So You Want to Visit New Zealand

New Zealand is made up of 2 big islands: North Island and South Island. Auckland is somewhere at the northern part of the the North Island. Wellington, the capital is somewhere at the bottom part of the North Island. Most of the places that we've been to here at the North Island has a beach, a walking trail (hiking and walking is the same thing) and most likely a playground. All these places we've just Googled. It's interesting the level of detail that people put out there for you to consume. We also relied on our GPS navigator to take us to these places. Popular places that Aucklanders seem to visit often during school holidays are Whangarei, Rotorua, Taupo and Coromandel. We haven't been to the South Island but have mostly explored Auckland and nearby towns.

They say that the South Island is like a different country that's why we still have a couple of things to do here from our bucket list:

• go on a road trip to the South Island
• take one of the scenic train journeys (when the kids are older)
• go to Lake Tekapo for the Southern Lights (Aurora Australis)
• go to Milford Sound
• go hiking or tramping in one of the family-friendly trails at South Island. 

Fans of the Hobbit and LOTR movies visit at least one of the 23 sites where the movies took place. These are spread around NZ. I've only been to Hobbiton, which is 3 hours away from Auckland. Nearby is Taupo, which is a jump off point to Tongariro Crossing, where Mordor is. I have thought about doing this crossing which is a day hike but maybe when the kids are older.

So to my friends and family who want to visit New Zealand, I'd say give it at least 2 weeks. New Zealand has lots of free scenic attractions. The country is also popular for its extreme adventures (bungy jump, skydiving, etc.) and this is one of the safest places that you can do it. Also, New Zealand is a drive-able country. It is very common for tourists to rent a car and drive themselves around. Transport options, local tours, accommodation, etc. can be booked directly. Tourism is one of the biggest industries here so expect the locals, or most of the tourist towns to be looking after you.

Your primary expenses would be Visit Visa fees if applicable (see immigration.govt.nz), airfare, transport, accommodation and food. Do some research on the things that you like to do and then take it from there. You should be able to work your way through transport, tours and accommodation.

Air New Zealand's 75th Anniversary Exhibit and Fun at the Parks

Next to the War Memorial Museum at the Auckland Domain sits the cockpit part of an Air New Zealand plane. There's a staircase leading up on both sides of the plane's doors. The first time we were there, the gates just closed which made my kids very upset as we were already there. We managed to come early the next time and had to fall in line. It was windy that day and a bit cloudy. I was pretty pleased with how they accommodated the guests. They did not rush you while you're inside and they actually wanted you to try all the gadgets and switches that are found on board. My kids said they were flying to the Philippines. The captain sits on the left side with the co-pilot on the right. It's a commercial plane but my kids preferred using it like a battleship. We were there for about 10 minutes I think, or maybe less as we had to give the others a chance to experience the plane as well. 

This summer's memories centers around park visits. Instead of taking long drives, we've been taking the kids to our favourite parks and beaches, and explored new playgrounds like those with water play (Waterview) and skate park (Mount Roskill). This  usually ends with an ice cream treat, be it from Mr. Whippy, the local dairy or from our TipTop tub at home. It's great to be a kid in Auckland.  

Returning to One Tree Hill

At dahil maaraw this weekend, we brought the kids to One Tree Hill yesterday. 40 mins bus ride lang and siguro 15 mins walk papuntang entrance ng One Tree Hill Domain. Dun merong mga sheep at lamb na grazing freely. At mag-ingat pag sa damuhan instead na sa sidewalk ka dadaan. Daming bomb!! Since both hubby and I have been up the hill already on separate occasions, we decided to skip going back up there even if the objective was just to stretch our muscles. Nothing insteresting for us kasi and tanghaling tapat, wala kang masisilungan dun. If the weather change, baka ginawin pa ang mga kids.

