NEW ZEALAND - an amazing destination for all seasons. Exploring AUCKLAND - The City of Sails -

Exploring AUCKLAND - The City of Sails - by Subhash Motwani, Kiwi Specialist.

In India at present summer is at its peak and what better way to chill out then make a trip to New Zealand truly a destination for all seasons where you can enjoy the beautiful autumn weather at present and though New Zealand is well known for its scenic beauty, the scenery around autumn and winter is simply stunning. It is an ideal place to go now to beat the heat of Mumbai and being in the Southern Hemisphere, New Zealand like Australia enjoys a cooler climate until August and then you have the spring and summer around the end of the year.

I was part of a Tourism to North Island during December last year. In tow were a group of travel agents from India along with Kiran Nambiar, Manager-India for Tourism New Zealand. We took off from Mumbai on the penultimate day of November on Malaysian Airlines for a 10 day tour of North Island. Malaysian Airlines besides having one of the best connections to New Zealand via Kuala Lumpur is known for its fine cuisine and its international standards of quality service. The flight from Mumbai to Kuala Lumpur is around 5 hours and you can get a transit visa which is gratis on arrival in Kuala Lumpur if you have a confirmed onward ticket and you are breaking your journey for less than 72 hours.

We arrived at 0700 hours and our onward flight to Auckland was in the night at 2115 hours and we took the opportunity to visit Putrajaya and our visit was hosted by Malaysian Airlines. Putrajaya is 20 kilometres south from the KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) and is fast developing as a very popular destination and is a well planned city Putrajaya is also the Federal Government of Malaysia's administration capital. It is an excellent place to host MICE events and there are some very fine properties and we had the opportunity to do a site visit of the JW Marriott which is an excellent property not only for business but also for leisure. The KLIA itself is one of the best airports in Asia and you can spend atleast a couple of hours going thru the wide variety of shops or enjoy a fine meal or sip a coffee at one of the restaurants or coffee bars located within the airport complex.

After boarding our flight that evening, we arrived after a 10 hour 20 minute flight into Auckland - the City of Sails. Auckland is the gateway city of New Zealand and whether you are visiting North or South Island, your arrival point into New Zealand from India is invariably Auckland and on arrival we could get the whiff of fresh air that New Zealand is so well known for. After going through a stringent check which is a must for every visitor to ensure that you do not carry and food or organic material into New Zealand without declaring it, we were transferred to the SKYCITY Hotel which is a 4 star plus property located within the Skycity Complex which also has the 5 star rated SKYCITY Grand Hotel, two casinos and also one of the icons of Auckland - the 328 metres Sky Tower which is also the tallest tower in Southern Hemisphere.

Auckland is a place where you can spend atleast 2 nights before heading to your next destination in New Zealand as there is lots to do in this vibrant city which has a population of 1.3 million thus making it the largest city of New Zealand with one third of the population of New Zealand which stands at 4 million. In fact the human to sheep ratio is 4:10 as there are 38 million sheep in New Zealand.

Auckland is a place of fine dining and entertainment and within the boundaries of the city there are 21 regional parks, 50 volcanic sites and boasts of a coastline which extends 1600 kilometres. We were lucky to be in the heart of the city also known as the CBD which stretches from the Sky Tower down to Wellesley Street and up to Queen Street which eventually leads you to the Quay Street and Viaduct Basin and the Wharf Area from where you can take ferries to Devonport, Waiheke Island as well as enjoy scenic cruises. During our last day in Auckland we became part of the crew and participated in sailing an ex-America's Cup grand prix racing yacht.

