Kiwi capital

Ii spun ca noi am vizitat Nepal, India si Thailanda in ultimele 30 de zile. Cu un zambet larg si o naturalete curioasa ma intreaba care “noi”. Ii arat in spate spre Cristina si ii face semn amabil sa vina si ea la ghiseu. Suntem la vama in Auckland si, inca buimaci dupa mai mult de 24h de transporturi, ne inventariem toate felurile de mancare, noroi si echipament pe care le aducem. Welcome to New Zealand. Pana la urma a trebuit sa scapam doar de un borcanas de miere. Apoi autobuz de la aeroport, 20 de minute pe jos si suntem cazati.

Auckland ne-a primit cu de toate: nori, ploaie, soare dar mai ales zambete si amabilitate, un pattern care se tot repeta in Noua Zeelanda. Kiwis are nice!

Ne-am plimbat, am admirat arhitectura, arta si istorie, am inghitit in sec la preturi. Noua Zeelanda a facut asta mai usoara despartirea de Asia. As putea trai in orasul asta relaxat, zambitor si inconjurat de ape.

We tell him we visited Nepal, India and Thailand in the last 30 days. With a wide smile and a curious matter of fact manner he asks me: “which we”. I point to Cristina and he waves her to the counter. We are at customs in Auckland and, still groggy after more than 24h of travel, we’re listing all types of food, nuts, berries and dirt we might be bringing in. Welcome to New Zealand. In the end we only gave up a honey jar. One bus ride, 20 minutes walking and we have our room in downtown Auckland.

The city greets us with its kiwi spirit: clouds, rain, sun and most of all smiles and kindness, a pattern we’ve seen repeated elsewhere in New Zealand since.

We walked around, admired the architecture, art and history, tried to get used to the new prices. New Zealand made leaving Asia easier. I could live here in this water bound, smiling, chill city.