First Day in New Zealand

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Wow! I made it! Long flight. It feels like September in terms of temperature. Everyone is wearing black winter jackets and clothes. The whimps. ha ha Its a sunny day and Auckland looks so beautiful. I arrived before 5 a. m. and got to cheap hotel by 6. Slept four hours, got up, showered and took bus downtown.
Travel tip when landing at airport: buy food before you get on shuttle bus to hotel. There is a cafe with packaged tikka veg curry for $8 NZ which I think is $6 Can. My airport hotel has restaurant that isn't open in morning or during the day. A curry, no matter how cold, is satisfying with a cup of hotel-room tea.
I've left my mark in Auckland...literally. At the bus stop outside of hotel, when an older man was disembarking he was yelling something at me. I thought it might be a snake in the grass beside the power poll. The bus driver pointed out that I was standing in wet cement (they must have replaced the sidewalk). Jetlag, eh??!!! I didn't notice. Now before you think I'm really daft, it wasn't so wet that my shoes were sinking in it. It was moist enough that my footprints remained on the surface. OOOoooops. I was laughing hard when I got on the bus.
The hotel is in area with many Maouri and it was interesting watching the suburbs change into city during the 30+ minute bus ride.
Auckland is a bit like Halifax, much more Pacific-country orientated though. I'm starving and of course I'm off to find Thai restaurant. Creature of habit I know, for all you who read these blogs.
People are friendly here...yes, it feels like the Maritimes. A fellow on the bus took me to camera shop to find battery charger, then pointed out the building with travel information. He suggest the 10 minute ferry ride to Devonport which was perfect for this afternoon. Apparently the sunny skies will last another day, then cold rain. I don't mind at all (so she says on day one). Feels good to escape the blistering heatwave in Vancouver.
I got a coffee in Devonport, then caught the ferry back while the sun was setting. Really short days here, winter in New Zealand.

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Photos

Devonport Ferry Terminal
A 10 minute ferry ride gets you to nice island; recommended by friendly guy in the city as 'how New Zealand use to be'.

Sign
I think things have changed recently. You'd think there would be a gov't person hired to moniter their signs. This one is worth a snapshot, especially with Auckland city as a backdrop.

Harbour front, Auckland
This seems to be focal point of waterfront.

Ferry terminal
View from ferry pulling away from Auckland's city centre.

Signs
Here tourist, tourist, tourist...

Terminal
Yahooo!!! I am in New Zealand. Friendly folk here, very helpful to newbies like me who are giddy with jetlag and eagerness.

Incoming Ferry
While I'm on my ferry ready to head to Devonport, this one came in at a quick pace. It must have brakes cause it stopped before crashing into pier.

Maouri Man in Cape
That's what the sign says.

Just like Tokyo
This is the second city (in all my travels) that has the neatest way to cross a busy street. All cars stop and then everyone from each corner pours into the square to go in various directions. In Tokyo there were hundreds of people at each crossing. Here there are less people, but its still a fun way to cross the street.

Transport Info
Information centre and train and bus hub. I had to get map to find bus stop for when I head back to hotel tonight.

Tower
Aaaah, there it is....I didn't see it when I was at the city centre.

Horses
Outside ferry terminal in Devonport

Main Street
In Devonport, trees suggest this is tropical place. In July it feels like late September (for all you Canadians out there)

Sunset
Time to catch ferry back to Auckland city centre and find something to eat. Jetlag is kicking in and I'll be glad to get to bed. The sun sets around 5:20 in July.