This is the Auckland Skyline at night. More photos to come - but now we need a rest ;) Cheers.
Friday, 28 June 2013
Slowly arriving
Hey folks!
Still we are too tired to really get into Blog-writing and taking photos, but I'll just give you a little update on what we are doing:
The time difference really takes its toll on us. We have been sitting and waiting in the plane and the airport for more than 24 hours yesterday. After that, we took a bus to our hostel - which is obviously opened all night, since we arrived at about 2am and even after us there were people checking in.
We are now living at the YHA hostel in Turner St, which is in the middle of the city.
Today, after having some 4 hours of sleep, we enjoyed an early morning shower (you can't imagine how ugly you feel after being squeezed into your plane seat for 22 hours).
Feeling clean and a little more alive again, we had a small breakfast and decided to go out into town to search for the travel office. Our Work&Travel organisation is called IEP. They take care of Working Travellers from all around the world, and offer loads of information about places to visit, working possibilities, how and where to buy a car, etc. So after a short stop for a coffee we spent most of the day on an introduction meeting in their office.
They helped us prepare all necessary forms to get an IRD (tax) number and a bank account and many great tips of what and what not to do.
The IRD number is already in process - we simply walked into the nearest post office, gave them the form, our passport and international driver's license, and that's it. It takes about two weeks until we get it - so we are planning to stay in or around Auckland until we have it.
When the meeting was done it was around 2pm - good time to have a look at the city you'd think, but again the jetlag was stronger - we still feel like German time, which means for us it felt like 2:00 in the middle of the night.
We managed to get to the supermarket and have a little instant-chinese-noodles-and-nutella-toast lunch (I'm already missing German bread - hopefully we will find a store that sellls something similar.) before we fell into bed, exhausted again.
Now it's around eight pm local time and we are struggling to stay awake. we have a nice hang out area here in the hostel with a lot of inspirational stuff on what to do. For now, we are planning to spend a calm weekend and concentrating on finding a car or van to buy. There are a few car markets going on, but we've been warned to be careful with them. Especially the backpackers market is known for ridiculously high prices and very offensive, even aggressive sellers. We hope to buy a car privately from a backpacker who is leaving - we already saw some notices on the black board. Wish us luck that we find a good, cheap one :)
So that's all for today - you'll hear from us soon!
Still we are too tired to really get into Blog-writing and taking photos, but I'll just give you a little update on what we are doing:
The time difference really takes its toll on us. We have been sitting and waiting in the plane and the airport for more than 24 hours yesterday. After that, we took a bus to our hostel - which is obviously opened all night, since we arrived at about 2am and even after us there were people checking in.
We are now living at the YHA hostel in Turner St, which is in the middle of the city.
Today, after having some 4 hours of sleep, we enjoyed an early morning shower (you can't imagine how ugly you feel after being squeezed into your plane seat for 22 hours).
Feeling clean and a little more alive again, we had a small breakfast and decided to go out into town to search for the travel office. Our Work&Travel organisation is called IEP. They take care of Working Travellers from all around the world, and offer loads of information about places to visit, working possibilities, how and where to buy a car, etc. So after a short stop for a coffee we spent most of the day on an introduction meeting in their office.
They helped us prepare all necessary forms to get an IRD (tax) number and a bank account and many great tips of what and what not to do.
The IRD number is already in process - we simply walked into the nearest post office, gave them the form, our passport and international driver's license, and that's it. It takes about two weeks until we get it - so we are planning to stay in or around Auckland until we have it.
When the meeting was done it was around 2pm - good time to have a look at the city you'd think, but again the jetlag was stronger - we still feel like German time, which means for us it felt like 2:00 in the middle of the night.
We managed to get to the supermarket and have a little instant-chinese-noodles-and-nutella-toast lunch (I'm already missing German bread - hopefully we will find a store that sellls something similar.) before we fell into bed, exhausted again.
Now it's around eight pm local time and we are struggling to stay awake. we have a nice hang out area here in the hostel with a lot of inspirational stuff on what to do. For now, we are planning to spend a calm weekend and concentrating on finding a car or van to buy. There are a few car markets going on, but we've been warned to be careful with them. Especially the backpackers market is known for ridiculously high prices and very offensive, even aggressive sellers. We hope to buy a car privately from a backpacker who is leaving - we already saw some notices on the black board. Wish us luck that we find a good, cheap one :)
So that's all for today - you'll hear from us soon!
