In Auckland

Here I am! It's still very surreal to be here. Being in the city is definitely hectic, but I'm starting to calm down now that I know my way around and am starting to meet people and get situated.

The hostel I'm staying at is on Queen Street in the shopping district, so there's a lot of cool fashion, a lot of expensive cafes, and a lot of people rushing around. Here's the Sky Tower, that people frequently bungy jump from, and the view from the window right in front of my bed in the hostel:



This is Albert park, right up the street from the hostel, and I laid in the grass in the sun the first day I was here, and read a book on a bench this morning. Lots of people jogging around, it's very cute.


And yesterday, I took a long walk to a cuter part of town, and I picked a lemon! From a tree in someone's yard, but I'm sure they don't mind; it was hard as a rock.


I took an amazing Ashtanga yoga class at a studio I found when I was walking around. It was an awesome class, with a lot of people, and the studio was so light and airy. I felt right at home, and I'm definitely sore today, it kicked my butt.


And some of the many bookstore's I've poked around in...




Here's a view of the ocean, there's a lot of sailboats and the city extends across the whole bay; it's huge.

And here I am in the hostel, happy but feeling dazed. I'm starting to get used to it though, from the orientation I went to today I'm getting very excited to feel at home here and explore.


I'm off to Wellington early tomorrow morning on an 11-hour bus ride...wish me luck!