Getting into it by being out amongst it

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I went for a fun bus ride today through the city of Auckland, just to see what it's all about. And to go to the Victoria Park Market, which is basically deserted on Thursday mornings. The city's interesting -- there are parts that feel like a village, bits that have the big city atmosphere, giant shopping streets, big green parks. The people are a mixed bag too -- lots of pakehas, but also Maori and heaps of Pacific islanders. Auckland's home to more Fijians than live in Fiji, more Tongans than live on Tonga, more Samoans than in Samoa, etc. And loads of East Asians hang out here for a while to learn English, head back home, and send replacements.

And I learned that biosecurity at the airport -- yeah, it's to protect the sheep and cows.

Off to Sydney in a few hours! Sweet as!

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