Auckland

Auckland - the City of Sails. We arrived in Auckland to the most courteous and efficient Customs Officers I've ever come across; he said hello in English and everything. The flight was a bit tiring and the jetlag was beginning to set in nicely. So, we checked into a hostel and emerged eventually and tried to work out what time it was. Took a while.

View of Auckland's skyline.

I immediately felt very at home in NZ. It's strange to think that it's on the other side of the world 'cos its got such a British vibe to it.

We had a week in Auckland doing various bits and bobs; a tour here, a coffee there, museums, art galleries, a few bars, you know, a bit of culture. Not only is New Zealand the first country in the world to give women the vote, but also the first to provide a state pension, so walking the streets you would pass some particulary chuffed looking old ladies. Life's easy for some.

Top of the Skytower. Canny high up. It felt like I was playing Sim City, but didn't quite have the ability to destroy buildings at will unfortunately. It was a LONG way down. While up here, or any other height for that matter, you could see Auckland going off to the horizon in pretty much any direction. Considering hardly anyone lives here, it is massive. The 4th largest city sprawl in the world, apparantly.

Some sculpture thing at the entrance to a park.

Fancy ornate Maori carving that we saw in the museum. The history of NZ - the parallel evolution of the Maori and Pakeha (non-maori) cultures since colonisation by the British - is very interesting.

The weather in Auckland during this week was a mint mental. It would literally have 4 seasons in 1 day. Well, actually, more like 4 seasons in 20 minutes. The sky could be blue in all directions and then be raining within a blink of the eye. After enduring zero rainfall since leaving the rainforest in Peru it was a bit of kick in the teeth.

Emma traversing the main park in style (?).

NZ is well known for the fact that it has amazing scenery. Also, in this country it's pretty much impossible to sue for personal injuries so there are a lot of different adrenaline and extreme sports that are available to do very easily. Let's get on with it then.