Auckland number 1

In the morning we set off right away to the camper van and I tell you, I was nervous. First, it was about surviving the drive there, since it’s close to the airport, but it was absolutely uneventful and super easy. It rained non-stop, it was so disgusting, you don’t even know. They briefly explained it to me, and then a mechanic came who is checking the car for 45 minutes and then they’ll make me an offer, so to speak. Am I scared? Oh yes. Am I likely to get ripped off? Quite possibly. I hope I get an okay offer since no major defects were found, unless he finds something else here. Meanwhile, I’m waiting here, hoping the rain will maybe let up a bit. So yeah, initially quite a loss, but I did some research and for a rental car, I would have paid the same or more for that time period, so I actually came out pretty good, I must say, so it works for me. I then booked an Uber to the hostel, everything is soaked, it’s really raining like crazy, it’s brutal. Hope I can check in soon and take a shower. Yes, I could, and the shower was great, hot, unlimited. After being able to rest well yesterday and sleep well, this morning I went on a hunt for matcha latte and food. I then called and stepped out. It rained on and off but not as bad as yesterday. I took my time and bought some last souvenirs. Then it was off to the museum, free admission. There was an exhibition I would have loved to visit, but it cost 40 dollars, so that was a no for me. But there was quite a bit of Monet’s work on display, and I love his paintings. One was also exhibited, which made me super happy. So for being free, there was actually a lot going on across 4 floors, especially perfect for rainy weather. Not so perfect: then I had to walk around for an hour, BUT I wasn’t just wandering anywhere, but to a tattoo shop. Yeah mom, dad, what can I say, that’s just how things are. Today was just for discussions about what we are going to do; the appointment for the tattooing is yet to come, and I’m already looking forward to it. I have such a sweet young lady as a tattoo artist, she was super nice. So it was a one-hour walk back to the hostel, it was gradually getting dark anyway. Just because I could, I took a shower, and I tell you, such luxury, I still can’t believe it. Then with snacks, I ended the relaxed day watching a series. Today suddenly got really sporty. I woke up early again and first chilled for a bit. Then I set off in search of breakfast, you know it’s steak and cheese pie. I walked through Albert Park, which was very cute. Then I thought I could make it to the Auckland Domain without GPS. And yes, I could, but the highway messed up my plan a bit. So I had to take quite a detour with GPS, but I managed to arrive. In general, it’s a huge park, and there is also the war museum, but it costs 30 dollars, so I skipped that. However, there were greenhouses, which were so cute, I’m telling you, I really liked that. Then it was off to Mt. Eden, the inactive volcano. After I hiked up there, I indeed had an amazing 360-degree view, with the volcanic crater in the middle. I think I walked about 6-8 km and now it was time to head back. But it was mostly downhill, so not too bad. I got myself a kebab because it was warm and cheap and had some vegetables. And now, firstly, relaxing at the hostel.