Autumn in the City Part II

I've spent the first entire week in Auckland!

Since we landed New Zealand on a Good Friday,

so, four consecutive days of holidays!

We got not much to do, only caught a bus to the city

and daily walk to Botany Town Centre, a small commercial area.

Empty parking spaces on Good Friday.

The good guy! HIM! LOL!

Botany Town, like abandon little town in the movie, House of Wax on Good Friday!

The MOST CHALLENGING time for us in Auckland, is to get a CAR!

I'm not talking about renting one, BUT buy one so we can conveniently travel around for the next few months in there.

We went to a Car Market situated next to Victoria Park, near to Viaduct Harbour, a huge open space carpark & only available on weekends.

Quite a few vans, MPV and station wagon around. And I've noticed that, people in NZ don't really prefer saloon car. 

The price of an used cars depends on the conditions of the vehicles, 

strongly on Warrant of Fitness (From Wikipedia: In New Zealand, a Warrant of Fitness (WOF; colloquially a warrant) is a document certifying that a light motor vehicle has passed a compulsory periodic inspection of safety and roadworthiness.) To renew the Warrant of Fitness every three months, and usually it cost around $30-45, depends on which workshop you get it done.

Mileage & year of the car is also a huge issue. Any vehicles, travelled more than 220,000km, price will be slightly lower because of unknown factor which will cost more in maintenance.

Price can be as low as a few hundred dollars (NZD) to $ 4,000 for common used cars I said above. And, it also depends on the season. You will get a low price during low season and vice versa.

If you got no luck trying to get a car that you least expect, another alternative ways is to browse the http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars OR you can check out every supermarket like Pak' N Save, New World, Countdown. They have a big notice board near the entrance, and people tends to put up notices, like cars for sale, flatmates wanted, etc.

WE bought a MPV from a lovely European backpacker couples at the price of $2,000. 

Transfer of ownership of the motor vehicles is easy as a pie! You just have to go to the post shop (any), get a form, fill in both buyer & seller particulars, paid $9.41 incl. GST (seller only) then drop into the counter or mail box, there you go! Ownership transferred! Unlike in Malaysia, so many procedures have to follow, waste of time, human resources & papers!!!

Actually not my love at first sight of the car. But, eventually fall in love with it. Good car.

OUR BABY!!!! Mitsubishi Chariot 1995 MPV.

Despite its old in age, but baby doesn't caused us problems and bring us safe all the way down to Christchurch (our entire NZ road travels!!) I miss it damn badly, and I promised myself, if I ever get  to settle down in New Zealand, I must find & get this baby back, REGARDLESS the conditions. 

BABY AFTER $12 CAR WASH & VACUUM!

BABY is awfully dirty before. And this is after car wash! HUGS!!!!!

And our first trip in this baby is to the Eastern Beach, Auckland.

Car maintenance is reasonable for this type of MPV 
and fuel efficiency, it cost us around 1km=NZD0.15

Fuel price in New Zealand, is around $2.49 (2011). Unsure about the current price of fuel.

SUNNY & CHILLY!

GORGEOUS UNPOLLUTED BEACH! I PICKED A FEW SEASHELLS AS SOUVENIRS (:

People looked at me like "SERIOUSLY? Short pants in Chilly Autumn?!"

HUBBY & I <3

The first takeaways shop we walked in!

Our first $5 Fish & chips for lunch!

And I never fail to love the green & blue, I miss you NZ.

XoXo

Autumn in the City

Autumn often associated with Melancholy.

But, I don't think so!

This is my first experience in one of the 4 seasons countries

and I love the yellowish of trees, bushes & dried leaves.

Its the beginning of Autumn,

temperature tends to drop a lots in the night. Chilly.

You wont see & get much the Autumn feeling in Auckland.

The sky is always grey, personally, I don't like it much there.

But, if you love city life, it can accommodates you well!

Lots of entertainments, fine dinings & adrenaline rush games!

We get to see Auckland city on the 2nd day!

I totally have no idea about Auckland before I came here.

My whole New Zealand image appeared in my mind is only the Skycity.

Yeah, I know I'm silly enough.

And I totally failed in "real life" geography.

Thankfully, the whole trip & my hubby taught me lots of real-life things.

So, I wish to share here to everyone

especially to those who never know about Auckland.

The heart of the city, is a dormant volcanic fields.

The Mount Eden & One Three Hill formed by the volcanoes eruptions millions years ago.

And Hauraki Gulf islands are parts of the Auckland city.

We caught a bus from Manukau

(its actually a Maori origin, means "wading birds") to the city,

dropped off at Britomart Transport Centre.

The bus fare cost us $6.80 each, one way.

So, the whole return trip for 2 cost us $27.20.

We actually feel it's quite expensive if converts back to Ringgit Malaysia,

and its only a bus service which may takes you some times to reach

the destination because of people hop on/off the bus the whole journey.

If anyone of you, want to know more about the bus fares, you can also check it out here:

http://www.maxx.co.nz/info/pricing-passes/bus-fares.aspx

Since its Easter Saturday,

no trains service & a few bus trips throughout the day.

A few shots of the City & the Harbour.

Updated:
I love BLOGGER better now!
Big photos to share! YAY!!!



Our breakfast :  a foot long from Subway. Never tried in Malaysia although we have it there!

Some photos of the beautiful harbour on a sunny day. Really, I don't see much blue skies in Auckland.

(:




I was so slim back then, LOL! but eventually increased in weight in 6 months at New Zealand. Good pay +
good sleep + tons of funs = No worries, no stress but SIMPLE LIFE!!! How not to gain weight? (:

Surprisingly, there's an old fishing boat at the beautiful city harbour. 

Too bad I didn't have a chance to hop on them since its a backpacking trip! Maybe someday (:

(:




Arts at the harbour front. You can catch the glimpse of tall tower in Auckland, the Skytower.

Apartments at harbour front. I wish to own one of them, someday too!

Our walks to the Skytower, and we passed TV NZ (Television broadcasting in NZ)

Here we are, at iconic structure of Auckland, the Skytower. An observatory tower itself too.

Interior of the Skytower.

Casino, restaurants, bars, theatre in the Skytower. 

I'm first timer in Casino, so I didn't gamble on anything except for the slot machines. LOL!

Cosy (:

By the way, Skytower also known for the famous adreanaline rush game in New Zealand. The Skywalk & Skyjump, which I didn't tried both of them. I don't have the guts to walk 360deg 192m from ground, I prefer jump! LOL! 

Skywalk for adult is NZD145, Skyjump for adult is slightly pricey, NZD225. I think these includes video, can't really confirmed about that.

They even have combo too, Skywalk + Skyjump.

Any further information needed, maybe you can try to check their website out: http://www.skyjump.co.nz or http://www.skywalk.co.nz/. 

By the way, either Skywalk or Skyjump is one of the MUST DOs in the Kiwis travel!

If you never try anything like that, why not for once in a while adrenaline rush?

GOOD LUCK!!

I was outside the building, waiting patiently for someone to the the jump! 

And here is it! 

Cool aye!!!!