By Rama Gaind.
Sky Tower is an Auckland icon. Photo: Rama Gaind
How good is it to fly again on an international route! It has been more than a year since our passports have seen the light of day, but finally Australians are able to jet off overseas – this time to New Zealand – without entering quarantine. This is a bonus.
The wait has been painstaking, but opening of the trans-Tasman bubble across the ditch last week was a “milestone” and certainly a key move in both tourism and economic recovery for both nations. This is a win-win situation all round.
A two-way travel corridor has been in the pipeline since early in the pandemic, but put on ice on multiple occasions due to COVID-19 outbreaks in both Australia and New Zealand.
This border has opened up just in time – for my godson’s wedding. Marriages are made in heaven or so they say. Well, maybe they are, but the important thing is we have to keep them intact here, on earth.
Once in a while, right in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives you a fairytale. As William Lyon Phelps said: “the highest happiness on earth is the happiness of marriage”.
Having been in Auckland for my goddaughter’s wedding two years ago, the opportunity to re-visit is making me impatient for the next three months to fly on gossamer wings!
Views across the Viaduct Harbour in Auckland. Photo: Rama Gaind
I remember Anna Sewell’s advice (Black Beauty) about “good people who make good places” as I reflect on my last stay. After wishing the newlyweds lasting joy, I set off on a tour to re-acquaint myself with the city’s high points.
Rated as the third most liveable city in the world, Auckland is set between two stunningly beautiful harbours, surrounded by sparkling blue waters and lush green hills. It sprawls over an isthmus between the harbours of the Manukau and the Waitematā – also known as Auckland Harbour – and sometimes translated as ‘sea of sparkling waters’.
The city is an exhilarating mix of natural wonders and urban adventures. It is the centre of commerce and industry, and perhaps the most vibrant, bustling and multicultural city in New Zealand.
Its nickname as the ‘City of Sails’ is apt. Auckland has more boats per capita than anywhere else in the world.
High points
Flying into Auckland. Photo: Rama Gaind
Tour highlights include the Auckland War Memorial Museum, and the Sky Tower – an Auckland icon and the tallest tower in the Southern Hemisphere at 328 metres high. The Auckland Harbour Bridge is one of the city’s most distinctive landmarks.
Whether your passion is sailing or relaxed cruises, exploring the wilderness or shopping, dining and culture, Auckland’s diverse landscapes provide countless opportunities to get immersed in nature.
In the west, lush native rainforest plunges down the hills to meet the sea on dramatic black sand beaches, while the east’s sheltered golden sand beaches are fringed with red-flowering Pohutukawa trees.
To the north, the rolling hills of wine country meet stunning coastlines and in the south you’ll find picturesque country gardens, unspoilt forest and tranquil bays to explore.
Auckland’s most iconic island, Rangitoto Island, is just a 25-minute ferry ride from the city. It’s a favourite day trip destination for tourists, hikers and bird watchers. It is the youngest and biggest of the region’s most iconic volcanoes and is home to the world’s largest Pohutukawa Forest.
Sri Radha Krishna Mandir, an Indian temple in Eden Terrace, Auckland. Photo: Rama Gaind
Auckland’s 48 volcanic cones provide a unique landscape, but also some truly spectacular views like those from Mount Eden. For something more relaxing, go to Waiheke, a haven of beautiful vineyards, olive groves and beaches. It’s all just a 35-minute ferry ride from downtown.
Travel is my therapy. The “biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams”. This is no fantasy, but a plan!
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