Auckland: The City of Sail

Ep. 21

AKL – Auckland, New Zealand.

28-29^th November 2011.

“Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.”  - Kahlil Gibran.

Me on the top of Mt. Victoria

It was already winter in Hong Kong. Cold enough to made me wear my fury pajama and changed my blanket into the thermal one. As soon as I checked my roster, I was so excited when I know that on the next four of my flights, I got a flying buddy, Elvis from Induction 28/2011. 3 of them are long hauls (yippie!). I was really looking forward to it, coz I have never had a flying buddy (except Janny) for my Osaka trip. So here’s the first flight with Elvis: Auckland.

Auckland BIG little city

We messaged each other, planning and sharing about the port. I remembered Elvis asked me “do you know the weather in Auckland?” As it was winter in Hong Kong, it should be summer in Auckland, right? So I answered confidently, “we’re gonna see the sun! It’s summer, don worry, bring your summer attire.”  (So to the toy. Sotoy! a.k.a assuming without further knowledge). I packed my own summer attire, shorts, thin legging, t-shirt, loose shirt, and flat shoes. We’re expecting 2 full-days in Auckland. I was so excited to fly Auckland, anyway it was my first long haul Airbus flight and to New Zealand. I have never think about going there for a vacation and all I know about New Zealand was just the natural view f mountains and land, as well as it was the location for The Lord of The Rings and Narnia shooting, its majority products is dairy product and (honestly) the first thing that cross my mind is Sheep! There should be a lot of sheep and farms, I thought.

Elvis and I

When we entered the briefing room, both of us could tell already that the set of crew is not to enthusiast to do the flight. Later, we found out during the flight, while we’re chit chatting, that they consider Auckland as a boring place and nothing much to do in Auckland (they are totally wrong!). For me? As long as I got a map, I can go anywhere and I will find something to do. Staying in the room and do nothing, for me, is just a waste of time, unproductive and, anyway, life is too short to be wasted in just a place (do I have any problem with that?). The flight was 9-10 hours, a little bit busy as we really have to offer water every 30 minutes and check the toilet at least every 45 minutes. I don’t see the point why have to check it so often as it was midnight flight, and everybody is sleeping, just few people were using the toilet. Anyway, we should do our tasks, and we finally safely landed in Auckland at 6 am. It was still dark, and guess what, it was only 14°C, and it was summer already, and it was windy!

some of my research

By the time we arrived hotel, I could see that they’re preparing to set up all the Christmas decoration either in the hotel and the Skytower (yes, we’re connected to Auckland sky tower and casino). In the mean time, Elvis and I were really knocked by the fact that it was cold there! Elvis said that he only brought t-shirts and jeans, me? All my summer thin apparels. I told him, anyway we have to go out either to eat or to sightseeing, and hopefully it will be sunny later. Luckily it was!

Parnell's Newmarket

We discussed about our first day plan and decided to join the city tour called “Auckland Explorer”. I would really love to visit the location of Hobittown or where they shot The Lord of the Rings (movie freaks!), but as it was located quite far from the city center where we stayed. I was wearing my legging, my thin loose sweet pink bow cropped t-shirt, my flat shoes, and luckily I found a pashmina stuck inside my suitcase (thank God that I am so lazy to unpack my suitcase after long flight). We set off from the hotel lobby at 9 am and wait for the explorer bus. There are at least 11 destination points that we would like to visit that day, including the beach, museum, mountain, shopping district and of course, the piers and wharfs. 

Tamaki Penga Hira

Me and the Maori

The first destination that we stop at is the pier of harbor, as Auckland is also known as “City of Sails” . There were a lot of boats and ferry sailed in and sailed out. In fact, there were a lot of small islands around Auckland that we could also reach by ferry services (next on the list!), even some of big cruises are stopping there to (maybe) do a lay over. There were a lot of restaurants in the pier, seaside, with nice view and atmosphere, the weather is decent (except when the cold wind blows), sunny but rather chill. We walked around and I (as always) stopped a t one of the souvenirs shop. Elvis, on the other hand, very interested on a pair on a UGG boots (very cheap in Auckland, only NZD 99, the most common model). Then we passed by the Parnell’s market, where little cafes and shops located. We also passed the botanical town center, which we decided not to get off, we went up to the hill and once again my breath was taken away by the scenery lain before my eyes. The sky is clear blue and the grass was just perfect spread and wide. We could see the city center down there, and it was like totally different peaceful atmosphere up here (even the wind can’t ruin my mood that day). It was occurred that the grassland that I stood at was the set for Narnia: The Witch and the Wardrobe. Green and just indescribable. We also passed by the Michael Joseph Savage Memorial and the Kelly Tarlton’s Underwater World, that was closed on that day. After we took like about hundreds picture, we got on the bus again and finally we stopped by the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Elvis said that he was interested to watch the Maori (local tribe) shows in the museum, so we bought the admission ticket for the show and the museum itself (NZD 25 for each of us). Ah! I forgot to mention that some sof the wording in New Zealand are also in Maori language, a very interesting language. While waiting until the show starts, I bought myself a chocolate cake and coffee. And less than an hour, the lady in the counter told us that the show is about to begin.

