Lost in Music....

Well Manukau City actually.
Unlike Sister Sledge who managed to find their way to the higher reaches of the charts in 79, 84 and 92, yours truly was misplaced in south Auckland this time last year.
Allow me to explain the significance....

Exactly 1 year ago, on this very Saturday I was going down to see a house renovation project that my family were undertaking in Manurewa (It is pronounced Man You Ree Wah, not manure wa, apparently), and was invited to come down for tea.
Off I set late afternoon, in time for me to arrive for dinner, as the trip notionally takes about 45 mins at the weekend, according to Google.
So using my GPS on the iPhone, I traversed across our lengthy city using the conduit of the Bipolar Motorway. It starts as the Northern Motorway, even if you are travelling South, and then half way becomes the Southern Motorway, without ever changing lane.....Quaint.

All was well until I duly took the signposted exit for Manukau and Manurewa, which lead me to a new road system. News of this development had obviously yet to reach Google HQ which now showed me in the middle a muddy expanse of nothingness. I pulled over and checked my maps app, but alas I was still in terra nova limbo land.

Perhaps Shackleton, Cook and Livingstone had all had that familiar sense of panic which now gripped me. I do so hate being lost.
The road stretched on and on, a non ending crisply fresh stretch of new tarmac. Clearly not a road yet, as Google would have mapped it, but the presence of other vehicles seemed to decry Google's stance.

So off I pootled, slowly multi tasking as I steered, peered, and merged the two diverse realities, that which I could see, and that as represented by the folk in Santa Clara, California.

After half an hour of fruitless searching I seemed no nearer to Manurewa. Happily my partner rang and was able to guide me in like some stricken 747, rescued by a kiwi Bruce Willis.

I finally reached the safety of the renovation property, and settled in for a night of feasting, conversation and family fun with the whanau.

Until THAT phone call, which I didn't actually hear, as I was nattering with my nephew:

"Andrew, It's the hospital...."
After a brief but exciting conversation, in which the doctor asked me to drive in to central Auckland Hospital as soon as possible, so that they could start the prep work for the op.
"Where are you", he asked,
"In Manukau" I replied,
"Great, just head up on the Motorway and well see you soon"

Not if Google had anything to do with it.

So using my knowledge of the suburbs I navigated a longer circuitous route that steered me safely to the city centre, avoiding any new motorway on ramp surprises and spacial google voids.

Not long to go now. . The organs were a match and the operation was scheduled for next morning at 8am Sunday.

Later that night I fell asleep, nervous and anxious, yet thrilled and excited at the the events of the past 4 hours.

Tomorrow was going to be a very special day!