I arrived at downtown Auckland around 10:30, finally. I drove around and explored a little, but I had to turn in my rental car by 1:30, and so I didn’t end up parking or walking around the downtown area as I had planned.
If Wellington is like San Francisco, then Auckland is like LA. All sprawling and patchworkily multicultural. I like the multicultural aspect, but the sprawl I can do without. The New Zealanders pronounce the name as Californians pronounce “Oakland,” and they also call it “the Big Smoke” – which is a great nickname for the metropolis of the South Pacific. But in my several days in New Zealand, when overhearing locals speaking of the city in conversation, it was always only referred to as Bloody Auckland.” I guess that’s how the rest of the country feels about it.
I’m at an airport hotel in Sydney tonight, because I have to check in really early for my flight back to Korea tomorrow morning. I’m freeloading some crappy free wifi – very slow. So no more pictures.
Maybe later. I’ll see you from Korea, probably.
