Often referred to as the “City of Sails,” Auckland was our first stop on New Zealand’s North Island. This two-island country is located in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia. Auckland is New Zealand’s biggest city; an urban gem with beautiful landscapes, beaches, rich Maori culture, and is a gateway to the country’s natural beauty.

Day 59, Sunday, November 3: Auckland

We arrived here from Indonesia via Melbourne, Australia, on Jetstar. The overnight flight from Melbourne took 3 and a half hours, and it was 5:15 am when we landed in Auckland. Twenty-one hours ahead of Seattle!

Because we had no checked luggage, we were out of transit very quickly. Waited for a short time for Robyn who came to pick us up. Robyn and her husband, Scott (our daughter-in-law’s brother), live in Auckland, and we were staying with them for 3 nights.

After a 30-minute drive from the airport, we arrived at their lovely home, where the first thing we did was taking a nap. Apparently, the overnight flight had had a toll on us.

After a late lunch, midafternoon, Robyn drove us to Mount Eden, Maungawhau, an ancestral mountain of Auckland. It’s a sacred Maori place and “is among the finest examples of prehistoric earth fortifications in the world” – we could read on the sign as we entered the site.

We enjoyed the walk on the mountain and the beautiful views of the city.

We learned that Auckland is surrounded by 48 volcanoes and many small islands. There are more boats/yachts per person in the city than any other place in the world, that’s how it got its nickname, “City of Sails.”

Auckland is of the world’s most diverse cities and it has New Zealand’s largest Maori population. In 2021, it was voted the most livable city in the world offering easy access to nature.

Back at Robyn and Scott’s place, we did a well needed washing machine laundry and had our delicious family style lamb dinner. There was a great conversation around the table with Scott, Robyn, and their daughter, Alex, whom we first met at our son’s wedding when she was just a baby and who now was in the midst of her high school leaving IB (International Baccalaureate) exams. A great end to a great day!

Day 60, Monday, November 4: Auckland

Robyn and Scott went to work, Alex went to take her IB Chemistry exam, and Steve and I took the bus to downtown Auckland.

We heard that Kiwis (the nickname for New Zealanders) were very friendly people, and today we really experienced it. Robyn gave us a bus pass and when Steve told the driver that we were from abroad and didn’t know how to use the card for the two of us, he just waved and said, that’s all right, use it only once. So, one of us took the bus to downtown Auckland for free!

After a 40-minute bus drive, we arrived at the waterfront, a busy area with lots of restaurants.

Had our lunch in a small Italian eatery, then walked on the promenade leisurely, enjoying the view of the harbor and the magnificent cityscape.

One of the sights, which is impossible to miss, is the Sky Tower with its 328 meters height. It’s the tallest freestanding building in the Southern Hemisphere. When on the top of it, you can walk around (we didn’t do it), and if you are crazy enough, you can even jump from a height of 220 meters, secured with a rubber rope (you guessed it correctly, we didn’t do this either).

But we did walk among the old buildings and modern office buildings, visited the ferry terminal, saw the many high-end shops on Queen Street, walked in a park.

Early to bed for me since it seemed like I was getting a cold.

Day 61, Tuesday, November 5: Auckland

Yep! Woke up with a sore throat and runny nose, which meant that we were spending the majority of the day inside the house reading and sipping tea. I was trying to cure myself with some over the counter medicine Robyn gave me.

In the afternoon, I found some energy for wondering out into the sunshine.

We went for a neighborhood walk and visited a nice local park and wetland area.

We had another lovely evening with Scott, Robyn, and Alex. Thanked them for their great hospitality and prepared for our discovery tour of the North Island, which was going to start the next day.