luthj
Engineer In Residence
Back in 2017 and 2018 we shipped our Van to Australia and then New Zealand. The first part is written up in the thread below.
The second part, our New Zealand travels has not been posted here. Over the next few months I will retell our trip for your enjoyment. While it is written in the present tense, it is long completed, and we are back at work, saving for our next adventure.
Auckland on Foot
While we waited for the van to be released, we took some time to enjoy Auckland. We opted for public transit, as Auckland's PT system is good, and prices are reasonable. This still meant a good bit of walking, but that is a good thing.
The first major outing we made was to the Auckland Sky Tower. At around 300 meters tall (the lookout is much lower), this tower is easily visible from most of Auckland. It has an observation deck about 50 floors up, and a rotating restaurant above that. Tickets to the tower are about $30 per person, but a reservation and $30 per person meal at the restaurant give you the same access. So we opted for food and a view. The main reason for visiting the tower, was that it overlooked the wharf where the van was supposed to be unloaded.
Here is our ship (viewed from the bridge), just about finished unloading its cargo.
Here is the Auckland Central Business District (CBD) from the harbor bridge. The Sky Tower is at the center.
It is really a neck-cramping look from below.
We thought the van was in the crowd of cars below, but we couldn’t seem to find it.
There were quite a few interesting sights below, as our table completed its 360 degree loop.
We finished with desert, and headed for the ferry terminal.
Unable to find the van, we hopped on the Devonport Ferry to cross the harbor instead of the bus. As we rounded the corner, something big and blue caught our eye. Can you spot it?
It was hiding behind a large container crane. There it is, parked, waiting for the various government-mandated inspections to be completed.
Exploring Australia From The Left
Hey folks. At the end of last year, we complete a 11 month adventure in Australia. We kept a blog of our travels, and it is my plan to recount it here over the next few weeks. Some background. We got introduced to overland traveling after working for an airline. Ironic isn't it? We could...
www.expeditionportal.com
The second part, our New Zealand travels has not been posted here. Over the next few months I will retell our trip for your enjoyment. While it is written in the present tense, it is long completed, and we are back at work, saving for our next adventure.
Auckland on Foot
While we waited for the van to be released, we took some time to enjoy Auckland. We opted for public transit, as Auckland's PT system is good, and prices are reasonable. This still meant a good bit of walking, but that is a good thing.
The first major outing we made was to the Auckland Sky Tower. At around 300 meters tall (the lookout is much lower), this tower is easily visible from most of Auckland. It has an observation deck about 50 floors up, and a rotating restaurant above that. Tickets to the tower are about $30 per person, but a reservation and $30 per person meal at the restaurant give you the same access. So we opted for food and a view. The main reason for visiting the tower, was that it overlooked the wharf where the van was supposed to be unloaded.
Here is our ship (viewed from the bridge), just about finished unloading its cargo.
Here is the Auckland Central Business District (CBD) from the harbor bridge. The Sky Tower is at the center.
It is really a neck-cramping look from below.
We thought the van was in the crowd of cars below, but we couldn’t seem to find it.
There were quite a few interesting sights below, as our table completed its 360 degree loop.
We finished with desert, and headed for the ferry terminal.
Unable to find the van, we hopped on the Devonport Ferry to cross the harbor instead of the bus. As we rounded the corner, something big and blue caught our eye. Can you spot it?
It was hiding behind a large container crane. There it is, parked, waiting for the various government-mandated inspections to be completed.