Day 30 – Last day in Auckland.

I spent most of the day just chilling around and sorting myself out for going away. I packed my bag, had some food, updated my blog, y’know the usual things! Rick had offered the night before to take me out for a drive and show me Auckland. We drove right along the coast up to Saint Heliers Bay and then turned back around and headed into the city. It was nice to see some ocean as it felt like ages since i’d seen a proper coastline. We ended the evening in Sails restaurant, which was very nice and tasty!

I love seeing Queenie on other peoples notes, makes it feel more like home.

Day 27 - Auckland city centre.

After yesterdays disaster, I walked into the main shop bit in Titirangi to find a proper cash point to get some money out. Success! Only down fall was it only dispensed $50 notes, so I went over to the shop to buy some water so I had change for the bus. Back in the UK if you handed over a £20 note for a £1 bottle of water you’d probably be glared at and asked if you had anything smaller but here it’s just the norm, which I find really weird and a little hard to get used too. I picked up the bus from the town and the first one that came along was the 173 being driven by Ray! He charged me a child’s price again and told me to treat myself with the change, what a really lovely man!

I went right into the city and wondered around a bit. Not really looking at anything in particular but just seeing what Auckland city had to offer. My first port of call was 2 degrees to see if they did a cheap sim, mostly so I can use the Internet, maps and all those kinds of things and not be charged extortionate prices from the UK! Luckily for me they did, I grabbed myself a $10 deal, which is a fiver for a months worth of stuff, pretty sweet. From here I could navigate myself to the Kiwi Experience shop, which is what I will be heading off to do, come Tuesday. I booked myself on the bus and I’m so excited for this adventure to start!! It’s a hop on hop off bus that is going to take me all over the north and south island. When Chrissy and I went to Australia we did the Oz Experience bus which all started because of the one in NZ.

I walked to the Sky Tower and watched some people jump off it, you can pay to do that, it’s not suicide or anything. It is a bit too pricey for my liking though, so I think I’ll just go to the viewing deck instead when I come back here before I leave to go to Sydney.

I walked to North Wharf as this is where the bank Stuart works in is. It is a little like Gunwharf waterfront with outside eating and they’ve transformed a number of old shipping containers into restaurants. Apparently it has only been open just under a year but it is a must do for a lovely evening in Auckland. You get great views of the city and you can see the Harbour bridge. We had a tour of the ASB bank, which was rather swanky and then ate dinner in an Italian place called Portofino.