Got on the Auckland Explorer Bus at 9:30am, and paid NDZ$40 for a day pass. I got off at the 1st stop, the Bastion Point Lookout, which I think is a must. From there, you get to see a very beautiful view of the coast. If I have time, I would definitely spend more time there.
Meadow at Bastion Point Lookout
View of the coast from Bastion Point Lookout
Overlooking Auckland CBD from Bastion Point Lookout
Then I got off at stop 5 (Auckland Museum), and then changed to the satellite bus, which took me to Mount Eden, the most famous landmark in Auckland. After I got off, I had to walk all the way to the top. It’s a pretty steep slope, but definitely worth it. The view from above is amazing, and it provides good views in all directions over the city. On our guide, it said that the tour buses are banned up on the mountain, but when I left, I heard that it is still available and replaced by smaller vehicles, so better double check that if you want to visit there but don’t want to walk up the slope yourself.
Bowl-like crater at Mount Eden
View from Mount Eden
After visiting Mount Eden, I took the satellite bus back to the museum. I got a discount with my Explorer ticket and paid NZD$5 to enter the museum. This is a good place to spend a few hours so as to understand the history and culture of New Zealand. You can also pay a bit more to watch a performance, which I believe is performed by the natives.
Auckland Museum
Later I got an American hot dog at one of the mobile vendors, and sat down at a nearby area, where they were having a live music performance for free. The hot dog was just average, though I like the sweet chilly sauce.
Eye-catching mobile vendor
American hot dog
Then I headed to the Wintergarden, which is near the museum and it’s free of charge. Not a lot of flowers blooming, but I did get some good shots of some lovely flowers.
Wintergarden
If you don’t want to spend time figuring out the public transport system, the Explorer bus is perfect. However, if you want to spend some time on each attraction/stop, I don’t think you will be able to. It’s better to find out where you want to go and plan ahead, so everything fits into your schedule. It is also recommended that you visit the places on the satellite bus route first, before heading to other attractions on the main route, as the satellite bus has limited service hours. You could, of course, pay a bit more and get a 2-day pass, but for me, I don’t think it’s really necessary. If you need to visit some of those attractions, I’m sure you can go to the transport center and ask for directions.
Cute ducks at the park
Weird tree at the park
Headed back to the city and watched one of the street performances, as Auckland was holding the International Buskers Festival at that time. The performers come from different parts of the world, and their performances are entertaining and fun.
Then on the way back to my hotel, I got a burger from Burger Fuel. The C N Cheese burger is huge, it has a beef patty, lettuce, tomatoes, aioli, cheese, tomato sauce, onion, sesame bun. The burger is good, and I particularly like the sesame bun, as it’s slightly toasted.
C N Cheese (NZD$9.6)