In the city, you can also enjoy a Maori Guided Walk, visit the Auckland Fish Market on Jellicoe Street which houses New Zealand's first electronic fish auction, a seafood cookery school as well as wholesale and retail seafood amenities. You can even do a one day sailing course on the Waitemata harbour and test your skills on an America's Cup yacht on the same day or enjoy the bush and the beach by combining a half day wilderness experience with a leisurely cruise on Lady Gay, a historic luxury launch. There are opportunities to do Dolphin & Whale Safari expeditions out of Auckland into the open water of the Hauraki Gulf by taking the Dolphin Explorer for a day long safari. or spend half a day at the Snowplanet - an all year indoor snow resort and experience snow 20 minutes from the city centre in the snow village or even learn to snow board.

You could even indulge in a spa at the Spa du Vin which is 40 minutes out of Auckland and is part of the Heritage Hotels set in the original winery building within 40 acres of vineyards where you can easily spend a day or two - an ideal place for honeymooners as well as those seeking a relaxation break after having experienced adventure activities either in Rotorua or Queenstown.

For wine lovers, you needn't go out of the city centre as in the city itself you have New Zealand's Winemakers Centre where you can do souvenir shopping and take back wine gifts at the corner of Victoria and Elliott Street which is within walking distance of Queen Street- the main shopping street in Auckland. For those who miss out on the South Island and the International Antarctic Centre, you have the Kelly Tarlton's Antarctic Centre in Auckland.

There is also a Butterfly Park which is very close to the airport. So Auckland, has it all, although during our stay we did get the opportunity to visit only a few of the highlights of Auckland. After checking in at the Sky City Hotel we did a short guided tour of the Sky City Complex and it is a place where you could spend an entire day as there are lots of activity which are open up to the wee hours of the morning. The complex itself besides its two casinos, has an east day spa, a rooftop pool and gymnasium where you can burn your calories after eating at any of the 17 restaurants, cafes and bars.

The complex has a theatre as well as a convention centre and live entertainment as well. A must visit for anyone even if not staying at the complex is the Sky Tower where on a clear day you can get a 360 degree panoramic view from the viewing platform located at 220 metres and those who want to go higher up can do the vertigo climb and viewing platform at 270 metres. We were fortunate to not only get a clear day but also we could see a rainbow across the horizon. The Sky Tower is 4 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris and stands at 328 metres. The Sydney Tower in Australia is at 324 metres. At the Sky Tower, there are three viewing platforms which offer breathtaking views of the city. The Sky Tower is truly an architectural wonder as it is made from 2000 tonnes of reinforced steel and can withstand winds of upto 200 kmph.

In a mere 40 seconds you can with the help of three glass towers reach the Main Observatory Level located at 186 metres and right below you have the Sky Lounge Café where you can enjoy a coffee and get a fine view of the city. Orbit is Auckland's only revolving restaurant located at 190 metres and to get a night view of the city, you can even enjoy dinner at the Observatory Seafood Buffet Restaurant located at 194 metres and is well known for serving the finest seafood in New Zealand. The Observatory is the highest dining location in New Zealand. The adventurist can do a vertigo climb which takes 15 minutes and takes you up to 50 metres to reach the height of 270 metres, nearly 1000 feet above sea level.

The Sky Jump is one of the high adventure falls from a height of 192 metres and in mere 14 seconds and at a speed of 85 kph you can reach nearly ground level and you come to a gentle halt. Unlike bungy, you do not hang upside down but you are tried to a harness and all you have to do is jump and the ground rush in unbeatable. This 630 feet jump is New Zealand's highest jump and is ideal for daredevils who love life. Even Tom Cruise couldn't resist from Sky Jumping a few years ago when he visited the Sky Tower. If your adrenaline has not reached an all time high after the Sky Jump, not too far from the Sky City you can try the reverse bungee where you are suspended by elastic cords and by a push of a button, the chair wherein you are seated leaps into the air and there is an upward thrust which is quite reverse to the Sky Jump.

