Tales From the Road- My First Day Abroad
Tales From the Road – My First Day Abroad
After 13 hours of wine, movie watching, and cat napping, I had arrived to Auckland International Airport at 5:45 a.m, two days later. Damn you international dateline! Considering I had lost an entire day, I wanted to make up for lost time. I decided while waiting to depart the plane that I’d go with a “pick your own adventure” day full of nothing but spontaneous choices. First things first though, I had to get in to the country before I could explore it.
After stepping off the plane, I made my way to the growing line for immigration. I had prepared my entry documents (visa, passport, hostel reservation) in an easily accessible pocket in my bag so I could make this encounter as quick as possible. I can’t pinpoint it, but immigration makes me crazy. I find it odd that one person has the authority to make my entry quick and easy, or long and arduous. Luckily, I had a gentleman who woke up on the right side of the bed that day. I presented him with my documents and waited nervously for his response. He turned, looked at me and said “welcome to New Zealand young lady. Try your best not to break too many hearts while you’re here.”
I don’t think I have ever smiled so much, well, certainly not that early in the morning. He handed back my newly stamped passport (I LOVE stamps!) and other documents and I was on my way. That’s it? I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, but there was no drug dog sniffing me at baggage claim, no pull aside for “extra screening”, and I didn’t even have to take my shoes or belt off for security. I just walked out the door. I was so happy I started to skip.
My skipping eventually led me to the street where I discovered that I hadn’t figured out how to get to downtown Auckland from the airport. A security guard asked me if I needed help, and I told her I needed to get to Auckland’s city center where my hostel was located. She ended up walking me to the bus stop, conversing with me every step of the way. She was thrilled that I flew all the way to New Zealand to experience her country. As she left me at the bus stop she said, “enjoy New Zealand, it’s a magical place.”
I was beginning to believe it. No one is nice at airports..NO ONE. Had I just found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Was New Zealand actually the hidden treasure I was told about? It certainly was a good start, and I smiled to myself knowing that I had a full year to discover the truth.
I was dropped off in the center of the city with a dozen others from the airport. Instead of asking directions to my hostel, I decided to test my resilience and find it on my own. 15 minutes later, my wandering came to an end as I climbed the four flights of stairs to reception. Check-in ended up being at 1 p.m. so I left my bags in their storage room and ventured out to my new city. Keeping with the “pick your own adventure” theme I had decided earlier, I just started walking through the city aimlessly and it amazed me that five hours had passed when I next checked the time. I was so immersed in this new city with my fresh perspective and curiosity; I couldn’t have cared less if 12 hours had gone by.
I ended up walking down to Auckland Harbour and watched the sailboats whiz by. Then on to a neighborhood full of coffee houses and beautiful flowers for sale. The next spur-of-the-moment decision led me down a tiny road that opened up to a nice little square lined with stalls that were streaming with fairy lights and tables and chairs sprawled across the pavement. I had found a local market! A very nice and informative local told me a French market is held there every week on Wednesday nights and that I should definitely make it a priority to come back when it’s open. I pulled out my journal and wrote it down. The friendly local then gave me an entire list of places to see in Auckland that should be on the top of my list. I was thrilled to have a local’s opinion of what I should see and where I should go. I ended up taking his advice, and I was not disappointed.
The best thing about exploring a new place on foot are the opportunities that arise. Planning is very helpful, but sometimes not planning is even better. If I had meticulously organized my first day in Auckland, I probably would have missed out on meeting that man at the French market who gave me a fantastic to-do list. When you look back on your past trips, how many memories do you recall that were planned, and how many were because you were spontaneous? Spontaneity keeps us curious and excited and your travel experiences should include a good dose of it everyday.
For those who need a little more convincing, below is a list of why I believe you should explore your new area on foot the first day. Remember, do NOT sleep the day away, take advantage and enjoy your new environment.
1. Getting out on foot allows you to soak it all in – You miss out on personal experiences if you take tour buses or rent a car to cruise around. You have a better chance of meeting people that just might change your life for the better!
2. Walking helps you familiarize yourself with your surroundings – When you walk a lot, you start to recognize buildings, landmarks, and street names. You have a better chance of remembering where you are and not getting lost.
3. It saves you $$! – If you are on a hardcore budget, walking is free. It’s the best budget option and you stay healthy by doing it.
4. Unexpected experiences – Walking presents itself with the occasional run-in with a street performance, festival, or like myself, a market of some sort to discover.
5. You are on nobody’s schedule but your own – No tour or bus schedule to abide by. You get to stay as long as you want and leave as soon as you want. For me, that’s the icing on the cake.
You’ve made it! This is your time to start a new adventure on YOUR terms and you’re writing the rules now…it’s simple, have none.