During my first trip to New Zealand, the first thing I noticed was how incredibly easy-going everyone, everything, and everywhere I went was. I was prepared for it, as I was warned before I got there.
Regardless of how much people warned me, I was not prepared for the easy-going atmosphere of Auckland.
First of all, Auckland doesn't just refer to the city of Auckland. Like Los Angeles, it refers to a great deal of the surrounding areas, including Whangangaparaoa (which is part of the Hibiscus Coast area), Ponseby and Puhui. For the sake of this review, however, I am going to refer to Auckland as the main city and the immediate surrounding areas (the suburbs).
About a week before we were to depart for Los Angeles, I was brought on a ''tiki tour'' -- a long, long drive around what is known as Auckland. We were in the car for a bit over 6 hours. And, yes, I got quite car sick.
We started in Whangaparaoa, where my mother-in-law lives and where my husband grew up. It is a nice beach area with a lot of cute, little shops. I highly recommend the bakery located in the Shops in Manly, as well as Sparx Cafe. (The Eggs Benedict at Sparx are to die for!) However, Whangaparaoa is quite far from the heart of Auckland and located in the Hibiscus Coast, and not worth the drive unless you're visiting friends or something. (I included this part in this review because my husband tells people his family lives in ''Auckland,'' and they all live in this area.) Don't get me wrong-- it's a nice place, but it's ordinary.
We drove from one coast to the other, which took less than 2 hours. The views were terrific, especially on the cliffs overlooking the sea. I just wish I could remember the names of the places we stopped on the way to Auckland! We took some videos and photos, which I will post somewhere else at a later date and give you the links.
Devonport, just a stone's throw from the city of Auckland, is quite a posh area with a couple of places to go with a nice view of the city. One is an old Naval base. Just be forewarned that there are a lot of tour buses that go up to these sites. So, have your cameras and video cameras ready!
Mount Eden is a really neat place to go. It has a terrific view of Auckland, plus a crater from what was once a small volcano. You can go all the way to the bottom of the crater, but be sure to have good walking shoes to get back to the parking area!
I compared Auckland to an Francisco and Seattle. If you've ever been to either of those cities, you'll know what to expect.
I am not a racist person, so don't take this paragraph wrong. I was absolutely STUNNED by how many Asians were in the city. I felt like I was in Tokyo rather than Auckland. I was informed me that there had been an ''Asian Invasion'' over the past two years, where the Asian population quadrupled. However, there is a very positive aspect of this: You can find some terrific Oriental food in Auckland. I had Chinese food three different times in Auckland and was thrilled each time.
On of my collections consists of pins from various Planet Hollywood restaurants around the world. I knew that there was one in Auckland, and was absolutely stoked to go and get a pin. The Planet Hollywood in Auckland is located in this huge mall on Queen Street. You have to take an elevator to the third floor to get to the restaurant. The elevator doors open right in front of the merchandis area. It took FOREVER for someone to come and help us. Then, we were informed that there weren't any pins left!! The woman apologized and said that not many people visited the restaurant during the winter, and they were expecting a shipment next week. When we looked around the restaurant, we were shocked to see just three people sitting at the bar. Absolutely NO tables were filled-- at 4:30pm on a Tuesday. Unreal. My suggestion? Visit and get the pin before the place shuts down...
After buying a shot glass instead of my pin (hrmph), we walked up to Sky Sity, the casino and hotel located in Auckland. Apparently, the Sky City tower is the largest structure in the Southern Hemisphere. It was really, really high. Throughout the observation deck, there are windows in the floor that you can walk over and look directly down below you. Thanks, but no thanks.
At the top of the Sky Tower is a restaurant called Orbit. This is know ans one of the nicest restaurants in New Zealand, let alone Auckland. If you're going there, definitely dress up for dinner-- and expect to pay a bundle. This ''flash'' restaurant actually spins in a circle while you're eating. Don't worry, it's only one revolution per hour. The food is interesting, to say the least. For example, I had an appetizer of smoked duck salad, which was a whopping $18. I chose the lamb-filled pasta in tomato sauce, which was $25.50. My dessert, the vanilla creme brulee (EXQUISITE) was merely $9, and was the best thing I had to eat. There were six of us at the table, and the meal came to just over $406. It isn't customary to tip in New Zealand, either. They freak if you do, so be forewarned. Our biggest complaint about Orbit was the fact that there was a family with little children behind us. The kids were absolutely out of control, and the manager didn't do anything to get them under control. When we complained about it, all she got was a sheepish, ''sorry.''
The casino in Sky City is much like a casino you would find on an Indian Reservation in the US. It's small and self-contained. You will find slots, table games, and a players club. There is a charge for beverages, however.
The rest of Auckland is like any other city. The Hilton is neat, because it's shaped like a boat. After all, this is the harbour where the America's Cup begins and where all of the competitors stay. You've got your run-of-the-mill restaurants and shops... The only good thing is the exchange rate that works in the favor of virtually any other country. So, spend, spend, spend!
I noticed, however, that there were a lot of things that were sold out in different shops. It was very disappointing. That gives me the impression that Auckland merchants really aren't prepared for the amount of tourism that is present-- and seems to be growing every day.
If you visit New Zealand, go ahead and take a day or two to explore Auckland. After all, you've come a long, long way. And, Auckland is quite a famous city. Just don't expect something wild or out of the ordinary. You'll be in for a big disappointment.
