NEW ZEALAND – TO AUCKLAND CITY

                                                                                                                                      Clearing customs and immigration is easy and after purchasing a NZ$14 backpacker ticket I am on the way to Auckland City Center.

 

 

Only a 45 minute ride in which I get to exchange political and cultural views with a  local while getting some great sightseeing tips.

Like South Florida which I left 4 days ago, the weather here is also a news item. A bit “brisk” for this time of the year …. 13C in the 50's as I disembark on Queens Street.

 

Exhausted but excited to be in “The Land Of The Kiwis”, I take a quick survey of the city and begin a walkabout in search of quiet accommodations for the night. There are many backpacking hostels available from NZ$19-50 (dorm-single) but I end up at City Lodge (150 Vincent St) NZ$68 with private bath.

An afternoon bus ride NZ$.50 and I do some more exploring and planning for tomorrow. A visit to Food Town a 24hr grocery store and I get a sampling of everyday Kiwi life.

 

NZ$1.25 seems a bit high for a Kit-Kat on sale... I pass and settle for Golden Kiwis and a mix bag of fresh baked goods.

A stroll from Food Town and I am along the waterfront where tomorrow I will catch a ferry for a harbor tour and visit to Devonport.. NZ$33.

 

Another hour of walking and I watch the city change for it's nightlife. Some businesses close while others open as local street performers and vendors sparsely appear. I am still exhausted and don't get to enjoy too much of it. The weather is back to being “brisk” as I make my way back to City Lodge. Tomorrow awaits full of promise.