Much of Auckland is dotted by Volcanoes, which I didn’t know until seeing them marked all over my map. With up to 50 around Auckland, it’s hard to miss them, though some look like ordinary hills. A morning stroll to the Wintergarden’s leads to such an unrecognizable feature, but I was more interested in the wondrous cool and warm rooms and Fernery enclosed in greenhouses, then crossed over the volcano to the War Memorial Museum, which made me realize that New Zealand may not be that far away from the rest of the world as some might think. There I caught a bus to hike up Mount Eden where I watched a spectacular sunset overlooking the city and a volcanic crater. Sunset was spoiled a little by a sudden revelation for optimizing the next day’s plans, but overall it was quite relaxing. After venturing down, I sought to visit the University of Auckland but couldn’t find a way in, and worrying about the bus schedule, opted to go back to the city center where I checked out the night life around the Ferry Terminal, drawn in by the colorful The Cloud and Shed’s structures.

Tip:
Maps reveal many hidden secrets that aren’t obvious to the eye when walking about. I’m constantly using the maps.me app for orientation, to plan walking routes, locate transit hubs, and keep an eye out for unique sounding sites or locations. It’s impossible to feel lost when you have a map and GPS.

A benchmark atop Mount Eden, Auckland

Published by BE

I write about my travel and money experiences. View all posts by BE