Hello New Zealand!

On Monday, it was finally time to head to New Zealand. All packed up, we took the metro to the airport.

Exiting China went smoothly, and we were incredibly excited about New Zealand. There was only the approximately 11-hour flight separating us. We were lucky, as there was a lot of space on the plane, allowing us both to have a row to ourselves. Unfortunately, neither of us could really sleep at all.

At 5:30 AM local time, we landed at Auckland International Airport. Contrary to our expectations, the immigration process was also extremely smooth; we didn't even have to show our visa - everything was done digitally.

In the first few days in Auckland, our priority was to find a suitable camper for our adventure. Therefore, we had two viewings scheduled each day for the first three days. The first two vans were waiting for us just a few hours after our arrival in Auckland; there was no time to catch up on sleep, just enough time for coffee and a small breakfast.

The center of Auckland is not very large, so we were able to explore nearly everything on our way to the viewings. After all the viewings, we now had to make a decision on which van would accompany us in the coming year. You'll see which van we chose in the next post ;)

On Friday, we had our first day of sightseeing and took the ferry to Rangitoto Island, a small volcanic island off the coast of Auckland. There, for the first time in a long while, we experienced real nature, forests, and many birds. Particularly impressive was the native Tui, whose song reminded us of robotic sounds from science fiction films.

A fantastic view of the city can be enjoyed from Auckland's home volcano, Mount Eden. After a short and steep ascent, you are rewarded with a 360° view.

Today we took an excursion to the suburb of Northcote to stroll through the Kauri Glen Reserve. The beautifully laid out path gave us a feeling of rainforest right in the city. We were additionally rewarded with many birds and even parrots.

Overall, our first impressions of New Zealand are almost entirely positive. Contrary to our expectations, prices are usually not much higher than in Germany. Especially for coffee and in restaurants or cafes, we find the prices comparable. Drivers are very considerate of pedestrians and stop early at zebra crossings. The only negative thing we've noticed is a fairly visible number of obviously drug-addicted individuals that we regularly see in the center.

We really like our hostel. In our area, where the double rooms are located, it is very quiet and not crowded. The kitchen, bathrooms, and common areas are also clean.