Sa paahan ng domain is Cornwall Park. Meron din palang mga cow dun. Di ko alam saan natutunan nina Max and Rose yung pag-clap ng hand to try to get the attention of the cows, and chicken na pakalat kalat. Maganda lakaran yung Century Walk, taas ng mga puno at puro daffodils sa tabi ng daan. Tumambay kami dun sa tabi, ganda ng bermuda against tall trees. Malawak rin kasi yung tatakbuhan ng mga bata dun so ayun, we let them run around and play with a ball. Kung tutuusin, almost 2 hours lang kami andun pero dahil nap time, nakatulog na si Rose while si Max, started complaining na pagod na raw (kakatakbo siguro). So we got home soonafter. Tulog sa bus ang mga kids. Ganda ng place at masarap siyang balikan. Ok dun mag picninc at mag chillax lang. If the kids get older, we can bring them inside the Star Dome observatory. Dun din maraming cherry blossom trees so i look forward to seeing them bloom.

Going to the Beach

It's Sunday and hubby asked what I wanted to do. I told him I just want to go to the beach. After 2 weeks of rain, this weekend has been clear and sunny and everyone seems to be itching to go out in the sun. Plus, the kids were excited to wear their new gum boots. After breakfast, we headed to Coyle Park at Point Chevallier. Hubby discovered this Park that has a big playground with the beach just across. It was just a short bus ride barely 10 minutes and maybe another 10 minutes of walking. There was a group of teens in their wet suits and they seems to be in training as they've done a couple of runs/ dash across the beach and into the water and back. There were young families like us who just enjoyed the sun and sand. My kids literally enjoyed splashing in the water. We stayed there for about 3 hours, long enough to make memories as my son kept talking about how much fun he had that morning at the "river"!

I told my hubby the other day that our kids are so lucky since we moved here in Auckland. The place is like one big playground as all things and events are family friendly. On our way to the mall yesterday, as we walked along the creek, we stopped to watch some ducks swim across the water. It was such a treat for the kids to see these birds. My daughter would keep saying"quack quack". And whenever we'd come across a dog, she'd say "ruff ruff" as if calling the dog. And mind you, these are big dogs and I've seen one that even looks like a wolf! My son would say, "dun, let's go up the mountain" as some of the parks/ roads here are quite hilly. Just like the foot path from the beach.

I was pretty pleased with what we have achieved this morning despite not having a car yet.

Mt. Albert Neighborhood

View of the neighborhood

From Mt. Albert Domain

Dog exercise area

Exit/ Entrance of Mt. Albert Domain

Summit Drive goes up to Mt. Albert Domain, and Kitenui is just across

The school's got a farm! And this is just behind our street.

Found this a couple of paces from our place, quite handy to send mail

Mt. Albert Aquatic Center, just next to Mt. Albert Grammar School

One Night of Wonder

Britomart at night

Quay Street along the harbor

Crossing Queen Street

There really isn't much people here in Auckland even if it's already the biggest city (population-wise) in New Zealand. And seeing the city to be alive on New Year's Eve is perhaps the busiest that it can get apart from hosting the rugby cup. The crowd still follow traffic rules (at least most people do) and the only thing that people get concerned about here is that not a lot of young Kiwis can handle their alcohol.

Around the Office

Houses along Seafield View Rd where I pass by to get to Park Rd for lunch.

Along Grafton Rd:  Auckland Museum on the left. Zeacom building on the right.

From Madeira Lane going to Khyber Pass.

Symonds Street where we eat either Malaysian or Thai food.

Chasing the 211 bus along Symonds.

Barely 3 minutes after hopping on the bus, I see Bike Barn everyday.

My Daily Walks

 I now take the train to go to work everyday and just getting there, to and from the house takes about 20 minutes of walking.Plus an additional 11minutes of walk from the train station to the office. I took a few shots to share my scenic route which I find interesting. The walk helps me clear up my head from the pressures of work. And even if it's only been just a week for me, I know I've got plenty to think about already. Lotsa things needs to be sorted and customers need to be tamed.

So off from the platform is a quick walk up the path and on to the left, crossing the bridge towards the Oratia Stream Walk and Cycle path. I chose to use this route on a daily basis instead of following the main roads since it's more quiet and I'm less at risk of being run down by stray vehicles. Cars drive fast in these roads and I do see some crash marks in the roadside reflectors. It could be fatal if a pedestrian is caught in the middle of it.

