- NZ Road Trip – Day 1
- Sunday 22nd – Monday 23rd February 2026
- Auckland
There’s something surreal about watching New Zealand appear beneath you from the plane window.
After days of travel, Scotland to Heathrow, then to Guangzhou’s neon glow, more hours in the air than I care to count, suddenly there it was. Vast green landscapes. Coastlines curling into bright blue water. Light that somehow looks cleaner than anywhere else.
Guangzhou had been electric and vibrant. New Zealand feels open and expansive.
Touching down in Auckland felt surreal, we were finally here, slightly jet-lagged as we hadn’t slept a wink on our last 10 hr 40 minute flight from Guangzhou.
And instead of being sensible and “resting,” we did what all sensible travellers do…
We went sightseeing.
Auckland instantly feels different. It’s calm but buzzing, modern yet wrapped in nature. You’re never far from water, never far from greenery and the air just feels fresher.
We spent the day gently sightseeing, letting our bodies catch up with the time difference while our minds tried to process the fact that we’re actually on the other side of the world.
Tonight we’re staying in a hotel down by the harbour, which feels like a very civilised way to begin what will soon become van-life chaos.
Waking up near the water, with boats bobbing outside and the skyline stretching across the marina, feels slightly smug in the best possible way. There’s something special about being able to wander down to the waterfront in the evening and just soak it all in, city lights reflecting on the harbour, people strolling, that relaxed Auckland energy.
It was the perfect soft landing after long-haul travel.
🌋 Mount Eden – ‘Maungawhau’
One of the highlights of the day was heading up Mount Eden (Maungawhau). An extinct volcanic cone right in the middle of the city, because of course New Zealand casually has volcanoes in urban areas.
The walk up was steady but manageable (great way to shake off long-haul stiffness), and the reward at the top was absolutely unreal. 360-degree views across Auckland, the skyline, the harbour, rolling green suburbs, distant islands sitting in the Hauraki Gulf. You really get why Auckland is called the “City of Sails.”
Maungawhau Pā was historically one of the largest and most elaborate Māori fortified village settlements in Aotearoa/New Zealand and was once home to thousands of people. The terracing still visible today tells the story of a thriving community, long before this became a modern city skyline backdrop.
Maungawhau is a wāhi tapu, a sacred place of great cultural and spiritual significance. The crater itself is the most sacred part of the maunga and must not be entered.
Māori tradition holds that the crater of Maungawhau is the home of Mataaho, the guardian of secrets hidden within the earth.
🍴 Mount Eden Village – A Hidden Gem
After coming down, we wandered into Mount Eden Village and honestly, I loved this area.
It has that relaxed, neighbourhood feel. Independent cafés, cosy restaurants, little boutique-style shops. It felt authentic and unhurried, somewhere locals actually spend time rather than just somewhere tourists pass through.
So we stopped for food and drinks and just soaked it in. No rushing, no agenda, just being here. If first impressions count, Mount Eden Village has already made the “would happily live here” list.
🌊 Evening at the Harbour
We finished the day around the Viaduct Harbour area and it was the perfect way to end our first full day here in New Zealand.
Boats gently rocking in the marina, the skyline lighting up as the sun drops, people strolling along the waterfront. There’s something about being near water that instantly slows everything down.
Mary's Outdoor Adventure's 