Auckland, New Zealand | photoreport
New Zealand was originally only a transit point on our journey in the Cook Islands, but after we realized that getting a transit visa is not profitable, we decided, let's try to get a normal tourist visa.
A set of documents was too big for my standards. US visa was to get much easier. There are, of course, and the online version, but it is not very convenient for couples, because if you are a couple, then you can fill in a form for two.
The truth is you have to prove that you are a couple: joint photos, correspondence, and the main thing - to prove that you live together for at least six months.
Once the documents (certificate of employment + transfer without notarization) were collected, we ran to the embassy, and gave them. After 4 days, my girl wrote that you can take the documents, but on the results we do not know. After 3 days I wrote that it would be nice to send a copy to the embassy military ID and a bit of autobiography, then 4 days of silence, and a similar letter, that you can pick up the documents. 2 visas were successfully approved.
After such moral anguish, we have decided that you want to add to Auckland at least 2 days, and did not immediately fly to the Cook Islands, because it is not known when still have to fly to New Zealand.
To fly 16 hours direct from Dubai to Auckland is flour. No one wish: at the end of the flight, do not want to either watch TV or sleep, and already just want to stretch out on the floor between the seats, and so lying.
On arrival in Auckland immediately apparent nature of New Zealand. Once on the plane striking the Gulf, which is 100 meters from the runway and the airport is located on a peninsula south of the city and can be seen on the horizon, bays and green mountains.
How to get to the city center, we did not know, but it helped us - from the airport to the city runs a Shuttle-bus, which costs $ 20 per person. It can catch directly at the output. Payment to the driver on the hand.
Also, the city, by the special courts, rides SkyBus, which is slightly less - $ 16, but since we did not come very prepared, the bus did not know about, and even if they knew, it still would not have found. Oakland for the most part single-storey city and surprisingly, there is no direct road from the airport to the city center. Bus constantly dodged through the small streets and remember the way was simply impossible.
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The city center, where the famous SkyTower very small, about two square kilometers (just there, where the skyscrapers and a modern building), there is a promenade and port.
The famous Queen st. practically does not differ from other streets, except for an abundance of shops.
The town is very tiny in everything, even sometimes seems that just a toy, and only the building of the World Bank slightly change the situation. ANZ has spread so much that I can not remember the city, where not see the symbol of the bank. From the brochures it became clear that the bank is very popular among the workers.
The city is very welcoming and it is a pleasure, especially if you realize that you are on the other side of the globe. No other differences from other cities do not have.
SkyTower close look at all as in the pictures - it is not very high when compared to the Ostankino TV tower, but it can be seen everywhere, because he and his Downtown Auckland is quite small.
If you want to climb to the observation deck, it will cost you 28NZ. So it is possible to bend with controlled bungee and walking through the iron tracks outside the tower with safety rope. It looks is not much, so it remains only to get to the observation deck
Top view, of course, gorgeous, but Oakland is not much to look at and so rushed in the eye green park not far from the tower, and we decided to go there immediately.
Central Park is very small and, like all parks, has its fountains and benches, but there is absolutely no people. Near the park is Oakland University. It does not look very presentable, maybe all the buildings are in the depths of the territory.
More than one day in Auckland nothing to do, because New Zealand is rich in sights and its magnificent nature and special interest is the South Island, where you want to get on the plane already.
Natalia