It wouldn't be a bad idea at all to do the Sky Jump and then the reverse bungee to put yourself back in place. I was lucky to see a couple of people trying the reverse bungee and you could hardly hear the scream as they were being shot upwards and their voice evaporated as they were thrown up in the air. I was already looking forward to going to Rotorua which was part of my itinerary as I had a few of the adventure activities lined up for me including Sky diving, Bungee Jumping and possibly a few more crazier things that I would have not imagined that they existed. Later that evening, we went to the Viaduct Basin or the Waterfront which is the best place to be in the evenings with the cafes and bars lined up and you get a lovely view of the harbour with hundreds of sail boats as well as high speed boats docked along the shore.

Auckland has several Indian restaurants and we dined at the Tagore Restaurant which is in the heart of the Viaduct Basin. Thereafter, we visited the coolest place in Auckland which goes by the name of Minus 50. Located at the Princes Wharf on Quay Street, Minus 50 truly offers a unique experience - a not to be missed place when in Auckland. This unique ice bar is the invention of two Kiwis Barry and Lenin, who found themselves driving across Russia to meet up a friend. These intrepid travellers were driving in extreme climate on icy plains and the car came to a halt. On close inspection, they found out that the radiator had a problem as the water was missing and they were stuck in ice and surrounded by snow.

Lenin, remove the car door window and came up with an idea of using it as a magnifying glass and when the sun comes up in the morning, melt the ice, use the water to fill the radiator and they would be off in the morning. Sitting in the car without the door, the temperature further dropped and Lenin gasped "it's got to be below zero" as he had another beer to which Barry added that "it's bloody Minus 5 and the beers are frozen and asked Lenin to pass the vodka. Lenin added "Of course, the vodka, you want to hear a crazy idea Barry and the crazy idea was to start the Minus 50 ice bar which is a chain gaining in popularity to such an extent that it is not only in Auckland and Queenstown but you will also find Minus 50 bars in Sydney, Gold Coast and Cairns in Australia as well as the Grand Cayman Island in the Caribbean.

The amazing experience begins from the front desk where you are handed over a cool gear comprising of an overcoat, a hat, shoes and gloves which you can wear over your clothes and you are all set to enter the ice lounge where the temperature is maintained at -5 degrees celcius. On entering the lounge, you are handed over your drink in the glass which is frozen in ice and you can enjoy your drink in extreme temperature and at the same time have a look at the various ice statues that surround you in various shapes and sizes.

The entry fee for an adult is 27 NZD (Rs 850 approx.) and includes a complimentary cocktail. Children under 18 years can gain entry before 6.30 pm at the cost of NZD 13 (Rs 400 approx) inclusive of a complimentary non-alcoholic mocktail. There are family tickets as well as school groups who can visit the ice lounge as well. The experience of surrounding yourself with nearly 18 tonnes of hand sculpted ice including the walls, the bar, the sculptures, the seats and even the glasses in which you can enjoy a vodka based cocktail truly makes it a chilling experience and at the same time delights your senses.

After a long eventful day, the next morning we headed to Paihia - the Gateway to the beautiful Bay of Islands in Northland where we were to spend three nights before heading to the Bay of Plenty. Watch out for the next edition of Opportunities Today to know more about Paihia, Cape Reinga, the historic Waitangi Treaty Grounds and many more exciting experiences in Northland

Interesting facts about Sky Tower

- Sky Tower was constructed in 2 years and 8 months using 15000 cu.m of concrete, 2000 tonnes of reinforcing steel, 660 tonnes of structural steel and 170 tonnes in the mast.

- You can travel up the Sky Tower by lift in 40 seconds which is 4.6 metres per second.

- Sky Tower weights 21 million kilos which is equivalent to the weight of 6000 elephants.

- There are 1267 steps from the base of the Sky Tower to the Sky Deck and it would take a person 29 minutes to reach the Sky Deck walking at 4 km per hour.

- The glass floor panels of Sky Tower are 38 mm thick and are as strong as concrete.

- Sky Tower regularly treats visitors to the city as well as local Aucklanders with stunning lighting displays for special occasions like Christmas, the Sky City Starlight Symphony, outdoor concert and major local events.

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