CHAPTER 22
Auckland is New Zealand’s version of San Francisco, New York, and Miami all rolled into one. A full third of the country’s population calls it home and we would too if we had the chance- it was our last port of call in New Zealand and was definitely one of our favorites. We parked our van at a seaside camping spot in the hip suburb of Takapuna, across the bay from the city center, and fell into a enjoyable routine of waking up early, running a few laps down a long crescent beach where all the locals walked their dogs, and then after a hot shower and a hot breakfast, caught the bus across the bridge into the heart of downtown.  We checked off a few sights every day: the newly revamped waterfront, the Maritime Museum, the Auckland Domain, La Cigale French farmers market, the National War Memorial Museum, Parnell, Devonport, Karangahape Rd., the Library Bar, the Cowboy Bar, the SkyCity Tower, and a Blue’s rugby match to top it all off. Coming home late every night, tired but happy, the week slipped away and before we knew it, the day of our flight was upon us.
We arrived to the airport early, had a bit of trouble convincing the check-in lady to take our massive collection of oversized and overweight luggage, made our way through security, and then found a pair of seats by the window so we could watch the planes land and takeoff.
It is always a surreal feeling for me, ending a big trip like this. I knew we weren’t technically done- we had four more weeks of travel to look forward to- but our New Zealand odyssey was finished. All those long days on the bikes, all those happy times in the campervan, all those incredible mountains, and forests and beaches we had tramped over… New Zealand had been good to us.  Oh sure, not every moment was sunshine and lollipops, but for every down we endured, we were treated to ten times as many ups. In the end, ups and downs, you get used to a way of life, and when it’s time for that life to change, or come to an end, you can’t help but feel a twinge of sorrow.
But with every ending, there is a new beginning, and for us that meant a new country, and a new continent. We were headed to Australia, to Sydney, to one of the most amazing cities in the world.
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