New Zealand Travelogue, Part Five: Journeying to Auckland
The final day of my journey involved what was meant to be an 11 hour train ride up the North Island from Wellington to Auckland aboard the Northern Explorer. We set out at eight in the morning and it quickly proved to be an even more scenic journey than the one up the South Island I had been on the previous day, especially when we passed through the National Park. Taking in an enormous amount of biodiversity and traveling atop massive viaducts made for a nature-rich experience. I captured loads of photos and have included some here.
About nine hours into the trip things got a bit hairy. The train rolled to a stop in Whangamarino, the second largest wetland complex in the North Island. A voice over the intercom informed us that the train had hit some debris that caused an air leak, jamming up the brakes on the luggage car. After waiting about fifteen minutes, we began moving at a reduced speed and the smell of burning brakes soon wafted throughout the train. Apparently we were moving along with the brakes still engaged on the luggage car. The voice returned informing us that the odor was to be expected with the ‘temporary fix’ they had performed. Temporary indeed as a short time later we came to another stop in the wee town of Mercer. This time, after about half an hour of still silence, they informed us that the brakes were fully jammed and we couldn’t move until it was fixed. They tried everything they could, but were unable to fix the problem and so a mechanic was on the way — arriving in about 45 minutes.
After so much time on the train, a holdup, which turned out to be over three hours long, was very unwelcome. The silver lining was that after nine hours of everyone keeping to themselves, everyone started talking with each other. It was nice to have some social interaction on the train and funny that it took the train breaking down for the passengers to break their silence. Everyone was very friendly, most of the people in my carriage were Australians on holiday. They were a bit surprised I was in New Zealand and had never been nor planned to go to Australia. I do want to go, but it doesn’t fit with my current plans. Hopefully one day!
The mechanic worked some magic and within twenty minutes of his arrival we were on the move sans the aroma of burning brakes. However, the train was still broken and so they terminated the service at the next station stop and transferred us to coaches that would take us the remaining 45 minutes of our journey to Auckland. After this experience, I will need some time before getting on a train again — I’m not sure the scenic views are worth the long hours on a train. Seeing the country is great, but it’s really the people and culture I’m more interested in than the views. I have no regrets, but think I will focus more time on cultural immersion within towns and cities for my future travel.
Auckland is New Zealand’s biggest city, stretching across 234 square miles with a population of 1.4 million people. This calculates out to an urban density of roughly 6,000 people per square mile, an important measurement because it explains why the city feels less crowded to me than Seattle despite having twice the population. Seattle is a much denser city, with about 9,000 people per square mile. Before arriving, I was expecting twice the madness of Seattle’s crowds, so it was a relief to have something not all that different from what I had experienced in Christchurch and Wellington.
Auckland’s Central Business District (what we would call Downtown in the US) has all the skyscrapers and hustle and bustle of business one might expect in any city, but thankfully this is not where the Michael King Writers Centre is located. A twelve minute ferry ride from the CBD brought me to Devonport, a beautiful coastal village more than neighborhood of a big city. A short, albeit steep, walk halfway up Mount Victoria brought me to the house I would call home for the coming two weeks. The MKWC far exceeded my expectations, I can’t imagine a more idyllic setting to focus on my writing. The house itself is spacious, with ensuite bedroom, library, kitchen with dining area as well as great outdoor spaces. Additionally, one room acts as an office for the centre’s staff and there is another ensuite bedroom and writing studio for longer-term writers to stay.
The village has a large supermarket, with groceries a third of the price they would be in Hawai’i as well as a theatre, public library, and separate secondhand and new bookshops. There are also loads of restaurants, cafes and pubs. Not to mention the beaches and parks. Everything I need is right here within walking distance. Most of my time will be spent writing and reading, but I am glad to have scenic hilltop views, cultural institutions and a market all within walking distance. I don’t plan to explore the city or even venture back to the CBD, that will have to wait for a future visit.
My first morning at the writers centre, which I spent writing this post, included watching people walk, cycle and Segway up Mt Victoria and back down from the window at my writing desk. I also had a visit from Bob Orr, a poet whose portrait hangs in the library here. He and his wife were very friendly and it was a pleasure to start the day speaking with them. Every time I walk down the hall, filled with photos of past writers in residence, I am in awe to have the privilege of staying in a place where so many writers have worked on such great poetry and prose. As I get to work on my project, I hope that I can give this place due respect through hard work and dedication to my writing and growth as a writer. See you on the other side!