Back to Auckland

So far on our tour of the North Island, Andy and I have only ever seen Auckland in passing while on the highway getting from one place to the next. Since we were headed back there to drop off our camper near the airport, we thought it would be worthwhile to explore New Zealand's largest city for a bit before flying out.

The "City of Sails" viewed from its highest point, Mt. Eden

Our visit was very brief, as we only had a couple of hours before we needed to catch our flight. But we did manage to drive through the city center and see Sky Tower, the tallest building in the southern hemisphere:

 

Like the Space Needle, you can go up and eat at the restaurant at the top with great views of the city. Unlike the Needle, you can also jump off the top for an insane bungee experience.

We continued through the city, stopping by the waterfront for a quick lunch before heading to the airport. Our opinion, as is with most big cities in New Zealand, is that it reminds us of Seattle. We were not terribly impressed, but we expected that from what we've heard and read online; the general consensus being that Auckland is not really a highlight in New Zealand and is in fact an unfortunate starting point for those wanting to see the beauty of the country.

We have since left the North Island and have taken our flight out to the South!

We feel so blessed and grateful for the time that we've been able to spend on the North Island. The past 3.5 weeks have flown by so fast and have been a whirlwind of incredible scenery and great activities. From what we've seen so far, New Zealand is truly a remarkable country and unmatched in natural beauty. But even before we left for New Zealand, we'd heard that the South Island is where its at. If that's true, we can't imagine it being anything short of AMAZING.

So here's to the second phase of our journey: the South Island!