Entering New Zealand - Night 45

For the last time (at least in the foreseeable future) I crawled off my partially deflated air mattress to face another day. I quickly showered, packed my belonging, said goodbye to Paolo and Charlie (the last familiar faces I’ll see until sometime next year) and headed for the airport, destination: Auckland, New Zealand.

After a quick three hour flight I was officially in the land of the Kiwis. Touching down around 4:30 it was nearly six before I arrived at the Auckland International YHA. Located on the outskirts of downtown in the Asian section of the city, the YHA was only a three block walk, down a 20 degree sloping road, from the stop where the airport bus let me off. The weather was autumnal; a brisk wind and low, fast moving clouds, together with the hills and abundant Asian population had me feeling right at home…if this isn’t Seattle reincarnate, I don’t know what is. They even have their very own Space Needle.

I was sharing a room with two Swiss guys who had bought a car today for $2,300 and were planning on driving the South Island in search of work, an Italian who was headed to the clubs and a British/American couple who were attached at the hip, literally. People who incessantly cuddle and whisper sweet nothings into each other’s ears (while spooning) amongst complete strangers are really fucking annoying. Get a double room…ah yes, the joys of hostel living.

At dusk a quick reconnaissance mission of

Auckland Town Hall at Dusk

the city aligned my inter compass and landed me a delicious kebab. Auckland has its share of glass towers and modern buildings, but a certain feeling of adolescence remains here, like a teenager just months from his eighteenth birthday. Diversity and natural scenery are evident, as is a will to grow. Nearly 1 in 3 New Zealanders call this area home, so the pressure is on to become a booming, world class city, and preparations to do such are under way.

What I Learned Today: Do not pack your boots in the bottom of your bag when entering New Zealand…the customs officials will make you dig them out to check them for illegal mud. Serious.

written by

exumenius on November 24, 2007 from Auckland, New Zealand

from the travel blog: Kiwis and Kangaroos

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It is not the Customs officials who examine the boots, but the Agriculture guys who are charged with protecting NZ's most important industry from unwanted pests and diseases. It is not the mud they are looking for but seeds and/or insect eggs/larvae that mey be imbedded in the mud, that if unintentionally liberated into the NZ environment could cause immeasurable damage to the country's economy.

written by Zac on January 12, 2009

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