Auckland
As my first stop in New Zealand, much of Auckland revolved around getting over jet lag, getting some cash, getting my phone working and finding some warmer clothes (it’s winter here and my Southeast Asia wardrobe isn’t going to cut it). I was lucky to have support in all of these from Sara and Ben, who it was lovely to reconnect with after many years. In particular, they showed me an excellent op shop (second hand clothing shop) where I managed to find 2 pairs of jeans, a belt and a warm coat for around £9.
Feeling much more prepared I ventured out to see a little of Auckland. A very long and very pretty walk through the city and along the harbourside gave me a good feel of it - it doesn’t feel like a city. With detached houses, lots of bungalows and lots of space it feels like much more like a town, in a really nice way. That’s particularly notable in the context that Auckland is by far the biggest city in New Zealand, with around half of the country’s population! I’m interested to see how the smaller cities feel.
In truth, with so much else to see in New Zealand, Auckland was always going to be a quick stop to settle myself before heading for nature. Let’s see what you’ve got, New Zealand.