I would move to Auckland in a heartbeat.
I've never been to a more beautiful city. Don't get me wrong, I love Sydney already and I'm sure I'll love everywhere else I'm going in the next semester but this place feels like home to me. It's amazing.
The morning started out pretty uneventful. I slept in an extra hour and then headed out to navigate my way to Viaduct Harbor. It wasn't hard at all, everything is mapped out well here and most roads lead right to the water. I grabbed some ice tea and sultana toast (my new favorite thing) then walked along the water for a little while before going on the boat for the Whale and Dolphin Safari. The water here is bright green, almost fluorescent, it sparkles like it has diamonds on the surface. It felt really good to be back on water, the smell of it, the feeling of a rocking boat, I love all of that so much. It was a good hour and a half out of the main harbor until open water and the ride was gorgeous. I sound really redundant here, but I can't really describe it any other way. We passed a dormant volcano, plunging cliffs, and rolling hills. I took so many pictures that look the same, but each one has so much color it's hard not to keep snapping. We got all the way out to an area dotted with islands and into "Whale Pass." Unfortunately, we didn't see any Orcas (it's the tail end of their season out here) but man, did we see dolphins! Tons of them! They're such playful and excited animals, they chased the boat in its wake, dove and jumped around the bow, and leaped around both the starboard and port sides of the boat. I literally was like a ping pong ball back and forth getting pictures of them all around. We also just kind of cruised for awhile, which was really great, too. I sat in the galley, drank hot chocolate, and read my book. I love the rocking feeling of being on a boat, I got my sea legs back really quickly and it just felt like home. I curled up and tried to stay warm (it's the end of winter/beginning of spring so it's cold and windy) while watching the scenery around me. We kept slowing to see dolphins so I'd run out, take pictures, then go back in. We were out for four hours and it went by so quickly. I'm so glad I decided to do it, it was a really breathtaking experience.
After that, I wandered back to the harbor and went to the Maritime Museum, which was really informative and interesting. I love knots and they had a whole section of different nautical knots. Dorky, I know. Then, I wandered up and down Queen's Street for awhile, hopping in souvenir shops. I was enamored by a sheep's skin mat that I couldn't stop petting so I decided that would be my little gift to myself. I love it. I'm going to take it everywhere. I've also named it Zed. (they say zed here instead of just the letter "z") It's nice being an anonymous person in a city like this. It's been nice to just be alone with my thoughts and my book. And not talking! I'm really enjoying the silence. Odd for me, right?
Tomorrow, I'm off for two hours on an America's Cup sailboat to race around the harbor then a dinner cruise on a sail yacht. It's their Father's Day here tomorrow, so I think it's doubly appropriate. Boats, eating, water, lots of things Dad loved.
I'm off to eat some fish and chips and warm up - it's cold here and I did not dress appropriately!
G'night from kiwiland! :)
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