I rarely chance upon people who use this path. Once or twice I did came across a cyclist running towards the opposite direction. At past six on a spring evening, the path is still bright as the sun won't be setting until around 8pm. The trees with their dancing branches are the ones who greet me everyday. Sometimes they cast a shadow, other times they send a silent howl. Sometimes I see a kid or two playing with their dog within their backyard. Yes, people do live inside those houses bu you can't tell from the path if they're there or not. It's weird but I do feel a sense of comfort when I see a homeowner mowing their lawn or trimming their bush. It feels sad sometimes whenever I pass by this path. I can't help but think about all this space around me. I can't help but think about how my kids would love to run around the same path. It'll be a delight to see them thrilled with the open space, running and stumbling and then standing up and running again. That's how I remember Max when he was younger during our walk along Riverbanks. This is a much better place for him. And knowing that Rose is now busy on her feet. I'm sure both of them would be thrilled.

Now this looks like a common bush with pink leaves and I have seen this in other houses too. I could've composed this photo better but it's windy and my fingers were getting numb. I did try to capture the contrast of those pink leaves against the usual greens. I like that the picture came out nice and soft, though it looks a bit overexposed.

Somewhere near the end of the walk are these benches. I saw an old man sitting in one of those benches previously. He did look like a bum but I thought it's nice that you can always opt to sit down, relax a bit before you head on to the remaining 10 minutes of your walk. The path forks as you approach this part. I turn right to where the Millbrook Garden is, towards the exit to Millbrook Road.

Crossing the very busy Millbrook Road isn't easy but it should be safe because kids cross this road everyday to get to school. The Sunnyvale school sign tells me that I'm almost home which is great coz that means I'm just a few more minutes away. There is also another entrance from along Awaroa road but this is closer to the Oratia exit. And the view from here is great as you walk up towards the school. You're lead to a wide opening with a lovely grassy hill on the left. Sunnyvale Primary School is painted yellow and you know that it's for kids because of the artwork displayed on classroom windows. The pathways are open to the public and I did see some signs saying that the premises have security. And that there's a neighborhood watch around the place too.

Now after I cross the school grounds, I then exit towards Ribblesdale Road. I find the houses here as big and they usually have a few cars parked outside. It's the barn-type looking green house over on the left side of the road that caught my attention here. That isn't common in terms of architectural design but I guess the owner did a great job in maximizing their small space. I do see my neighbors here especially on weekends. One of the houses n the right loves to play loud music on a Sunday morning. And you do see people & kids hanging around on the deck. At the end of this road is View Road, and just a minute from the corner is the dairy and just across it, is our house.

Fresh Fish Market

How I wish all fish markets in Manila will be turned into something like this. A nice and clean retail store where all the fishes are laid out neatly on ice, and are labeled properly.

Or if they're shellfish, at least they'd be stored in a big tank with running water. That way they'd stay fresh and the smell won't be as nasty.

The fish market here serves three kinds of fish: fresh fish (uncooked), bottled and processed fish products that is located at the dry goods area, and restaurants serving fish and chips and other dine-in fish-themed meals. There isn't that much variety on the choices of fresh fish. Maybe it's because of the season? Or it's because it's past noon already when we got there. But in any case, I think fish here is expensive compared to our fish choices in Manila.

And so, this fish market is at the harbour area. In suburbs, like where I'm staying right now, you can only get your fish from PaknSave and other supermarkets, where the fish is most likely frozen. There could be some fresh choices but who can guarantee freshness when you're getting it from the supermarket?

On our way back, we had to cross a foot bridge. Much to my delight, I saw it moving up either coz it's scheduled to move up or that a boat was about to cross. I didn't see any big boat attempting to cross though.

Sky City and St. Patrick's Square

Sky City Tower and Hotel Casino

Sunday morning at the city can be full of surprises. We headed to McDonald's for breakfast where I sampled Auckland's version of sausage muffin with egg. The sausage tastes and looks like real food! Meaty and all compared to those that I buy in Manila which obviously was just processed food. It was enough to keep me full at least for the next two hours. Myn and I walked around a bit since it was still early and there's not much to do in the apartment. The mall opens at 10am and the mass in the nearby church won't start until 11am. Oh, what to do?

Our random walks led us to Sky City. I've seen it, i've passed by it several times and has even waited for my bus outside that building but i've never really been inside it. So that's what we did. We went inside, checked out their souvenir shop, the cafes, the casino, their tourist offerings. Buffet lunch is at the restaurant near the top of the tower. The illustration shows how high up you are like when you're at the view deck or at the revolving restaurant. It don't think it's a toddler-friendly place. It reminded me more of the hotel-casinos in Macau.