The Māori are the native or indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand. They arrived in New Zealand from eastern Polynesia in several waves at some time before 1300 CE. Over several centuries in isolation, the Māori developed a unique culture with their own language, a rich mythology, distinctive crafts and performing arts. They formed a tribal society based on East Polynesian social customs and organization. Horticulture flourished using plants they introduced, and after about 1450 a prominent warrior culture emerged. To me, they all looked like Indians, native of America with their reddish skin tone. The show started with the traditional dance and singing, oh how they love to dance and sing, even when they showed us how to play a traditional maori game. What amazed me is one of the performers is a pregnant lady and her voice is realllllyy good. 

Simply Best

The Maori are also have tribal traditional tattoo all over their body, and I don’t know why, the just love to stuck their tongue out. Amazed by the show, I totally forgot to talk to Elvis. Would you guess what did Elvis do during the show? He was sleeping! I guessed he was just too tired from the flight. After the show, I got a chance to take a picture with the performers. Happy! Then we went around the museum (just like any other museum, where you could see artifacts display and, as it was a war memorial, some weapons. The museum is located quite up on the hill that it has also a wide grassland and park around the museum (something that you could only see in NZ). We took hundreds of picture again outside the main building of the museum and took my best picture of the day there! (Elvis took it for me and he was claiming that he was a pro that he could capture such a beautiful shot). 

Auckland Skytower

From the observation deck

One thing that you should note if you visit Australia and New Zealand, most of the shops and attraction close early, for example, in Auckland most of the shops close at 5-6 pm (what???). That is where I made up my decision that I will never settled and survived to live in a country like that. I am most suitable to live in Asia countries, where stores and shops are open until midnight. Due to all the shops and attractions have closed already, Elvis and I were just strolled around the hotel area, took some pictures and finally went back to the hotel. There were no wi-fi provided from the hotel, but they do provide one iPad in the lobby for its guests (of course the queue was unavoidable). Starving, we chose a Mexican restaurant just in front of the hotel to dine. Having nothing to do, Elvis and I try to figure out what will we do for the next hours and suddenly an idea pop up. We stay in the skytower, right? Why don’t we try to go to the observation deck? So we went to the admission desk and the lady said, “are you a crew? If yes, then you just have to bring your id with you and the admission is free.” Whoaaaa… We rushed to our room and back in the admission counter in less then 15 minutes I guess. Lesson from the event: study the port and route and all of the special discounts and rates that the company signed with the hotel. From the observation deck we could see Auckland city from the top and the unique part is the flooring of the observation deck is also made of tempered glass, which enabled you to see the city right below your feet. Scary? NO! Interesting! Exciting! We took loads of pictures and finally we settled down for a glass of hot chocolate (NZD 4) for me, and a glass of beer for Elvis. While enjoying the view, we sipped on our precious glass of beverages and as for me, I ran through all the pictures that I took that day. Ha-ha!

Auckland Fish Market

Second day! We met each other in the lobby at around 8 am and we decided to visit the fish market (Elvis’ suggestion) and to the Cornwall Park (my suggestion). We asked the concierge of the hotel to explain to us how do we get there and he gave us the print out of the summary. We walked around and around and around trying to locate the fish market by map, but we couldn’t. We ended up distracted and took more and more pictures here and there. 

my American breakfie

After an hour or so, we finally asked a local guy and we finally reached the fish market. There was nothing much to see, it was just all the sea product and fishy stinks thingy that we saw, but it was a really nice experience to visit one. On our way back, we stopped by a little brasserie by the road to have our breakfast. Guess what we look for before we enter the brasserie? Of course the “free wi-fi” sign (we just can’t live without our social life. I ordered my American breakfast along with the hot chocolate (you’ll know how I love hot choco) for NZD 14.80. we spent quite a lot of our time enjoying the nice morning surroundings while we try to get connected to the world. Once we finished we set of to the Cornwall Park. 

