auckland – pure adrenaline!

the “city of sails” is picturesque, clean and hospitable! i explored as much as i can in a couple days and soaked up all that it had to offer!. it’s tough to really grasp a city in such a short time, but i dare say, that i can probably live here (now that i survived the jump off the harbor bridge!). there’s a lot to do in and around auckland and its people are affable.



i stayed at the rydges, a stone’s throw away from the tallest tower in the southern hemisphere (sky tower) and a short walk to the harbour where most activity is centered. a leisurely walk around queens’s street (commercial part of town lined with shops and restaurants) on saturday afternoon was followed by a trip down to the harbour. with the sheer number of sailboats on display in and around the harbour, it’s obvious that sailing is big here. it sure is a pretty sight.







then took a ferry out to devonport, a historic town across the bay, on the north side of the city. devonport has a striking resemblance to greenwich (in london). quaint little shops, art galleries, markets, restaurants and a general laid back atmosphere. being a saturday afternoon, families were picnicking by the water and the kids were all over the place. i walked around town before trekking up to mount victoria (in my flip-flops!) to enjoy some pretty stunning views of the city and around.











my next stop was the sky tower observation deck, just when the sun was disappearing.



after a long day time to unwind and checkout the bar and club scene in auckland on a saturday night!. went to a few and found them to have good ambiance and drinks but average music. interestingly the dress code is casual. “float” on the waterfront was really good but for the hyper college crowd.



the following day, in a moment of madness and some slick marketing (see the flyer!), i signed up for the auckland harbour bridge climb and then bungy jump off into the waitamate harbour!!!!. i asked a number of questions leading up to the one question that really really mattered - ”how safe is this?”. simon (the dude worked for the aj hackett bungy company) promptly answered…”safer than driving a car!”. i did not google for the hazards of bungy jumping and neither did i read the waiver forms before signing them.



The bridge is ordinary but the climb on a cool and breezy day was refreshing. the group on the climb with me included elderly couples from prague and auckland. watching me bungy was part of their bridge walk experience! that was cruel. the couple from auckland even invited me over to their house for a meal if i survived the jump! the moment of truth arrived. i opted for the “water touch” option, said my prayers and to the beat of “the final countdown” took a leap of faith !. after a few seconds of pure adrenaline, i hit the water (went in up to my waist, head first, and took a gulp! definitely a little more than a “water touch”!!!). the recoil took me up and down a few times before being hoisted back up to the bridge. was offered a discounted second jump and i passed.



newmarket is a neat suburb southeast of the city where aucklanders shop, dine and entertain themselves. went there sunday evening to find most of the shops closed!




back to the hotel and some rest. tomorrow, its off to the land of oz!