A fortnight in New Zealand – I
This post is after a long hiatus. I had been to New Zealand for a fortnight in March. Some posts on this tiny country in the south pacific, 2000 km away from Australia.New Zealand (or as the Maoris call it, Aotearoa, land of the long white cloud) is made up of two large islands (North Island and South Island) and many smaller ones; biggest of them is the Stewart Island that forms the southern tip.
The country has a population of 4 million and 40 million sheep. No prize for guessing its leading industry. With its varied geography marked with volcanoes in the North and mountains and glaciers in the South, tourism also plays a big role in the country’s economy.
Going to New Zealand
There are no direct flights from any Indian city to New Zealand. The airfare is inversely proportional to the transit time – the longer the wait, the lesser the fare. Thai Airlines offers the cheapest fare with transit time between 4 hours or an overnight flight. Added to this is Auckland airport tax of around 420 NZD (Rs 13500/- approximately). Flying to Auckland from Bangalore midweek and return, cost me 1800 NZD (Rs 60,000/- approx), including taxes, visa & insurance. The Bangkok’s swanky airport beautifully named – Suvarnabhoomi (Golden Land) is very beautiful and huge. One can pass much time by many a shop window, browse internet, call up home and when hungry, can walk into any food courts that serve wide-ranging cuisine, from burgers to traditional Thai.
Auckland
It is the biggest city in New Zealand with a population of 1.4 million and is the commercial and financial hub of the country. It has the tallest tower in the southern hemisphere – the Sky Tower (328 meters). All this was not enough to make it the capital city of New Zealand (that honour goes to Wellington).
I was dreading the cold since I was told it was autumn in NZ, and the world map told me how close it was to Antarctica. However as I stepped out of Manukau Airport, I was in for a pleasant surprise. The sun shone brightly in the sky and more importantly, it was as hot as the Indian Sun. Apparently, New Zealand’s North Island can never get very cold and its summer temperatures averages at 30 C
Walking through the city centre, I noticed that the streets have a lot of ups and downs and resembles the streets of San Francisco – this is due to fact that Auckland is built around 48 volcanic hills. The city centre is a melting pot of different cultures. I saw native Polynesian settlers (Maoris), Chinese, Koreans, Fiji Indians and of course the Europeans. Queen Street, the main street in the Central Business District (CBD), where I went to get my SIM card recharged, was full of Chinese shops selling everything from telephone calling cards to groceries.
Due to its large Fiji population, Auckland (and as I later found out, every other city in NZ) has plenty of ‘Indian’ restaurants largely run by Fiji Indian immigrants. So, my fellow countrymen and all you curry-loving Brits, you will never go hungry in Auckland. The Sky tower, (which you can’t miss from any view of Auckland’s city skyline) you can experience the country’s most famous adventure sport – Bungee Jump. People pay 150 $ for the privilege of being pushed off a ledge 192 meters high into oblivion with just a rope tied to your waist. In Taupo, a city south of Auckland, an extreme form is played with a rope tied only to your feet! These kiwis are crazy! Scared off more by the steep fee than the jump, I settled for the breathtaking views of the city from the tower’s observation deck. In the night, the dark expanses of water at the harbour amidst the twinkling city lights look spectacular. Walking on the glass floor of the deck, it’s a little unnerving to see the city traffic under your feet – from 328 meters above the ground.
Auckland city centre is right next to the harbour. In fact, if you live in the CBD you can see the yachts moored in the harbour. In sunny weather, the yachts bobbing in the shimmering water, one can see why it is called ‘City of Sails’. Auckland has many great view points. However, my favourite has to be the view of the city skyline at twilight from the Savage Memorial Gardens.
