a rough guess your cab ride could cost more than $60.
The best option is to book an airport shuttle ride. These only cost about $20 for the first person (then about $2-5 per extra person), from the terminal doors, to the doors of your accomodation.
Here's a few that specialize in North Shore to the Airport route-
 

Make sure when you book your shuttle that you tell them your expected time of arrvial, flight number, number of passengers and any return details.

Another option if you're on a budget is to take the AirBus. This service runs from both the domestic terminal and international every half hour and takes you straight into the city. From there you just need to take the right bus into Browns Bay (normally a 875 or 879 route will get you there). The AirBus cost a flat fee of $8 per person. A regular bus trip from the city to Browns Bay is about $4. You can catch North Shore bound buses from the bus stop opposite the Sky Tower (you can't miss it) on Victoria Street.

If you're traveling by car.
To get to the East Coast Bays Leisure Centre from the motorway (State Highway 1)-
After you cross the harbour bridge north bound, you will pass six (6) off ramps-
Strafford Rd.
Onewa Rd./Northcote/Birkenhead
Akoranga Drive/Takapuna/Devenport
Northcote Road.
Tristram Ave.
Sunset Rd./Upper Harbour Highway.
About 2km from the Sunset Rd. off ramp you will come to the Greville Rd off ramp. This is the off ramp you need to take. Immeadity after the off ramp you'll find a round-about. Go right (left will take you to industrial estate and straight ahead will take you to Albany). You will pass under a motoway fly-over then encounter another round about. Go straight this time (right takes you back onto the highway, south bound, left takes you up the wrong way of another off ramp). This is Greville Rd. Follow it until it finishes at a set of lights.  This is East Coast Bays Rd. (not far from the NICON 02 venue). Turn right, travel on for about 500meters. You should come to another set of lights. The road to the left is Browns Bay Rd. Follow this road until you get to a fork in the road. In front of you shoud be a Caltex petrol station and to you're left there will be a telephone exchange. Take the left hand fork, this is Beach Road. Follow the road until you come to another round about. To the left there should be a Bowls Club and to the right hand side a public bar. Take the right hand turn, this will be Bute Rd. (left will take you deeper into the suburbs and straight ahead will take you to Long Bay).  About two-thirds (2/3) of the way up the road on the right hand side of the street you will find the East Coast Bays Leisure Centre. It is opposite the Browns Bay RSA. You shouldn't miss that, it's got a 25 pounder and an AA gun outside.

If you know where NICON 2002 was held, it's not that much further away.
From Rangitoto Collage, continue up East Coast Bays Road, north bound. Go straight through the first set of lights, but turn right at the second set of lights. This is Browns Bay Road. Follow this road until you get to a fork in the road. In front of you shoud be a Caltex petrol station and to you're left there will be a telephone exchange. Take the left hand fork, this is Beach Road. Follow the road until you come to another round about. To the left there should be a Bowls Club and to the right hand side a public bar. Take the right hand turn, this will be Bute Rd. (left will take you deeper into the suburbs and straight ahead will take you to Long Bay).  About two-thirds (2/3) of the way up the road on the right hand side of the street you will find the East Coast Bays Leisure Centre. It is opposite the Browns Bay RSA. You shouldn't miss that, it's got a 25 pounder and an AA gun outside.

If you're traveling by train.
You have a few more options.
You can take a cab from the train station to the North Shore for around $35-40.
You can catch a Link bus or a City Circuit bus from the train station to the Sky Tower, cross the road and catch a 875 or 879 bus to Browns Bay.
Or organise a Shuttle bus service and get them to pick you up from the train station to the door of where you are staying.

If you're travelling by bus.
Same as arriving by train, however catching the bus is different.
The central city bus terminal is part of the Sky Tower complex, just walk across the road to the North Shore bus stop.

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