One of those days when you don’t need an alarm because you know that day will be great. The boat to Tiritiri Matangi was leaving early from the Viaduct Harbour in Auckland.
Tuhi Rapa waiting for us to board
There are strict rules to keep pests from the islands in the hauraki gulf. We had to scrub and disinfect our boots before we could get on board.
After a short 50-minute cruise to Gulf Harbour and another 20 minute we were dropped of at the wharf on the Island for 4 hours to explore the island.
The clear water near Tiritiri
The island was a pasture island until the 80s and then was reforested with native trees and plants. Today it is the home to many native and endangered birds including Little Penguins, Hihi and Korimako.
Korimako
The northern part of the island feels almost untouched. Even though we were like 50 people you would barely meet any when out on the trails. They also did a great job of explaining the preservation efforts and educating on different flora and fauna.
Cabbage Trees and New Zealand Flax
I hiked once around the whole island and saw a lot of wildlife. Especially the rugged east coast had some stunning views.
I arrived in Auckland in the early morning. I only bought the flight tickets last week and together with being a solo traveler coming from Chile I must have been a walking red flag for the customs officers. After I got questioned for about 10-15 minutes I was released and found myself outside the airport waiting for an Uber.
The very friendly Uber driver took me to my hotel which was it turned out is still closed until 8:00 in the morning. I found out it is a national holiday in New Zealand today called Waitangi Day. My driver was so nice to bring me to the next coffee shop (LaLa Cafe) where I could wait. The coffee was especially helpful in waking up after the more than 12 hours of nodding off over the pacific. Check-in would only be at around 15, but the cheerful Filipino staff in the hotel told me that my room would be ready for me around 12. I then stashed my gear in the hotel and explored Auckland on foot.
I went to a small artistic handicraft village in the Las Condes barrio of Santiago, right next to Los Dominicos Park. I went early after opening and not a lot of tourists were around. Through small windows you can watch how the crafts are made. Anything from stone-masonry, leather wallets, indigenous art or bird cages can be found here. All made by hand and most of the time by those who sell it right in this village. The 19th century low roof houses and small alleys are full of character and charm.
It’s in stark contrast to the metropolitan Providence part of the city where I am staying. Everything is modern and convenient here. Actually there is a convenient store on every block and the metro is never more than a 10-minute walk away. It is also considered very safe. Did I mention they have excellent and actually walkable sidewalks?
As nice as it is it also is pretty expensive. This is the most expensive part of my journey. The next few weeks will be probably the most strenuous on my travel budget. It will equalize a bit once in SEA where I might stay for a longer time. But first I’m off to the southwestern part of the Pacific.
I am packing my bags and this time I am preparing for even stricter border controls. My stay (or layover) in Santiago is coming to an end. I found a very reasonably priced flight ticket to Auckland, New Zealand for tomorrow. 12 hours crossing the pacific over nothing but open water? Let’s go!
Chile seems to have a lot more rules at the border than other countries in South America. They are pretty strict about bringing in vegetables — even the famous forgotten and undeclared apple could cost you dearly. Luckily I got rid of all my food in Asunción. The provided meal by LATAM Airlines was excellent for a ~3 hour flight (chicken breast and quinoa). The border guard lady was very serious about my plans in Chile. She said I will have to answer in Spanish and I tried my best, but she switched immediately back to English after that. So I guess there is still a lot of room to improve my spoken Spanish.
I traveled through South America extensively in 2015, but this is my first time in Chile. It really is hard to compare it to any other of the countries here because of its wealth. It’s not the cheapest city to visit and is cost-wise on par with big cities in the US if not more expensive. 8 dollar for a sandwich is on the low end here. But maybe I’m just staying in the wrong side of town. Safety is generally a concern as is always the case in South America. I try to stick to the typical tourist areas.
Big parts of the city of Santiago could just as easily be in Europe. But there’s a distinct vibe here which I still cannot quite grasp that is unique. Maybe it’s the Italian influence? The people I met are super friendly and helpful. The weather is a very nice 32 degrees. The culture and especially the museums are awesome.
Wooden Statues of the Mapuche
The Museo de Chile de Arte Precolombino was recommended to me by friends of my family in Paraguay. I can confirm: It’s a great overview of the pre-Columbian timeline of all the Americas. Some artifacts are sensational, and the presentation is world-class. I enjoyed the part about Chilean pre-Columbian culture immensely. The impressive wing about south Chilean tribes that live in more temperate climates near or in Patagonia stuck with me for the day.
Getting through security in the tiny Asuncion airport took only a couple of minutes. They were interested in my pair of small facial hair removers that looks like scissors but in the end decided that I could take them on board. I only travel with cabin luggage and security rules on every airport are different. I am happy to oblige any way.
During my small airside breakfast at the havanna cafe I saw these cute birds resting in some palms near my window to the runway.
Back in Asuncion I am trying to establish healthy habits for my travels. Looking through the map of city I saw the Parque de la Salud not far away from me. The Park is maintained by the institute of social security (IPS) and is free to enter. They only ask for documentation(passport or ID) when entering and exiting the park. It is a lovely ~1,5Km circuit designed for fitness, walking and running. It even includes some elevation changes. The park is very much designed to look like a forest. I loved the signs on the native trees giving you the common name as well as the scientific one.
I’d rather not try to pronounce that
Apart from the signs on the trees the institute also provides health education in form of small signs next to the path(“Don’t put too much salt on your food!”).
It wasn’t too crowded but also not empty. Mostly walkers. Lots of groups of middle-aged women walking fast and talking even faster. I wasn’t the only runner either. Everyone was very considerate and friendly.
I didn’t break any records today. I ran for one lap and walked for two. The humidity really got to me by the end of the third. I was happy that I managed to do some pull-ups in between laps. The crumbling metal bars were shaking and wouldn’t be too sure that they would hold anyone with more than my 77 Kilos. Apart from the rusty equipment I really enjoyed the park. I loved the serene early morning atmosphere with rays of light shining through the lush green canopy.
Tuhi Rapa waiting for us to board
The clear water near Tiritiri
Korimako
Cabbage Trees and New Zealand Flax
East Coast
Close to Antarctica
Barrio Pueblito los Dominicos
Wooden Statues of the Mapuche
I’d rather not try to pronounce that