I wake up around 7am, but decide to sleep in a bit more and wake up again at 11.30am. I feel like I could sleep a lot more, but it’s probably better go get up to beat the jet lag. The hostel where I stay is nice and I’m happy to have my own room where I can just leave all my stuff around.

It’s Spring here in Auckland and the weather feels a bit like the Netherlands. A bit cloudy, but not cold. I don’t feel like taking pictures straight away, but instead am heading to the nearest Starbucks to get online, check my e-mail and post the blog of yesterday. For some it might sound strange, but Starbucks feels a bit like home for me. It’s practically the same everywhere in the world and you know exactly what kind of coffee you’ll get and they have internet. I’m thankful that there is coffee and internet almost everywhere in the world these days.

In the afternoon I walk through downtown Auckland. It’s interesting how there is a variety of old static buildings and modern offices, almost skyscrapers. I end my walk with a visit to the supermarket, which looks a bit like the supermarkets in America, much bigger than the ones back home. I do groceries for the coming days and then head back to the hostel. It’s been many years since I stayed in a hostel and I’m happily surprised to find a big living room and kitchen filled with international people. I put my food in the fridge and start talking to some people from England. They tell me about a hill on the side of the city on which you have a beautiful view of the sunset. I check at my phone what time sunset is today, it’s in 45 minutes. I say goodbye to the people in the living room and go back to my room and decide I’ll go for a short run to the top of the hill.

I put on my running shoes and clothes on and head outside. It’s raining again, but I don’t mind. I love running so much and it feels great to run uphill in the rain. Just in time I arrive at the top. There is a large rainbow on one side and the sunset on the other side, a wonderful view. I’m glad those people told me about this, because I didn’t want to miss this. I stay at the hill for a couple of minutes until the sun is almost gone and then I run back to the hostel. After a fresh shower I walk to the nearest pizza place. Those helpful people also told me that there is a Dominoes around the corner where you can get pizza for five dollars. Sounds like a perfect dinner to me.

Back at the hostel there are a lot of people sitting at the kitchen table. We have dinner together and get to know each other a bit. A couple of them are from Germany and some others from Argentina, there is also another guy from the Netherlands. We switch languages a few times, but stick with English in the end. I love to meet new people and we have a nice evening with conversations and some board games.

Tomorrow I plan to take a ferry for a daytrip to Waiheke Island, so I don’t go too late to bed, making sure I can wake up early again.