We finally board. It is a smooth 3 hour flight. I meet a young couple from Colorado heading to Christchurch. By the time they reach Christchurch, they will have almost 24 hours of travel time under their belt. It reminds me of my journey to Bali. Long flight but worth it.
I have done little planning for NZ so I take the time on the plane to map out my journey. Satisfied with my plan, I dose off. We hit the ground shortly thereafter and the NZ journey begins.
Auckland CBD is smaller than I imagined. You can easily walk the city in a morning or afternoon. However the area of Auckland, is spread out between North, Central (CBD) and South. If you are in the North or South it could take you an 1 1/2 to 2 hours to reach the other end of the city. Depending on where you live, it is quicker to take the ferry versus driving into the CBD. A little like San Francisco, I guess.
Auckland is on an isthmus located between two harbors. The city is know as the City of Sails and for good reason. Two harbors and boats galore. It is a sailors dream. Wait until you see some photos of two breathtaking sail boats.
A casino is nearby for those of you interested in gambling. The Sky Tower is the landmark building you see on postcards of Auckland. The main observation level is 623feet high. It is the tallest man made structure in NZ and fetches commanding views of up to 52 miles in every direction. You can disembark to the revolving restaurant or head to the observation deck to capture the view of the city. Or if you are brave, take a leap of faith and sky jump off the building. There are so many extreme activities to experience in NZ, so I hold back knowing I will have many opportunities to experience an adrenalin rush.
A summary of Auckland CBD: clean and compact. But the best part of Auckland has been my interaction with the people.
I had wireless issues with my computer and all the guys tried to help figure it out. This was a big problem because Internet is extremely expensive. In most hotels wi-fi is free but at a lesser speed and LAN is available but at a cost. I could not get wifi working and dumped close to $40USD in two days. The story is too long to explain here, but the hotel and a host of others pitched in to solve the problem. Another example. I had inadvertently booked the wrong date to stay an additional day in Auckland through Amex Travel on-line. The booking was non-refundable. I knew that of course, but missed that I had typed in the wrong arrival date. So I was forced to book (based on my conversation with Amex) the correct night and loose the money on the night I did not need the room. Amex just said I am sorry but the room is not refundable. I clearly do not understand why they couldn't just transfer for the correct night. The hotel by contrast, understood my mistake. They found away around the system to only charge me for the one additional night. And, they were happy to accommodate me to boot. Amex just gave me the typical American response. Sorry but your "screwed". Although they did not say I was "screwed". Boy do we Americans have a lot to learn from other countries. I truly believe anything is possible, if you want it to be.
I love the Kiwi's! Let me say it again. I love the Kiwi's. They are all about service and assisting you in any way.
I leave Auckland tomorrow and head for the Bay of Islands. It is suppose to be stunning with lots of activities. I pray there is sun. Since I have arrived in NZ we have had drizzle and rain. My best piece of equipment....the rain jacket. Come on people let it shine shine shine!
I have to vet through all the photos I took so there is not a link today. Look for it in the next few days. It's the cocktail dinner hour for me and I am famished.
Clcik here for photos
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| Auckland, New Zealand |
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| The nearby neighborhoods |
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| And he jumps |
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| A view looking up - awaiting a jumper |
1 comment:
I can't believe you didn't jump off the building!! I saw them do that on a show, I think it was Biggest Loser. Looked scary!
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