Down Under with Gusto (Part VIII)

The travel to Auckland took up most of the day. I was dreading this flight. I flew Virgin Atlantic because it offered the cheapest fare but I noticed during the booking process that the system didn’t ask me for my preferred baggage allowance. I looked for an option to add baggage after booking but, upon closer inspection of the fine print, discovered that my fare rate did not allow for checked luggage. This should have been made more apparent during the booking process! Travelocity, never again. I ended up paying $200 for my checked luggage at the airport.



I took the Airbus to the city and got off at the last stop at the Ferry Terminal. I was booked at the Sofitel Viaduct Harbour, which is a short walk but seemed longer because I was unsure of the way and it was cold and windy even if the sun was out. I was jubilant when I reached the hotel, especially upon seeing how pretty it was and well located.



I didn’t have the courage to go out again with the wind blowing so hard so I had dinner at the hotel and went to bed early.



I headed out before lunch the next day and stopped by at the first nice restaurant I saw called Jones, drawn by the clean downtown hip design and chalkboard menu. I wasn’t crazy about the food but the ingredients were fresh and organic. It was a charming neighborhood restaurant, a place you’d like to go for a quiet afternoon to nurse a cappuccino.



What I didn’t know then was that, if I had just walked a little farther and not let my hunger lead the way, I would have discovered better options at Market Square. I made a mental note to have dinner there.



I went in to Champions of the World, a store selling mostly All Blacks sports outfits, and bought a sweater for Joaki. The Ferry Terminal was nearby and I was able to catch the last Hop On, Hop Off bus for the day.


Auckland is a small, scenic city that is more laid-back than many of the cities I have visited, including Hawaii. We finished the inner and outer loops of the tour in less than two hours.

There was something beautiful everywhere I looked.



During the bus ride, I learned that Auckland has the most number of boat owners in the world. You can tell that just by looking.








When the tour was done, I was craving for sushi and, by luck, I chanced upon a sushi train on my way back to the hotel. I am craving for sushi again as I’m writing this.



I rested a bit as I had a migraine, but I was well come dinner so Market Square it was. I had a hard time deciding which restaurant to try but finally settled at Degree. The food was good. The specialty was stone-grilled steak but I opted for the curry and buffalo wings.



Weird combination but certain cravings had to be sated.