St. Patrick Cathedral

A few paces from Sky City is Queen's street. I think I was trying to recall where I saw that gothic style church then Starbucks popped out. We came in, had some drinks and cake. Mynn loved their cinnamon. I enjoyed the banana walnut, tastes like home. Finally Anne called. She's up and we're to meet her at the church.

This Sunday's celebration was again something that I actually enjoyed. They have a really good cantour (a man dressed in a red robe with an angelic voice like those from Broadway). The priest, Msgr. David Tonks was like a character lifted off from those bedtime stories. He sounds like a storyteller, really nice and warm. There's a portion in the mass, just before the homily when the priest called all the children. These children were gathered into two groups, aged 7 and up, and those who are 6 or younger. They're herded to two separate doors for a cathecism class I suppose. When they came back, the bigger kids were mostly carrying a piece of paper with some art work on it. Hmm, that really made me very curious as to how they manage these kids. And there's this man who greeted us by the door, handing out flyers (songs and the newsletter) and arranging people as to how we are to occupy the seats. He makes people feel welcome upon stepping in the church. St. Patrick's Cathedral by the way has only been reopened about 5 years ago if I remember correctly. I hope it doesn't turn into one of those event places so it remains sacred.

Walking Along Symonds Rd

Motorways, and the Familiar Routes

In one of my walks at the city, I had to cross a bridge to get to where I'm headed. And the bridge was actually on top of this motorway. It was a Sunday and there weren't much people in the city, except maybe tourists or city-dwellers. I took a photo of the motorway coz I think that's one of the many ways for me to reach home, which is towards Waitakere.

I like the walks though it can also be challenging for me not because of the distance but because the wind can get too cold even if the sun's up, especially in the city.

Then in the middle of this busy road called Symonds, my eyes fell towards this patch of green which I first thought was a park.  There it was, looking exactly as how they do in those spooky movies. An old graveyard, and there were quite a few patches of these in Auckland CBD. I'm ot sure if they're kept there for heritage purposes but they sure do give some character to this unknown city.

Graveyard near Grafton Rd

Then I finally made it to my destination, The Langham. I went inside the lobby where it's nice and warm.

Family Places at Auckland

Yesterday I went to places that's great for families with small kids. At Crystal Mountain, guests are encouraged to pet farm animals, ride a pony and ride a train. They even have some kiddie rides,  including a small rollercoaster where my two-year old flatmate simply had a blast! Afterwards it was late lunch at Western Springs Park, just across Auckland Zoo. There were so many families out today coz the sun's out and it's probably the first warm Saturday after winter. We still have the zoo in our itenerary for the day so eventhough it would have been great to just lie around in the park all day, we had to go again.

Auckland Zoo was full! There were a lot of folks with small kids, mostly toddlers either strapped or on strollers. The zoo got a variety of animals and blends in some natural history of NZ as well as some environmental campaigns.

We were in there for about 3 hours and I really felt exhausted. I've been out all day the day before and here I am again walking about. 

Kangaroos

 After the zoo, we drove to up to One Tree Hill. The hill is like a far with sheeps grazing in the pasture. That's the interesting contrast that's probably unique to Auckland, having a farm or a horse in one's backyard within Auckland. The house owner on where we went to just a few paces from our place owns a horse! And i see a lot of boats parked next to the garage in the homes here.

Sheep in their pasture, One Tree Hill

As the sun sets, I got occupied with trying to feel my numb fingers and in trying to get a nice view of Auckland at dusk. I can see how big Cornwell Park is and how many Sakura trees there are. I'm sure it's all going to be beautiful when the flowers bloom. I miss my kids more.

Dusk at Auckland Central

Takapuna Trip and its Warm Surprise

Hurstmere Road, Takapuna

It rained again this morning and it's been darn chilly all day! I'm to take the 130 bus all the way to Takapuna for my IRD appointment. It was a long and scenic ride, 1hr 30mins for about $6.40. The bus route took the Northern Pass Lower Zone. I've seen some nice houses with a great view of the lake unlike here at the west where you only see houses all around.




