AUCKLAND
Our journey from Wellington to Auckland through the North Island was taken by train which was called the EXPLORER. A 12 hour ride (ticket cost $119) cheap at half the price ! The scenery of volcanic mountains snow capped, wine fields, farms, forests, quite the picture and half way through the journey we went through THE SPIRAL. A two hundred meter drop that was bazarre to watch the front and the rear of the train at the same time , so incredulously slow you could hear your ears pop! All a great experience.
Because of the lack of accommodation in Auckland we battled to find anywhere, we stayed the first night in a budget hotel you could not swing a cat in ( $200) kept one eye open all night!! The following 4 nights we were booked into an Airbnb room, this is the latest accommodations answer to UBER, where we rented a room out in someone’s house, ( 145$night) , the owner Zee and Hamish were very nice , the front room (our room ) was clean and adequate, we had access to the kettle and fridge , but ask me would we do it again , I don’t think so,” not my cup of tee.
The house was 130 years old and beautifully restored with an addition that took them 2 years to complete. Beautiful home in a gorgeous tree lined street in Ponsanby which is an upmarket area of Auckland. Fabulous restaurants, wine bars and night clubs all within walking distance.
Most restaurants offer free range chickens and grass fed organic meats at a reasonable price which is fabulous and so tasty. A law was passed in 1999 forcing farmers to farm sustainably. No GMO here. Love it!!!
Auckland was I think what we expected it to be , the biggest NZ City by far, a newish CBD AREA , a waterfront that looks like it is just getting developed or it just didn’t catch on , we also went to the Victoria Park Market , if you are ever here , you don’t need to go to it !!
On the good side we went on a 40 minute $44 each ( very expensive compared with other rides we have done ) ferry trip to Waiheke (sounds Hawaiian ) that was worth a visit , rolling hills of wine fields mixed with beautiful white beaches, judging by the ferry size this was where the rich commuted to the CBD of Auckland, we were knackered when the day was done from walking, and also we had a day out to Devonport, another ferry ride ( 7 minutes and $16) and quite secluded beach areas where we went swimming in the afternoon, then climbed what seemed like a mountain called north head, this peak overlooked the whole of Auckland and all the islands with 3 massive artillery guns placed in the 1940 ‘s , these guns, once fired, sank to the ground hydraulically , so the attackers could not see where the shot came from , very clever but it would not last very long today!!
This point of our journey Auckland was the turning point , from here on in we are on our return back to the real world , still a long way to go but we are on the return . New Zealand is for sure a beautiful country and we have enjoyed every minute of it.
Back to Australia and Melbourne next, a population of 4.5 million in a country where only 24 million live , this must have a lot going for it, looking forward to it !!
