AUCKLAND IS AWESOME. Many of us are already planning an extended period of stay in the future, looking at what apartments we’d living in, etc. It was as if we got off the plane and entered into a different world from the one we had been living in for the past three weeks in Fiji. As we drove to our hotel we were all in awe looking at these surroundings that were so foreign to us yet had a strong air of familiarity that reminded some of home. We were all beyond excited when we saw where we’d be staying for our time here in the city- our rooms all share a spacious communal area with a tv, couches, and a kitchen. You’d think we were reacting to a penthouse suite at a 5 star hotel…
We all immediately got out to explore our new environment. The city is very large with so much to do- to me its like NYC meets Toronto meets Europe? It is honestly one of the coolest cities I’ve ever been to. The vibes are so exciting and mellow at the same time. Everyone had a smile on their face the entire time walking through the sea of shops and amazing food choices that we’d missed. On our second day in the city some of us continued to explore the city while others trekked from our location on the Northern coast to the Southern coast about 10 miles away. I myself decided to roam around the city but those who did the walk climbed small mountains and strolled through parks with sheep casually grazing everywhere- they had an amazing time. That night we all went to the top of the Sky Tower (tallest structure in the Southern Hemisphere) where we saw amazing 360 degree views of Auckland and watched a beautiful sunset.
On our third day we all walked to the Auckland Museum as a group. We saw awesome exhibits and got to learn a little about the history and cultures of New Zealand. This morning we are headed to the farm where we will be staying for the next week. We are all sad to leave this city behind but super excited for the next chapter of our NZ journey to begin! More to come soon, hope all is well back home!