Touching Down in Auckland, New Zealand

I learned to appreciate the natural beauty of cloudy days

The view out the window as we flew into Auckland, New Zealand. We sat on the left side of the plane which offered a great view. All photos taken on an iPhone XR by Marie Kester unless otherwise specified.

Here’s what I remember most about the flight.

Clouds suspended over the horizon like swirls of floating cotton candy above the Pacific Ocean.

Then, a glimpse of the coastline.

Waves crash against the shore, turquoise water meeting vibrant green cliffs. Roads weave around the natural topography. Small bright dots stand out against the rich landscape, indicating homes below. A white blanket stretches across the sky, hugging the rolling hills.

A closer glimpse of the coastline as we flew into New Zealand.

When the plane begins its final approach, my view becomes enveloped with fluffy white puffs that look close enough to touch.

It’s no wonder the clouds fascinate me. Aotearoa, the Māori name for New Zealand, is often translated to “land of the long white cloud.” Before European colonizers came to New Zealand, the name was originally used to describe the North Island of the country by the indigenous Polynesian people.

Some Māori oral histories tell of Kupe, the explorer who first spotted land thanks to the long white clouds he…