After a 13 hour slog of a flight from Los Angeles, we finally made it to Auckland this morning. Auckland greeted us with fog and rain, a familiarity from the Northwest, but accompanied by 80 degrees with humidity – a welcome warmth after months of cold. It is immediately apparent why the native people of New Zealand, the Māori, refer to it as the “Land of the Long White Cloud.”

We started our adventure by driving to Auckland’s west coast beaches, including Piha with an expansive and unique black sand beach. Piha beach is famous for its iconic “Lion Rock” and other large rock formations. The sand was very fine and jet black, unique from the more coarse Hawaii-like black sand beaches we are familiar with. From the beach we drove through the rainforest of Waitakere Ranges Regional Park, seeing our first glimpses of the Jurassic-park fauna and birds, including the Pūkeko.

We arrived in the city of Auckland from the north, catching a glimpse of the skyline through the fog. Luckily, the fog lifted for our dinner at the top of the Auckland Sky Tower, treating us to picturesque views of the city and surrounding area. The restaurant in the tower turns in a circle, very similar to the Space Needle, so we were able to see all around the area, very helpful for getting our bearings before exploring the city tomorrow.

We can’t wait to share our journey with you as we trek through the unique cultural experiences of the the north island and the breath-taking and other-worldly landscapes found on the south island. Thank you for joining us!