Spring in Auckland

It is FINALLY springtime in Auckland. Not that the weather has improved too much. We had a really cold week last week, it seemed to be the joke that we're having a colder spring than winter. But there are definite signs of warmth in the air, and we've had a few really nice days. Its so hard to believe that this is our second to last week of class. The months that I have spent in New Zealand are flying by. After our last week of class, I have a week off, followed by two weeks of finals. Then I am flying into Christchurch for a two week vacation on the South Island! I am so excited to be able to explore another side of New Zealand. In my last weeks in Auckland, I am really hoping to do some more exploring on the outskirts of the city. I have been so focused on school in Auckland, as well as taking trips to places all over North Island, it seems that I have not done much exploring in and around the Auckland region.

Last Sunday was beautiful out, so three friends and I went to Mission Bay, which is a beach in Auckland. It was a great trip to get out of the inner city for a few hours. We just got ice cream and lunch and relaxed a bit.

For the entire past week, all Auckland buses have been on lock out due to some type of pay negotiation related strike. Luckily, I don't depend on public transport to get to classes, but it was stated that 80,000 people are dependent on these buses. It is an insane situation to have all public transport in New Zealand's largest city cease for an entire week. I wonder how that would work on in Boston...