Arriving in Auckland
Like basically everyone else who arrives in New Zealand, I also arrived in Auckland. For the first few days, I relaxed, went to the harbor, and got to meet some people. Four of us went up Mt Eden, which is a dormant volcano from which you have a great view of the skyline.
From Dec 13th-15th we had a couple of days organized by my agency. During those days we opened bank accounts, got our CVs done, and got our IRD and phone numbers, but we also talked about what the best ways are to get around New Zealand, how to get jobs, etc., and did some sightseeing. The best thing about those days was that I got to meet loads of people who also just started their work and travel.
When the days with the agency were over I went to Devonport to go to the beach and watch the sunset from Mt Victoria. That was the first day I really felt like I was on vacation. Before that, I had to get adjusted to being in NZ and there was always a lot going on. That day I went by myself and just enjoyed the views and got to wind down a bit.
Jet lag has been interesting. The time difference to Germany is 12 hours. I arrived late at night so I got to just go to bed. I thought jet lag might not be as bad, since I could just get into the usual schedule. But I underestimated it. It was very hard for me to fall asleep most nights I would stay awake until at least midnight, but most of the time it was more like 2 or 4 am. At 5 pm I would always get very tired. It was like clockwork. That lasted for about a week and a half. The jet lag was more subtle but lasted way longer than what I had previously experienced.
For the first week and a half, I stayed at a hostel. Over Christmas and New Year's Eve, they raised their prices, so I decided to look for a different accommodation. I found a housesitting job in Auckland over Christmas, where I had to take care of a cat, and decided to take it. That meant I got to stay at someone's house and take care of their cat and in return, I wouldn't have to pay for accommodation.
During those days I met up with a couple of friends I had met at the hostel and tried enjoying the last days in Auckland. By then I was annoyed by the city. There are not a whole lot of things to do in Auckland. At that point, I had seen the skyline from every possible angle, so I was more than ready to move on. Finding accommodation elsewhere turned out to be more difficult than anticipated. It's summer in NZ, and therefore the kids are on summer break and everyone is on vacation. Most hostels are booked out. I had to stay in Auckland for Christmas. But more on that later.
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