This morning was a hurried rush of packing, which can mean only one thing: I have remembered every thing I could need for this quick three-night trip to Auckland. Right?
Wrrrrrrong!
After landing, the bus driver to the city center was really great. He pointed out landmarks and even told us the stops ahead of time, unlike how buses normally (and logically) function. I ditched my original bus travel plans for a nice walk through the domain. The domain is a huge hilly park close to downtown auckland.
Passed the winter garden bit but stopped for ice cream (lunch!) and went to the museum until I could check into my hostel, since museums always have bag checks. They had a lot of great Maori artifacts and a huge war canoe on display….really cool. I wandered through most of the floor with displays on the geological history of New Zealand before succumbing to the sinus headache from hell, lack of lunch-itis (hey, I had ice cream!), and an overwhelming need to check into my hostel.
Auckland was built on volcanoes.
That means a lot of hills.
I’m going to have the best buns and thighs after these four days, you have no idea.
So i went down a hill, and then up a hill, and then up some more, and down a big hill before getting to my hostel. The hostel is quite nice! Cute old lodge built in the early 20th century. But….being a backpackers hotel, you are expected to bring most of your own stuff….it’s been a long while since I’ve stayed in one of these! I forgot: a towel, shampoo, toothpaste, spare pj shirt….that’s all I’ve discovered so far. I’m totally the most prepared traveler ever.
Anyway, after a journey to the Chinese food mart (turns out imported Chinese bottled drinks and other foodstuffs are cheapest things you can buy for groceries here) and pizza for dinner, I headed back to the hostel.
Bumped into a roommate, Adam from the uk, who has been here for months. He showed me where to steal a spare towel from (mwahahahahaaaa), and I ended up going out with a large group from the hostel to see fireworks from the top of mount Eden, the tallest volcanic thing in the city itself.
It took me forever to remember why there were fireworks tonight…then I realized it’s guy fawkes day, nov 5! Fail.
We could see a lot of small displays from the summit, and the view of downtown and the rest of the city was stunning. However, it was pretty damned cold, so we packed seven people into a tiny station wagon and headed back to the hostel after ten.
Perfect first night in Auckland! 🙂 off to the beach or something tomorrow. Woo!