Thursday, 27 June 2013
Arrival in Auckland
We have arrived in Auckland after almost 24 hours of flight, with a short stop in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). I never believed that flying could actually be this exhausting - but it is. We are jetlagged but happy to be here. Weather in Auckland is fair. I am gonna try to get some first impression photos today. In NZ is winter right now, but on the Northern Island (where we are) its very mild. The flight with Air Malaysia was actually quite good, lots of food and free drinks.
We are having a coffee now at Starbucks, before further exploring Auckland.
We are having a coffee now at Starbucks, before further exploring Auckland.
Wednesday, 12 June 2013
Two weeks left
Our flat is getting emptier day by day and we are preparing to leave Germany.
It's weird to be working, going about everyday business, while in only fourteen days we will be at the other end of the world.
I already started to collect books for the flight - luckily we live in the era of e-book readers :)
The flight time is 21:55h with a "break" of two hours at Kuala Lumpur airport. Loads of time to read, sleep, annoy the person in front with some kicking, and stare out of the windows.
I hope the food on-board will be edible :)
It's weird to be working, going about everyday business, while in only fourteen days we will be at the other end of the world.
I already started to collect books for the flight - luckily we live in the era of e-book readers :)
The flight time is 21:55h with a "break" of two hours at Kuala Lumpur airport. Loads of time to read, sleep, annoy the person in front with some kicking, and stare out of the windows.
I hope the food on-board will be edible :)
Friday, 17 May 2013
Almost done!
One Month left.
There's a lot we had to think about in the last weeks, but now there's almost nothing left to do.
Here is what we had to organise:
There's a lot we had to think about in the last weeks, but now there's almost nothing left to do.
Here is what we had to organise:
- Valid passport
- Apply for the Working Holiday Visa
- Book a flight
- International drivers license
- Credit Card
- Health insurance
- make sure we have enough funds for the Visa
- start emptying our flat :)
- found a very nice family via Couchsurfing to accomodate us a couple of days
- save all important documents as a scan on our email accounts
Now there's some time to stuff all our belonging into the cellar and get the backpacks ready.
Monday, 15 April 2013
Working Holiday Visa
We've got it!
Against all warnings that a Visa application can take forever and we should apply as early as possible, we didn't even wait a week before it was granted.
It took exactly five days until we got an answer to our online application:
Visa approved!
Now we can lean back and think about what to pack first :)
Against all warnings that a Visa application can take forever and we should apply as early as possible, we didn't even wait a week before it was granted.
It took exactly five days until we got an answer to our online application:
Visa approved!
Now we can lean back and think about what to pack first :)
Saturday, 6 April 2013
We've applied!
Today we did the most important of all preparations - we applied for the Working holiday visum!
After a few problems with the Homepage it was quite easy: Give them your personal data, tell them you're healthy and not a criminal and that's about it :)
Now we are waiting for THE email that allows us to travel to New Zealand.
Flight date: 26th June.
It's getting serious!
Wednesday, 20 February 2013
Travel documents - check.
Let's see how many pieces of paper we will be carrying around down there - and probably never need any of them. :)
Summertime...
While we sit here in cold Germany, hoping for no more snow to shovel, still having to put a scarf on every day - It's 26°C in Auckland!
http://www.metservice.com/towns-cities/auckland/auckland-central
I am really looking forward to the summer we will spend there.
When we arrive it will be winter, but that's nothing compared to here. Most charts say the lowest temperature in winter is around 5° and it's barely ever snowing. So no shoveling anymore :-D
So I spend the time that's left dreaming of all the beautiful places waiting for us...
for example those:
CNN Travel - 10 great New Zealand beaches
http://www.metservice.com/towns-cities/auckland/auckland-central
I am really looking forward to the summer we will spend there.
When we arrive it will be winter, but that's nothing compared to here. Most charts say the lowest temperature in winter is around 5° and it's barely ever snowing. So no shoveling anymore :-D
So I spend the time that's left dreaming of all the beautiful places waiting for us...
for example those:
CNN Travel - 10 great New Zealand beaches
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