Auckland | NZ 16/16

Auckland

That evening, we landed in Auckland and for the local driving we got a Corolla (again) which was bit stiff and less interesting. I convinced myself and drove it to the Ventura Inn hotel (in the airport boulevard). This is for budget travelers and one can expect really disappointing levels of service. I parked my car and found an Indian restaurant that offered to pick us and drop us back to the hotel. Couldn’t expect more than that. Though service is poor, rooms are quite big with the view of Auckland roads.

Blueskies Skydiving – Parakai
It was not at all blue the next day morning. I was hoping it to get better and drove all the way to Parakai that is 50 Kms of drive. My outdated GPS maps made it bit longer. However as we started early I had the luxury to drive slowly to enjoy those roads. After Helensville, almost it was clear that the clouds had plan not to let single ray of sun to the earth or at least to Parakai area. We went there and the staff from Blueskies too eagerly waiting for the sky to clear and we were their first to be dropped from the sky. Skydiving is not an easy stuff that sounds as simple as it does. It’s a matter of drop off from 12000 feet high above from the surface and a 45 Seconds of free fall. Later a parachute travel of 4 minutes will takes us to the land. So what? Its hardly a matter of 5 mins right, you may say. But I must have lost deep sleep thinking that falling. My wife was really ready to change her mind and asked 100 times about cancelling it. Weather played against us and won that day. We cancelled our booking headed to Auckland. A girl and her father from Hamilton were talking to us for a while – else we would have started earlier.

Mount Eden – Maungawhau
That means Mountain of the Whau Tree . This place is hardly five kilometres from the city of Auckland. This is one of the biggest crater that still lives to tell the story. However cooled long back and promised not to erupt again. This is the highest natural point in Auckland. As usual my gps took us to a haunted garage and called it mount eded. Had to drive couple of circles to find the correct road. This crater is completed tamed now and grows long grasses. Maori considered this as sacred place.

We parked our and walked the complete circle and called it the experience.

Drive to the airport was smooth. We picked our stuffs and waited for our long haul flight to Bangkok. We stayed in Bangkok airport hotel. Early morning Thai airways flight got us to the place where call, “Home” now.

The long and spectacular journey came to an end. I patted myself for driving first time for that long in a new country. My ego poked that I got a speed ticket too.

I believe these pics look decent. My wife, took all the pressure from me to take those nicest pictures. My heartfelt thanksgiving hugs to her. I love you bujji!

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