New Zealand: Part Five (!!11~)
January 4, 2009 | Filed under Travel
Click for Parts One, Two, Three, and Four of “My Trip To New Zealand, Exclamation Mark, Exclamation Mark, One, One, Tilde”.
Auckland
We stayed at the YHA hostel in Auckland, which was probably the nicest hostel of our entire trip (it was reflected in the price!). Our four-person private room was impeccably clean with firm and non-squeaky beds. The bathrooms probably could have done with being cleaned more regularly (there was a distinct public toilet smell), but the self-service kitchen was incredible, the lounge was large, and it was centrally situated. Definite three star hostel accommodation.
As for the city itself, we saw it mainly by night. Intending to go to a comedy show only to find that tickets had been sold out, my cousin and I ended up walking along the waterfront, indulging in icecream, and taking pictures with statues of New Zealand icons. Your standard touristy stuff. There honestly wasn’t much more to do that we couldn’t do at home, as Auckland is structurally and socially similar to Melbourne, if a few years behind.
We did also venture out of the city via ferry to the scenic Victoria Peak. A sweaty half-hour later (seriously, unless you’re at peak physical condition, don’t attempt the peak in one go. Rest on the way up!), we awarded our physical toil with some rest upon some Super Mario mushrooms.
Finding a few extra New Zealand dollars in our possession in the last couple of days (we went largely under budget on the trip), we also treated ourselves to some much needed proper meals in a restaurant. There’s an amazing Korean restaurant on Queen St that does the world’s best chicken soup. GO THERE.
Hanging out with Rilla and Emily
As per my usual “meet as many online friends as possible when I travel” policy, I took the opportunity to meet up with Rilla and Emily for a day of nommy food in Auckland before I had to return to Melbourne. Meeting in Aotea Square, they took me around the University of Auckland in orientation week (I scored myself a free pen which I still have, and a nommy lollipop). Is it just me though, or is New Zealand entirely made up of mountains? To reach the campus from the city, we had to walk through a park which I swear was actually a mountain in disguise. It’s startling when you compare it to the flat terrain of Australia that I’m used to.
We had some nommy lunch in an old-style pub, a brief walk through of the city, and then Rilla had to leave. Emily and I ended up going to her university, then to a huge music store (love it), before parting ways again back at Aotea Square.
The day after, I flew home. Bye bye New Zealand, hello Melbourne.
Some General Observations About New Zealand
New Zealanders, on the whole, are incredibly laid-back and easy-going. Coming from a medium-sized city like Melbourne (which is nothing on par with the bigger cities like Hong Kong), we were surprised to see how lackadaisical New Zealanders were. We’re impatient at best, and seeing drivers actually adhering to the speed limit and leisurely strolling down the street was astonishing. The sheer lack of people was also a bit of a shock. The number of people I saw in south island in a week was comparable to the number of people I’d see in a single day in Melbourne.
The whole country seemed similar to Australia in the early nineties, as though they were a decade and a half behind us (and we’re about five years behind the rest of the world, so that’s saying a lot!). Auckland as the largest city reminded me of Melbourne when I was ten years old. Not necessarily a bad thing – it simply meant that people were more easy-going as though they hadn’t been touched by globalisation and were simply more in touch with the basics.
I think that’s the beauty of New Zealand. As a visitor, you don’t go expecting to see big cities, global brands, and the like. You go to appreciate the slower pace of life, to appreciate the stunningly beautiful scenery, and to dip your toes into a lake uncontaminated by humans. And if you have an adventurous streak, you do a spot of extreme sporting in uninhabited terrain.
I had two weeks in New Zealand, but I’d recommend at least three weeks to do more of the country – five to six weeks if you want to do it thoroughly. While we did the major attractions in the two weeks, we missed the southern half of north island, Whangarei, and much of the coast. The country is one of those “must visits” that I’d recommend to all intrepid travellers and thrill-seekers!
4 Responses to New Zealand: Part Five (!!11~)
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It sounds like you had an awesome trip! I love the picture of everyone sitting on the mushrooms.
New Zealand is my #1 place I want to travel to.
Jenn on January 5, 2009 #
It sounded like you had a great time! I would love to go there one day….I don’t even think I’ve been below the equator, haha.
marilyn on January 5, 2009 #
It’s a GOOD thing you missed Whangarei because since I moved from there, it has become a disgusting, dirty, crime-ridden hole. I used to think the world of the place because it was so nice and clean. The beaches surrounding Whangarei are still as beautiful as ever though, but that would be the only reason to go there.
I personally think the best city in New Zealand is Rotorua (for both tourists and New Zealanders!), so I recommend that anyone planning an NZ trip, make sure you spend at least 2 days in Rotorua! Especially if you’re interested in Maori culture.
Nellie on January 5, 2009 #
I wanna sit on a giant mushroom!
Sounds like you had an amazing time. Makes me want to see New Zealand and hike on the mountains. :)
Felisa on January 5, 2009 #