So I arrived at Takapuna Central 1 hour early. The place looks lovely, like a nice and carefree beach town. It was too early in the afternoon to actually see any activities but the shops and cafes reminded me of the Malate vibe.

Beach Parking for Takapuna

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All the nice view of the beach have been blocked off by these establishments according to the old man who assisted me at the bank. That's how they wanted it built back in the old days he said. It's to keep people away from the beach.

It was a windy day, and that meant wearing three layers of clothing was just about right (a shirt, some knitwear and a coat). My task for the day was completed early and as I tried to take a look at the beach, i got a nice surprise.

An old friend from grad school called me and said that she wanted to see me in the city since her appointment got rescheduled. Finally, a familiar voice and though exploring Takapuna beach was just as tempting, I know that I can do this again some other time in during the warmer months. I took the next bus headed to the city where I met with Myn. And i suppose the rest will be history. This is more than chance.

The sail that won

My View on the Harbor

Fish & chips on the left, some yummy bread and spread on the right

After some catching up, I now feel more at home since finally, I found an old friend. And this is just because I updated my LinkedIn profile.

Sunday Church and The Flea Market

The 10:30am mass here at Holy Cross is managed by the youth. There's even a section in the church where all the little tykes are gathered where their homily is delivered by someone else, in the form of story telling. That's where my flatmates were seated and I didn't really see what went on there. I was in the main church with everyone else, hearing mass as any catholic person does. Nothing different except maybe the songs orr the melodies.

Arnie and her daughter seem to have caught the flu already since I've been hearing coughing and sneezing here at home. We headed home afterwards to pick up the food. We were going to the flea market, then have lunch at the park.

There's a flea market every Sunday, until 2pm at Avondale Race Track. This is where we got our veggies and fruits. Most shoppers were Asian-- Chinese, Korean, Indian and Pinoy. According to Arnie, prices go lower as the market closes, up to a 50% difference compared with the usual Asian or Fresh fruits store. The place looked almost like the regular street stalls in Quiapo or Baclaran. Nothing special really and definitely not comparable to the posh weekend markets in Salcedo and Legaspi. It has been chilly since after mass, so my flatmates decided to skip lunch at the park and just go home instead.

Tofu with oyster sauce, tausi and green peas were quite filling with some pork sisig (no innards) and rice. Though it was late lunch, it was definitely worth the wait. Then 30minutes later, it started to rain.

Kaikoura and Waitakere Central Library

I'm always happy to see the sun up in cold places like this. I tagged along my flatmates as we headed to a nearby garage sale. The owner has 3 boys and he's got a bunch of toys as part of his items on sale. Arnie scoured some really nice Luminarc bowls, 4 pieces for a dollar. Afterwards, we headed off to a nearby park where we had a wonderful view of the rest of Waitakere. The park is Kaikoura Reserve, which is just a small patch of land really with a playground.

I was still feeling a bit sore from all that walking from last Friday so when we got back, I had to take a nap. They woke me up for lunch which was a good thing as I intended to scour West City to check on the library and then head off to Westfield City mall.

It's just a 5 minute bus ride from whichever bus route for $1.90 so I've decided to take a walk instead.

Walking sure helped give me some bearing. I passed by Holy Cross church along the way and Harts Domain. Then finally, these West City establishments. Seeing Waitakere Mega gave me a boost as I know that I'm getting close to my goal. I saw another lady scurrying along way ahead of me as she seemed to be headed in the same direction as I was. I think I'll be as fit as her after a few more days of walking. What's nice about this place is that there are pathways/ sidewalks for pedestrians and you won't feel poisoned by the traffic since the air still feels crisp and clean.

Finally it's the Great North Road again, and to my left, just a few paces more is Unitec, and next to it is the library. I availed of a library card by registering as a new member. I was required to show any identification and a document that states my address. So I've shown the old lady my passport, and the mail that I got from the bank when they sent me my FPOS as it shows my address there. This membership is free for all Auckland residents and entitles one to use any library within the region.

The library is two floors and you've got 28 days before you get fined for a borrowed book. Not bad compared to the 3 day limit that I remember back in school. You can even  get your books and cds online. And the reason why newcomers like me go to the library is that if I ever have a need to use the computer, the internet, do some printing or photocopying, then the library is the best and cheapest place to go to.