Tag: auckland

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In Summary: New Zealand

Aotearoa.

The place of kiwis. The place of mountains. The place of bays and glaciers and unique wildlife.

The people were kind, the scenery was stunning, and the hiking was next level.

In reflecting on my time in New Zealand, it’s a struggle to vividly remember it all. Three months is a lengthy adventure.

My arrival in Auckland seems like a year ago. Either that’s because my memory is as shit as I think it is, or time has been distorted by the amount of experiences I fit into that glorious 90-day window.

I met heaps of people. Many of them fleetingly, but a few kindred spirits that I could easily contact if/when visiting their home countries (and vice versa). I also picked up a little bit of lingo if you didn’t catch that usage of “heaps.”

On that note, probably the most valuable part of this trip has been the immersion into another culture. Even though it may have only been a subtle contrast to that of the U.S., it’s still an important process. I’m not going to sit here and say I’m a changed person or anything, but seeing the way other people live everyday life can at least open your mind to a different approach.

I wrote about the “no worries” attitude before and that’s something I hope I’m able to keep with me as I go forward. Everything doesn’t have to be taken so seriously. Things work out. There’s a lot of stuff out there we can’t control, so just take it as it comes. No worries.

By the Numbers

Days in New Zealand: 91
Days at Workaways: 43
Days with a Rental Car: 28
Nights in Hostels: 39
NZD Spent: ~$7,425.84
USD Spent: ~$5,017.46 (Avg. conversion rate of roughly 1.48)

You can see my full cost breakdown here.

For those interested in visiting one day, here are my totally subjective highlights:
(click the top left button of the map to expand the list view)

Favorite Places:
1. Queenstown
2. Wellington
3. Taupo
4. Wanaka
5. Paihia		Favorite Walks:
1. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing
2. Copland Track
3. Diamond Lake to Rocky Mtn
4. Ben Lomond
5. Abel Tasman
Favorite Adventure Activities: 
1. Rafting the Tongariro River
2. Kayaking in Abel Tasman
3. The Shotover Canyon Swing
4. Black Abyss in Waitomo
5. Luging in Queenstown





Favorite Attractions:
1. Milford Sound
2. Hobbiton
3. Cape Reinga
4. Te Papa Museum
5. Hamilton Gardens
6. Franz Josef Valley
7. Punakaiki Pancake Rocks
8. Christchurch Street Art Trail
9. The Hole in the Rock
10. Auckland Domain

Also, here’s my Trip Advisor profile. I was reviewing things pretty heavily up until I wasn’t. Maybe one day I’ll finish it out but it doesn’t seem likely.

Finally, I still don’t really know what I’m doing, but I think I’ve taken some decent pictures along the way. Kind of hard to screw it up with scenery that good. Below is an album with my favorite photos from New Zealand.

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The Arrival

Am I too old now?

International travel is long and exhausting. Obvious statement. Between babies preventing sleep and the built-in germ box of an airplane, you’re pretty spent when you land. So having things perfectly planned to get you to your accommodation is ideal.

I did not do that.

I figured it would be easy enough to find a bus or snag an Uber or taxi. That was sort of true. Taxis and Ubers were priced out so I got a bus ticket. What I didn’t really consider was that it was already past midnight. Late night bus routes. They weren’t going to the stop I thought I was getting off at. Oops.

The driver was nice about it but I was last off at a very unofficial spot in downtown Auckland. It made for an interesting trek to the hostel. My phone was still in airplane mode so Verizon didn’t rip my underwear through my asshole. And I had already planned my walking route from the phantom bus stop.

Another interesting tidbit is that a highway splits the city centre from the neighborhood I had to get to. Had a dickens of a time finding a walking bridge or underpass. Then my wonky GPS shorted the address by about half a mile.

Keep in mind I’ve slept probably three hours since departing San Diego, which was…who knows? A day and a half ago at least.

But finally, I got to the hostel. Entered the code on the door and made my way in. It was past normal check in hours, so there was an envelope waiting for me.

I forgot how shitty it is to arrive super late at a damn hostel. And I of course got the dorm-style option cuz it’s cheaper.

I walk into the room and it’s pitch black. Everyone’s asleep. You can’t help but feel like a major douche fumbling around in the dark trying to figure which bed is yours and where to set down your stuff. There was no space and what seemed like no beds. Then I saw mine.

This fucking top shelf, indent afterthought area. Very audibly I’m like, “Good Lord!” A few people toss and turn. Worst pick of the lot when you’re last to arrive.

Whatever. I have to shower. Have to. So I start unzipping my shit and trying to locate what I need. Zippers have to be one of the top five most hated sounds in hostels. So disruptive. There’s no way to unzip something quietly. Try it.

After rinsing off,  I was ready to get some much-needed shut-eye. I figured out how to navigate James’ giant beanstalk of a ladder up to the bed. Situated my noisy sleeping bag into position and zonked out. For a very restful three hours before the room started to hustle and bustle. Sniffling. Snoring. Jostling about. Getting up to pee. Coughing. Alarms. ZIPPERS. The sound of getting dressed.

That’s just how it goes in hostels.

Maybe I’m too old now.