New Zealand’s scenic magnificence is legendary and any trip to the left side is risky so long as Trump is around, ergo… We were only the second disaster to hit Auckland in a span of two days. We arrived a day after the cyclone Vaianu. Thankfully, barring the minor inconvenience of small shower spells, we were largely unaffected.
Stay in Auckland
We have aged. We know that because we now choose a Radisson/Accor/Marriott over any cutesy boutiques. Radisson in New Zealand is new. This was Red and we had perks, that helped. We had a decent view of the city, and we could comfortably watch it from that sofa. So, nice enough.
See/Do in Auckland
The Viaduct Harbour area is a 10-15 min walk away and you can do your shopping on the way. A good place if you’re the sunset kind. Or the street art kind.
The Auckland Townhall, ladies and gentlemen. Quite elegant.
The Auckland Art Gallery, if you’re so inclined. This is very close to Radisson.
But our go-to place was Albert Park. Sitting on park benches and watching trees and people is now a much-enjoyed ritual.
That’s Sky Tower, as seen from Albert Park. I found it interesting that neither of us felt like going there to get that panoramic view. Heh.
We also visited the Neon Pathway but it was a rainy night and there was no traffic to do the thing it does – lights glowing as traffic moves.
But this is what y’all came for, right? We took a tour from Cheeky Kiwi, pretty good for small group tours.
The natural landscape made it very evident why they chose the place.
It is really difficult to describe how incredibly beautiful it is.
Behold, the shire.
Preserved in stunning detail. With some 2000 devotees visiting daily, this is a gold mine for Sir Peter Robert Jackson.
Look at that mailbox and hobbit-size clothes hung out for drying.
And yes, they have a home you can get into! Everything is hobbit sized and supremely awww! The library was my favourite place.
The chair and that fireplace was a close second. Sigh.
I think I took photos as design inspirations for home!
Damn place is practically a painting!
D took a close up of that recipe, maybe she’ll make it soon.
Table for four, anyone. And a newspaper while at it.
Across the lake is the Green Dragon Inn.
Pretty pretty. up close too.
And you get a free beer as part of the tour. Cheers!
Our next stop on the tour was Rotorua, and we spent a few minutes by the serene Lake Rotorua.
Next up was Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland. Home to the smell of a thousand farts. But wonder indeed – an active geothermal area with stunning colours. This is the Champagne Pool, definitely not your average bubbly.
All natural. No artificial colouring. Spectacular!
What/Where to eat in Auckland
Radisson doesn’t have a buffet, surprisingly, but they do make a good breakfast.
When it comes to avocados, D is a millennial.
Elliott Stables is a short walk from Radisson and is an excellent microcosm of the truly diverse food scene in Auckland. It’s also pretty and well maintained.
D had Greek from Zeta.
And I had Pho from Saigon Social. That shows you the diversity.
Since we’d probably never get to sample Ethiopian, we went to Addis for lunch. This is also where we learned that our flight to Queenstown was cancelled!
We weren’t really hungry, so we shared a Doro Wot. Ethiopian stew served with an injera. Everything about it reminded me of Kerala’s Appam + Egg Roast
The traditional coffee turned out to be well, just coffee.
The last time we had Filipino food was in 2013, and thus Boracay Garden, run by a very homely middle aged lady. It’s a bit away from the regular spots but we loved the family-like ambience and service.
The Beef Kaldereta, a kind of stew, was fabulous. And you can customise your chilli levels. 🙂
The Chicken Sisig wasn’t a looker, but more than made up for it in terms of taste. Definitely recommended.
When there is craft beer, we gotta partake. Dr Rudi’s Rooftop Brewing Co. seemed like a popular hangout so we booked in advance.
It offers a great view of the harbour.
But the beer, at least what we tried, was quite average.
The mussels are messy, but the Thai curry flavour makes it a must-have.
The Chorizo & Jalapeno was also quite good.
Of course desserts! Giapo lured me with that Batman though I didn’t have that.
I went with ‘broken cone on a plate’ because it sounded like an art install (by design, I guess) and was more convenient than an actual cone. 😀
D chose a standard cone with her favourite flavour – hazelnut. We loved both, and I’d recommend a visit.
Auckland is New Zealand’s giant city in terms of population and commercial activity, though it feels small and walkable. We used Uber quite a bit, and always got Indian drivers. We had a 3D 2N itinerary in Auckland, and as always, would have loved more time to get to know the food scene more. It is mind boggling in variety. Yes, our Queenstown flight was cancelled, but we got there earlier than planned. That story is next.
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