Where goes the time. Auckland.

Elisa
Feb 10, 2018
3 min read

There is a funny thing about being in New Zealand. It has been two weeks since we arrived, but time feels much longer and at the same time shorter. Longer because there is a feeling that I live one day more than once because when a day is passed here, it just starts in my country and everyone is waking up. So that's when I can chat with friends and see the updates. Then it feels like a long time has passed since the last chat, even if it was just yesterday.

It's short because I don't feel like I have been here for two weeks. It feels like I got here just a few days ago. So I feel like I would be stuck in some kind of time capsule.

As I wrote in my previous posts we still keep up with a walking around. One day we went to Western Springs park and I was very surprised how many birds we saw there. It is a nice park with springs and a big pond. And there are black swans, pigeons, geese, ducks, Eurasian Coot, blue pukeko and even chickens running around. It was very nice to walk among them.

I admire nature here. Every tree, bush and plant seem interesting. Most of the plants what we grow in pots at home in Latvia here grows wild and free in gardens, parks and woods.

Trees look amazingly huge and grass and plant leaves bright green. In some parks you can feel like in actual rain forests.

They tend to be so wild then only the walking paths show that there is some civilization around.

Some parks in Auckland are like a big stadiums were locals practice rugby, do some yoga together or play other sports games, others are with nice views and hidden corners with benches - for walks and picnics.

This is an end of the summer so rain is a common thing, but in North Island it is still very warm. Weather changes fast and sometimes multiple times a day. It is useful to have app on the phone that can show you weather forecast changes by hours.

Some days ago there was a public Holiday called Waitangi day. It is the national day of New Zealand, and commemorates the signing, on 6 February 1840, of the Treaty of Waitangi which is regarded as New Zealand's founding document. The day, designated a public holiday, was first observed in 1934, and has frequently been a focal point of controversy and protest. The Treaty of Waitangi was first signed on 6 February 1840 on the grounds of James Busby's house—now known as Treaty House—at Waitangi, in the Bay of Islands. The treaty was signed by representatives acting on behalf of the British Crown and, initially, more than 40 Maori chiefs. Over the course of the next seven months, copies of the treaty were toured around the country to give other chiefs the opportunity to sign.The signing had the effect of securing British sovereignty over the islands of New Zealand, which was officially proclaimed on 21 May 1840.

So you can understand that there is a lot of contradictions. I guess for Maori people this isn't the most favorite day. We didn't celebrate it but enjoyed the nice weather and walk on an Auckland's harbor. We really felt the public holiday - streets, cafes and parks were full of people.