Visiting Auckland with some friends from home • 26 September 2024 – 30 September 2024
I had an incredible opportunity to meet some friends in Auckland (whom also attend the University of Denver) and are currently studying at the University of Newcastle in Australia. This had been the first time I had spent time in an actual city, meaning one that had buildings that required me to bend my entire neck to see the top of. We spent the weekend catching up, exploring random areas, and ensuring that coffee was included in the plan each day.
WINE TOUR
My general knowledge of wine, the creation, aging, and consumption is something that I have never had a proper understanding of and is an area that I was enthused to learn more about. After finding a local coffee shop that was renowned for its latte art- I got a seahorse- we caught the ferry to Waiheke Island which is known for its wine vineyards. The weather was drowsy but did not take away from the fascination of the wine tour.
We first stopped at the Cable Bay vineyard which turned out to be my favorite by the end of the day. It was unique being the youngest aged group on the tour but it made for an excitement that the other tour members didn’t quite have. The vineyard was beautiful. It boasted an impressive wine cellar and the actual vineyard was a new sight for me. I was already extremely impressed by the knowledge that goes into wine, especially the fact of it being possible to guess the year, brand, type of grape, and so much more solely based on smells and taste.
I was also so fascinated that aerating your wine in your own glass can change the smell and taste, apparently it is more commonly known, but it was news to me! We enjoyed a wonderful lunch and two more vineyards to end the day. One of the best parts of the day was the gentleman that guided our tour. He was so full of life, rich with energy, and amplified the experience in ways we did not expect. 10/10 overall experience!
hobbiton & Small hike
I admittedly should have put more effort into watching the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings movies prior to this movie set tour, however disregarding my lack of basic understanding for these films it was still incredible. All of New Zealand’s landscape can best be described as majestic and unlike any other terrain I’ve ever experienced. There is no surprise that Peter Jackson decided to take his crew to this country to film what was described as Middle-earth in the original books. The naturally rolling, staunchly green hills truly made for the perfect movie set for Hobbiton.
Our tour guide was clearly a huge fan of the films, which made her knowledge admirable yet energy slightly over-the-top at times. I found so much joy in observing the thousands of details that went into the creation of the entire set. The degree of detail would require hundreds of tours to catch them all. The impressive nature of seeing such an iconic movie set in person is still a wee bit incomprehensible and only boosts my appreciation for the hundreds of hours that go into only several seconds of some movie scenes. 10/10 overall experience!
After touring the set we stopped for a quick hike to a waterfall lookout. A unique aspect to adventures like hikes that usually doesn’t go into the “planning” of said hike are the conversations that you have along the way. It creates for an environment that encourages conversation and it was one of my favorite parts of the day. It was great to catch up with friends on a deeper level and dissect some of the worlds tricky inner-workings. Thankful for hikes! 10/10 overall experience.
The cinema and hostelS
We went to a movie called “The Wild Robot” to end our weekend, a film that I had been eager to watch especially since reading the impressive reviews. Although meant for a younger audience, it was still a thought provoking journey that confronted several deep rooted societal issues and provided just as much benefit for a 21 year old as it would for a 12 year old. I have an appreciation for films that encourage you to think beyond the surface level and require your constant attention. 10/10 overall experience!
The Lylo Hostel! The culture that is created by hostels is something I would urge everyone to experience. We weren’t able to secure a shared room with many others in Auckland, but my experience with hostels in other areas has been very rewarding. Meeting people in hostels who have equal desire for life is unique. There is an immediate departure time placed on your time spent with them. You are forced to make the most of your time because it is inherently limited which has led to some fun nights out and fruitful conversations. Cooking in hostels is a fun environment that I hope to continue to be a part of until I’m considered “too old” to keep attending. 10/10 overall experience!
See photos below!
DU Abroad 