"Kia ora" is an informal Maori greeting wishing good health. I find this greeting especially appropriate given the current situation. So without further ado:
Kia Ora from New Zealand!
Originally, I was supposed to travel through Japan, Thailand, and Australia before ending up in New Zealand to conclude my travels. However, as COVID-19 escalated, my plans had to change, but more on that later.
On March 10th, I flew to Los Angeles to visit some old friends - Bleakney and Lauren. It was my first time in Los Angeles and I had so much fun seeing my friends! Although brief, it was nostalgic and a blast to see them again. I wish them all the best as they start their careers in the film industry!
At 10 pm on Wednesday, March 11th, I departed LA for Auckland, New Zealand. Although only a 12 hour flight, I landed on Friday, March 13th at 6:45am. Yes, I successfully traveled through time.
I have to say, that was one of the first flights where I actually slept soundly. This was likely due to - big surprise - the seats actually reclining to a comfortable position. Kudos, Air New Zealand. Getting off the plane, I felt pretty good besides the fact that I just sat in one spot for over 11 hours.
For the first weekend, I stayed with Corinne and her housemates - Thomas, Alex, Olly, and Hamish - in a suburb of Auckland called Ellerslie. Corinne is the sister of one of my best friends from high school. When I heard she had moved to Auckland to be with her boyfriend Thomas and to start medical school, I reached out. Corinne and her housemates graciously offered to host me over the weekend and to show me around. I cannot thank them enough for their hospitality. What an unforgettable first weekend!
Corinne kindly spent her day showing me around the city so I could see the sights. For lunch, we walked down to the local bakery and had some delicious pies (the meat variety). Afterwards, she drove me around the city giving me a feel for Auckland. As we drove through the city, we passed under several stunning tree canopies. The variety of tree species in New Zealand is astounding! Coming from Austin where there are only a few different trees (or at least it seems that way), the variety is a welcomed novelty. In their backyard alone, there had to be at least 25 different trees, along with a full garden.
We stopped at One Tree Hill and hiked to the top where there was a picturesque view of the Auckland skyline. At the crest of the hill stands an obelisk that honors the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Essentially, this treaty inducted the Maori as British subjects under the Crown, while giving them equal rights and allowing them to retain ownership of their land.
That evening, Thomas, Corinne, Hamish, and I went to Kiss Kiss, a Thai restaurant that was oh-so-good. Afterwards, Hamish took us to this awesome lookout of the city (pictured below). Around 10pm, I sank into their couch and passed out for what seemed to be an eternity. Although it was a long day, it was the perfect way to combat jet lag. The next morning I awoke refreshed and ready to explore.
I finally got to meet the Corinne's other housemates - Alex and Olly. Alex is another American like Corinne, who met Olly - Thomas' fraternal twin - when he was studying in the US. What an awesome group of people in a beautiful house! I hope to visit them again before I leave New Zealand.
After breakfast, Thomas, Corinne, and I hopped in the car for Piha (pee-haw), a black sand beach. It was my first exposure to the winding roads of New Zealand, as well as the spectacular scenery that comes with them. The blind corners at 50 km/h weren't my favorite, but I got used to them soon enough. And hey, we made it there and back in one piece, and that's all that matters ;)
We attempted to find a fish & chips place to take some grub down to the beach, but had no such luck. However, we did find a great little cafe that had delicious savory pastries. I got a yummy salmon quiche that went surprisingly well with the hazy IPA's that we also brought with us. Piha was a sight to behold. I had never seen a black sand beach before, let alone visit one. The sand was surprisingly cold on the warm fall day. Sitting on the beach, I was entranced with curling my toes in the cool black sand and running my free hand through the sand. I have never felt such fine sand before.
Following our adventure to Piha, Thomas, Olly, and Hamish took me out to a nearby pitch and putt with their friend Chuy. We split into two teams, Thomas and Hamish versus the three of us. We sipped brews as we bumbled our way through the 9 hole short course. Those golf lessons I took as a kid were lost on me as I struggled to hit the ball straight. Thankfully, the lads were very patient with me and offered me some great pointers that improved my stroke dramatically towards the end of the 9 holes. I can't remember who won, so it probably was not our team unfortunately...
On the way back to the house, Olly picked up some fish and chips that we had been craving earlier that day. It was well worth the wait. Thomas popped open a couple of pale ales that he had home brewed for us to enjoy after our fish and chips. They were quite tasty and strong! Good on ya, Tom! We played cards late into the evening - a game they call Scum, which is similar to our Presidents.
Day 3 in Auckland I spent mostly planning as everyone in the house was back at work or school. That day was also marred with escalating concern over the novel coronavirus. I remember getting a lot of texts from back home and reading the news of how the situation in the United States was looking more and more grim. With my future looking more uncertain, I decided getting a job was the best next step. It would be a great way to meet people and to save money for potential travels.
The story and events that followed were quite the whirlwind, deserving an entry of their own.
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