Kia Ora from Auckland! I've been trying to catch up on writing for days, but there's no down time here, which I love! After having my boots bleached at the airport (biosecurity standard) and learning to cross the road with cars driving on the left side (by almost dying), I settled at K Road City Traveller hostel on Karangahape Rd (main strip of clubs, cafes, restaurants, shops, loud people at 2 am, etc).
As NZ's main hub, Auckland is home to 1/3 of the country's population and a pit stop for travelers starting or ending their trips. Not an Italian restaurant in sight, but there's a Starbucks, McDs, or Wendy's just around the corner. You can get any kind of authentic Asian food you ever wanted in Auckland, and so far I’ve had the best Turkish, Chinese, and Indian foods of my life.
My first friend in NZ was Willi, a German who did a month in Sydney, a month in NZ, and USA (LA to NYC) is next. My hostel mates were Jane from Melbourne and Julian from Munich. Jane is a mother of two on vacation from her family for 10 days. She was a big backpacker in the 80's "when backpacking was real good." At 23, Julian has lived in Cuba, Kenya, India, and is now finishing a full year in New Zealand. He is flying home to surprise his mom for her birthday! Our mate Cecily is Irish and has been to Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, China, and Indonesia. The travelers are outgoing and interesting. Everyone wants to know your plans and where you're from.
I managed to trump jet lag. Willi and I walked all over my first day. On day two, Julian and I visited the Art Gallery downtown; easily one of the coolest museums I’ve ever seen, content and architecture. New Zealand artwork draws heavy inspiration from nature. Descriptions of modern pieces speak of natural elements like stalactites/ stalagmites, the landscapes of different regions, mountains, birds, etc. The Maori art is like nothing I’ve ever seen.
University of Auckland’s city campus lies in the middle of downtown and runs along the beautiful Albert Park, a large garden and festival site. I walked the length of Queens St strip, saw Sky Tower (looks a lot like the Space Needle), and walked Princes Wharf and Auckland Harbor. It's lovely there but typical urban. I can't wait to get to the South Island, where sheep outnumber people. I want to hike and kayak my way around all the lakes and mountains! More to come soon. Cheers!
My first friend in NZ was Willi, a German who did a month in Sydney, a month in NZ, and USA (LA to NYC) is next. My hostel mates were Jane from Melbourne and Julian from Munich. Jane is a mother of two on vacation from her family for 10 days. She was a big backpacker in the 80's "when backpacking was real good." At 23, Julian has lived in Cuba, Kenya, India, and is now finishing a full year in New Zealand. He is flying home to surprise his mom for her birthday! Our mate Cecily is Irish and has been to Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, China, and Indonesia. The travelers are outgoing and interesting. Everyone wants to know your plans and where you're from. 
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