26 May AUCKLAND

When you wake up and realize that you were in the congested Auckland city and staying in a mouldy room with very little oxygen, you just felt like going back to sleep, so that when you wake up again, it was already time to leave. However, life was not always filled with negative experience, we witnessed the most beautiful rainbow we have ever seen when we collected our car outside the backpackers lodge. 

Well, beautiful thing does not last.  The rainbow was hanging in the sky for merely 2 minutes before it was covered by the rain clouds again.  But, the rainbow really made my day, what a great start for a morning in Auckland!

After breakfast, we drove to Ladies Bay at St. Helier Port.  This is a rich and famous housing area with luxury houses overlooking the great ocean.  We walked down to the seaside and it was very windy.  I was amazed by a seagull, which flew so close to me. The immediate thought that came to my mind was this was a golden photo opportunity.  Without hesitation, I pointed my camera at the bird, that was just about to fly over my head.  In just a second, I saw something dropped from its backside, and was immediately followed by a 'plopping' sound.  OMG, was this what the morning rainbow trying to tell me?  I was lucky to be able to take a few quick steps from the 'bomb' dropping point, thus successfully avoided the explosion.  But the camera bag that laid on the rock could not avoid the disaster.  Ironically, since my arrival in Auckland City, I always thought this city as dirty.  So, wasn't this incident the best example of negative thoughts attracting negative outcomes?  

Ladies Bay at St. Helier Port

Not so clean seaside

Since we were in the rich people area, subconsciously we felt like part of them as well. So, I decided to settle the speeding ticket at Westpac Bank at St Helier Port.  The whole process was quick and smooth, and not to forget, very friendly too.  There goes my RM 550, contributed to the future development of New Zealand.  Anyway, I was no longer feeling the pain, I thought I have finally gotten over it.  What was in my mind at that moment was "All right, I have done my duty.  I did not owe anyone anything anymore." RM 550? It was just a tiny amount in a long span of life. 

Made my traffic ticket payment at Westpac, St. Helier Port.

Since the sky started to shower, we went to the Museum at Auckland Domain to get indoor shelter.  NZ$10 donation was obligated for every visitor.  This is a serious museum, nothing like the fun and interactive Te Papa Museum in Wellington. There is an entire floor dedicated to Maori Culture.  Also, there is a big section illustrating New Zealands' participation in World War I & II; another big section explaining New Zealand's natural science and native flora and fauna.  This is a huge museum and it was crowded especially with school children, making the whole place very noisy.  After spending 2 hours there, we left the museum with a heavy and sleepy soul.  Personally, Te Papa is still my favourite.

Maori's traditional boat

Kakapo, a flightless native bird that is going to extinct.

Seal

The rest of the day was about eating expensive but ordinary food and driving aimlessly in a few suburbs.  What could I say about Auckland? Bye bye and no attachment!