Puriri Drive

1 little sheep

It was pretty hard to find the right bus stop that the concierge told us. I can’t really find the point that they have a lot of bus stop one near another (seriously, it was only like 20 steps away one from another). The thing is, every one that we asked about the Cornwall Park has no idea or never heard of it before. I was like “Seriously?”, am I the one that do the wrong research? No way! (a very typical me, wont admit that easily). We ended up rode on a bus for almost 30 minutes and arrived at the Cornwall Park (see? There is one!). It is a large park that I don’t think we could finish in a day tour. Cornwall Park is named after the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York (later King George V and Queen Mary of England). During the Royal visit to Australia and New Zealand in 1901 Sir John Logan Campbell was asked to be honorary Mayor of Auckland. It was during this visit that he took the opportunity to gift the Park to the people of New Zealand and asked that it be called Cornwall Park.The hill was originally called One Tree Hill after a solitary tree which grew on the summit when Europeans first settled Auckland. There is no admission fee for entering the park (yeah), and we took Puriri Drive to reach the park. It was like we’re in the movie. The circumstances were really peaceful, green and one of a kind that you might think that you want to live in that place forever. Old and massive trees, grassland, beautiful view, sunny day, I can’t ask more than that. No wonder that all the fiction colossal film will take NZ as the set, it was so breathtaking. I wonder how would it be if I visit hobbitown next time (guess I would consider to live as a hobbit). 

Acacia Cottage's porch

Elvis and I strolled around the park for about one hour and we arrived at the oldest cottage in Auckland, Acacia Cottage. Acacia Cottage is Auckland's oldest surviving building. When John Logan Campbell first settled in Auckland, he and his partner John Brown built this cottage, moving into it in 1841. It was originally sited off Shortland Street, in what was then a tiny pioneer settlement on the harbor edge and is now the heart of the city. The cottage was extremely cozy. Too cozy that we spent like 30 minutes sitting on the porch and enjoy the view in silence (actually we’re resting our feet as well). We decided to go back to see whether we have time to visit one of the surrounding islands of Auckland and on the way to exit the park, we saw a glimpse of sheep. Yes sheep, a furry ball white animal in the kingdom of goat family. I was so happy to see it that I ran and asked Elvis (always) to take me a picture (well loads of them). Just after that, Elvis realized that his sunglasses were missing. So we track back our way up to that point, try to look on the grass, whether we could see any familiar object or not. And we finally found it under the big tree that we saw along the Puriri drive (the one that we took a picture with like crazy).

under a huge tree

By the time we arrived at the port, it was already 3 pm., the only possible island to visit is Davenport, which is only 10 minutes sail time away and cost only NZD 10 each person for the ticket. We bought the ticket and sail to the Davenport (ah! I haven’t mention that we did look stand out in our summer attire, while people were still with their jackets). 10 minutes later we arrived safe and sound in Davenport. Devonport is the historical maritime village nestled on Auckland's North Shore. Experience Devonport's unique heritage and spectacular views. We strolled around the many beaches and admire the colonial architecture (England). Devonport Village has wonderful range of unique specialty shops, cafes and restaurants. It was peaceful (read: way too peaceful). I have all my pictures taken without any people in my backdrop. 

at the ferry pier

Have nothing to do; we consider one direction in the road sign quite interesting, Mt. Victoria. Davenport consisted of three islands of volcanic origin, Mount Victoria, North Head and between them Mount Cambria. So we started to walk on that direction. Walked and walked until it turned became hiked and hiked. We continue hiked the hill that I swear in my heart, if the view up there is not that beautiful, it will be such a pain in the big ass to hike this mountain. After approximately 20 minutes hike, we arrived at the top. The view was blew me away. It was lately occurred in my mind that this is where the Boys Before Flower Korean version took one of the scenery as their set (when they all have their vacation). I was once again thank God to keep me alive until that very second that I could see the magnificent creation of His. We let ourselves pampered by the view for not less than an hour and we decided to go back to the hotel (after we finished with all our photo session). 

view from the top of Mt. Victoria.

Starving after the long walk in the park and the hiking session, Elvis and I try the buffet in the hotel. All the crew has the discounted rate for the all you can eat for NZD 28 per person. I knew that NZ is quite popular for its mussels and seafood products, so we successfully finished 4 big plates each for our dinner. I couldn’t walk straight after the dinner that both of us spent another 30 minutes just to wait our stomach compromise so that we’re able to walk back to our room. That was the end of my journey in Auckland, but for those who might think that Auckland is such a boring place to go, you’re in such a wrong state of mind! There are a lot of things to do in Auckland, you just have to search and let yourself lost once in a while. Go with the flow and let the nature took you to another place you’ve never imagine. Even though, I was on the wrong attire for this trip, I was glad to be able to see that much part of Auckland. Until we meet again Auckland, I will surely explore you again!

“Let yourselves lost once in a while. Because when you’re lost, you might find something that you’ve never expected before. It called something destined for you.” –Me.