Kia Ora

New Zealand Travel Diary, Post #2

In New Zealand, you greet people by saying "Kia Ora". This does sound a little like "Kya ho raha" which in Hindi means What's going on?

New Zealand is a beautiful country that has diverse landscapes. I am living in the heart of Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand. Auckland is a very vibrant city which has lots of immigrants from all over, especially Asia and Europe. To me the whole city feels like a big university because everywhere there are students. It reminds me of Cambridge area in Boston.

 Auckland Skyline. Photo by: Digital Subway

A Traditional Maori Performance at a Marae. Photo by: Digital Subway

But I like it here in Auckland more than I did in San Antonio. Here, people walk on streets and the city is compact so you could walk to the grocery store, shopping malls or the university easily. Everything is in walking distance. My friends and I have a little wander every now and then and explore different parts of the city. A few days ago, we took a stroll and hiked up to Mt. Eden. The view from the top overlooking the Auckland skyline towards North and a beautiful romantic sunset on the other side was breathtaking.

 Auckland City. (I really like this photo I took) Photo by: Digital Subway

Next day, we strolled around a park and went deeper to discover a dense canopy of rainforest like trees. Then another day, we went around the main city and harbour and took some cool pictures. Still, there is so much to explore in this city and nearby. And of course, South Island needs to be explored during the Mid-Semester Break.

 Taking photos of Travel while travelling :D Photo by: Digital Subway

This semester is going to be a fun-filled one. I am definitely looking forward to it. I already like the change from my semester at Trinity University in San Antonio to this one at University of Auckland. It may not be as intellectually productive but it will be a different one in several ways.

Read previous entry in this New Zealand Travel Diary Series: Entry 1