The Overlander Back to Auckland

Wow, New Zealand really DOES hate me!

Today is my last day in New Zealand. It is also the first day that I have been here that it hasn't been rainy and/or grey and/or blustery. Instead, from the first moment this morning it has been clear and sunny and warm and beautiful. And, as if it's not quite cruel enough that my LAST day here is the FIRST nice day yet, I spent it stuck inside on a train for twelve hours! I couldn't even go out and enjoy it, all I could do was look at it forlornly through the window. We did stop for a half hour for lunch so I was able to get off and go sit outside in it for a bit. But come on.

Two weeks ago it was so hot and dry here that they had bush fires. The day I arrived it started to rain and has rained so much since then that there are parts of the country under serious flood watches. The day I am leaving, the perfect summer weather returns.

What can you do but laugh? Somehow it just wasn't meant to be for me and New Zealand. I tried, I really did.

At the very least, I got to ride back to Auckland on the train today and got to see even a little bit some of the beauty of this country that I have heard so much about. I'm glad I came back up to Auckland the same way I went down to Wellington. It was pretty amazing to see the difference in how everything looked on the way down, when it was all under grey skies and rain, compared to today when it was under sun. I saw mountains that I couldn't see before due to the fog, I got to see how brilliant the water in the Tasman Sea is, whereas the other day it just looked grey. I saw expansive hills and statues and houses that I either couldn't see or didn't care to see on the way down.

So while my time here has most definitely not been the best, I can at least now leave saying I've gotten even a glimmer of what I was missing. (Oddly, even though today was the perfect day to see the scenery, I took almost no pictures of it along the way. Huh.)

I should be clear and say that my only complaints with New Zealand have been with the foul weather. I was probably too grumpy to mention it before but the people of New Zealand are some of the nicest I have ever met, anywhere. In fact, Greece held the previous title in my mind, but I think New Zealand has easily taken the top prize. Their genuine friendliness blows me away, they way everyone just starts talking to each other as if they're old pals. I can't tell you how many people have struck up conversations with me about all manner of thing, just because that's what they do here.

They are seemingly also the most laid-back people I've ever encountered. Granted, I'm no expert, but from what I've seen it seems that very little ruffles them, that they just don't have time to be bothered worrying about trivial things. The phrase "No worries" should be their national motto. They seem to be "straight shooters" who tell it like it is with no fluff. I dig that. It's also commonplace to regularly see people walking down the streets in bare feet. And not just in the small towns, in the big cities as well. It just is that relaxed here. Oh, and let's not forget about that accent. Oh yes, the accent counts for a LOT. Oh yes it does.

Since this was the first time it was clear enough to have a decent view, I took advantage when I got back tonight to go up into the Sky Tower in Auckland. For as many times as I have passed in and out of Auckland, I haven't actually gotten to see or do very much here. So I figured the best way to get a great overall last-ditch view of the city was to go up the famous tower. It is the tallest man-made structure in all of New Zealand; it's over 1,000 feet high and you can see up to 50 miles away on a clear day. Despite the fact that going up the glass elevator with the glass floor made me a tad queasy on the way up, I had spectacular views once I made it to the top. On one of the observation decks, they have sections of floor that are glass so you can walk on them and look straight down to the ground below. It's kind of a freaky experience to stand SO high up and see nothing between your foot and the ground (it's WAY scarier than the picture makes it look!). Admittedly, it took me a few tries to work up the nerve to walk on it, but I couldn't let my fear get the best of me.

It wasn't a real thought-out plan (as almost nothing is with me) but it just so happened to work out with the timing of my return to the city that I was able to be there to see the sun set while I was still atop the tower. So I had great daytime views, great sunset views and then great night views. All in all, a pretty great way to end my time in New Zealand. Even if it does hate me.