Round About Auckland

I wake at dawn to unfamiliar birdsong: a loud, varied, and hollow-sounding flute. There are no crows here, and no seagulls call. Hundreds of years ago, British settlers brought blackbirds, magpies, and song thrushes with them to New Zealand, to make them feel more at home; but in my case, the strange sounds remind me that I am far away.

We breakfast in a small cafe and catch the Link Bus downtown, where we photograph architecture, get lost, and stroll past the harbour, train station, library, hospital, central park, and shops. We take brochures where we can. We accidentally wander into the art gallery (free), where we see portraits of Maori men and women, and, after some wrong turns and deliberate map-checking, eventually find our way to the Auckland Museum and Domain. The Domain is a huge expanse of jungle almost in the heart of the city. We find a trail that leads us over bridges, past waterfalls, through the lush rainforest. Fern fronds the size of watermelons uncurl. In the green, I see movement and a flash of red: a parrot! Making sounds like any budgie, it's a wild parrot having a bath in the stream. There is an awesome greenhouse structure, called the Winter Garden, full of tropical plants from all over the world.

The Auckland museum (also free) has a very impressive, very extensive display of Maori artifacts. Carvings, weapons, clothing, fishing nets, canoes, houses. Did I mention weapons? No wonder the Europeans were terrified of these tattooed warriors, bearing frightening war clubs and shark-tooth knives, making faces. Displayed under glass, the relics still chill me. There are also taxidermied animals and bones, and I see the true size of the Moa, an extinct flightless bird maybe twelve feet tall. The drumstick alone is almost as tall as me!

After dinner, we venture back into the city in search of some live music. So far, Aucklanders seem to be keen on mid-90's pop music, so we have suffered through everything from Brittany Spears and Pink to Maroon 5 and Train. Our Lonely Planet guide boasts about a little spot at the end of a dark alley where The Rolling Stones once played. Unfortunately, tonight it's just J Lo and Shaggy.

Next day, we take the impressive Shark Bus (free) to an Antarctic Adventure Park (overpriced), where we see penguins, manta rays, sharks, lots of fish, and a pretty decayed giant squid in some brine. Honestly, the whole place was a little run-down and sad... but, come on. Check out the ride! We also scale more than 1,000 feet to the top of Auckland Sky Tower (okay, we just take the elevator), for some really breathtaking views of the city at sunset.

Later, back at the hostel, we meet a couple of Scots and a Maori man, and all of us sit around the kitchen, drinking beer and eating dinner, talking. I am mistaken for an American ("So, what part of the States are you from?") and I answer that I am Canadian, actually. The poor Scot falls over himself apologizing, sure that he has offended me unimaginably. I assure him, honestly, that I take no offense: see, you can see the States where I'm from, and the accents are identical. Also, my best friend is American. He continues to mutter apologies ("... may as well call me English...") but the conversation moves on eventually.

Our third day in Auckland starts early: the ferry to Rangitoto Island leaves at 9:30 (right John?)... well, actually, 10:30. No problem. We get tea and some breakfast while we wait, which is my ideal way to kill time. Rangitoto is a young volcano just off the coast, and the speedy little ferry gets us there in about fifteen minutes. We snap photos of the receding skyline, wind in our hair. 

The trek to the summit takes about an hour. We marvel at the way the oak-like trees cling to the volcanic rock, the roots twining without soil. Everywhere, piles of black rock, crunchy beneath our boots. John spots several fast brown lizards, and the birds call across native trees that bloom with yellow flowers. Finally, we reach wooden stairs and the summit platform. The view is completely worth the sweat. We sit and unpack sandwiches, cheese, and wine, listening to the accents of the Brits and Australians all around us. On our way down we detour to explore lava caves.

Waiting for the ferry back, laying barefoot in the sun, I feel sleepy from the wine and completely content.