So you think there is nothing to do in Auckland, New Zealand?

When I was talking to people who visited New Zealand, among all the advice they gave me, this was always one of them: "Get out of Auckland as soon as possible! There isn't much to see or do there."

Travelling with your photo camera. Should I get insurance?

Well, that depends on how expensive your gear is and how much you worry about it. I was pretty paranoid before I left my home country, so I contacted many photography-specialised insurance companies and got my gear insured. Most insurance companies are asking for at least a 1-year visa to insure it, but generally, they are very flexible.

You can expect to pay around 700 nz$/year for up to 25.000 nz$ worth of equipment insured (laptop, external HDD, memory cards, etc. included), without any depreciation value. I won't be advertising my insurer, but if you need information, please message me.

That said, I should also let you know that I felt completely safe in Auckland and New Zealand, but better to be safe than sorry, right?

What to see and photograph while you're in Auckland?

During the two weeks, my friend and I were there, we were trying to see as much as possible. It's true that we spent a lot of time on bureaucratic things like getting an IRD number, opening a bank account, getting a NZ mobile number and buying a car, but there were still a lot of things that we didn't manage to see because we ran out of time.

Volcanoes

In the Auckland region, there are

offering spectacular views. When you climb them, it feels almost like you aren't in the middle of the city anymore. Plenty of neon green grass, trees, walkways and opportunities to find a stunning shot. The only thing giving it away that you're still in the city is that there are many people everywhere.

City parks

If you are into nature, there are also a lot of sheep and cow-filled city parks, or you can drive for a few minutes outside of the city perimeter and you're in the wilderness exploring

.

You can also visit a beautiful zoo which hosts a wide variety of foreign and almost extinct native animals. It is designed as if you were walking through a tropical forest, as the walkways are surrounded by native trees, palms and ferns. I loved the idea of how all the birds are in giant dome-shaped, net-covered enclosures so that they can move and fly freely.

Experience new food

If you're a foodie, you will certainly like the multiculturalism present in the city. Around every corner, there is a restaurant or a food stand covering a wide variety of world cuisine. Well, mostly Asian and Indian cuisine, but you can also find hidden gems such as a secluded hand-eating Ethiopian restaurant, delicious! Bear in mind, tour de restaurant can be quite stressful for your wallet, and your budget is limited as our was, you get to improvise. We have quickly discovered a perfect home-cooked combo: steaks with New Zealand's craft beer. A lot cheaper, but still tastes like heaven.

And much more...

Museums, art galleries, movies, nightlife, you name it... all you can find in Auckland.

There is also a harbour with a beautiful city skyline and the tallest man-made building in the southern hemisphere,

, for cityscape photography. Sadly these two remain on my photography bucket list, as we didn't manage to visit them.

Conclusion?

I know you won't be disappointed by Auckland. People here are fantastic, and very friendly and greet you as you pass them on the street. To be fair I needed a day or two to get accustomed to all these "hellos", "how are you doing mate", and "what's up guys". For the first few times in the beginning, when they caught me off guard as I didn't expect such friendliness, I probably made a few "What do you want from me? "faces too.