Things I love about Auckland

Auckland, New Zealand's biggest city. One of the best cities in the world to dwell. But sad to say, Auckland does get a tough rap from tourists. In the past ten years, I have seen many travellers and even some of my friends avoid Auckland or see only has a gateway to enter New Zealand or stay for a night before heading to beautiful Kiwi pastures -- Rotorua for thermal pools and the smell of Sulphur, the beaches of Bay of Island, wine and dine at Marlborough and sky diving and mesmerising landscape at Queenstown.

As some of the travel bloggers have mentioned, Auckland is heartless and soulless. Let me tell you Auckland is not that bad  

Here is the list of best things I love about Auckland.

1. Walkable CBD

If you are living in Auckland, you don't need your own car to get around the city centre and nearby suburbs of Ponsonby, Parnell, Newmarket, Mt. Eden, One Tree Hill and Remuera. These localities are well-connected to CBD by public transport. If you want to go from one end of the city (Britomart) to another end of the city (K'rd)  you can simply take a ride on Citylink the big red bus. It's free if you are transferring from the train, ferry or any bus coming to CBD or just pay $1. And if you don't want to use CityLink you can simply WALK!

2. There are plenty of activities you can do in CBD
If you think Auckland CBD is the boring business district, YOU ARE WRONG!
You will be surprised by the different activities you can do in CBD itself.

• Eat and Drink, there are plenty of cafes, ethnic restaurants, takeaways, quick service, eateries. I am sure you will never go hungry in Auckland
  
  Some of the food places you can visit:

• North Wharf, the far end of the CBD
• Viaduct Harbour
• Chancery Street
• O'Connell Street
• Corner of Lorne Street and Wellesley Street.
• 350 Queen Street
• Aotea Square 291-297 Queen St - movies, arcade games and food court
• A walk towards toward Upward Queen Street
• CBD's close proximity to the coast. Auckland CBD is truly blessed to be next to the sea coast. According to health experts, living close proximity to the ocean can have a positive impact on your health and well-being. From my own experience of living by the coast for most of my life, it is one of the best feelings, evening near the coast does have a positive impact on your work and in your studies if you are a student. 

• Garden BackyardYes, CBD has its own backyard, Albert Park and if you are looking for a bigger walk, Auckland Domain is just a few minutes away from the city centre. Longing for an even bigger walk, head to Mt. Eden Domain, it is the tallest natural mountain in Auckland and has the most impressive crater and great views of the city, and if you are sunset lover, go in the evening you will see the beautiful sunset and the golden glow over the city.
• Clubs/DJ'sDo I really need to mention this?
  CBD is full of clubs and DJs. Weekend nights are full on.

3. A quick getaway from urban life. Long weekend?
Low on Budget?
You don't need to go far away
There are plentiful getaway spots around Auckland.

• One Tree Hill, and yes that is the name of the place. It's worth a visit for a walk or a picnic with friends. There are coin-operated public BBQs.  This is the closest place in Auckland where you can see sheep-filled paddocks and cows. Please do not disturb the cattle. 
• The wild west coast, the Waitakere Ranges for walking in the bush or spend time on the fine black sand beaches.
  Warning: For your own safety swim only between the orange flags to be in the visibility of lifeguards.
• North Shore for white sandy beachfront. 
• Ferry to Rangitoto (the youngest volcano) Motutapu or Waiheke Island.

4. Volcanic City

Auckland city is built on an active volcano field. Though most of the volcanos in Auckland are dormant and will not erupt in the future there are chances of the new volcano to erupt somewhere in the city. But you don't need to panic, Auckland as has advance early warning system installed and geologist and closing studying the seismic activity in the region. 

5. Flavours of Pacific Auckland is the largest Pacific city in the world. For the taste of the Pacific island cultures, head to Otara Flea Market in South Auckland on a Saturday morning to soak up to the island music, exotic fruits and vegetables. You can also buy colourful authentic pacific style clothes (sarongs), shirts and crafts including bright colourful mats and huge tapa cloths.

Benefits of being organised

Less Stress means you can Relax more 

 “Organised people are just too lazy to search for stuff.” That’s cute, but I’d rather be the “lazy” one mentioned in the punchline. Less time spent running around means more time. Just, more time to do what I want to do, like, spending time with your friends and family.

Less Stress also means Improved health. The stress I mentioned earlier, which I feel when things start to get out of control, does not promote good health. 

And if you are a parent, you are setting a good example for the kids. There was a time when I spent most of my time behind my computer, working on this or that. I felt productive, sure, but I also worried about the message I was sending to the kids. Adults work all the time? My job is more important than them? I want my kids to become productive, contributing adults, of course, but I want them to enjoy life, too, and that absolutely includes time spent not working.

Greater productivity. When you know where things are, what your goals are, and take care of the spontaneous work as it appears, you’ve got significantly more time and energy for the big goals in life.

An organised life takes some doing, and you’re going to slip up. No one is clean and clear all day, every day! But when you strive to do the best you can, and this is the start (hold organiser in the right hand)

Diversity

Every year at AUT University in collaboration with AuSM organised a diversity week to celebrate diversity in action in our everyday life. We live in a diverse society. Every person you meet at university or in the workplace is different. Since the day I came to New Zealand, this great diversity has impacted the way I communicate and interact with people. I find myself lucky to live in this beautiful city where people from different parts of the world come and live together in peace and harmony.

Many migrants who are living in Auckland today come from a country faced with conflicts, both internal and external. According to Statistics New Zealand, in 2013, there were almost 1 in 4 people that are 23.1 percent people living in Auckland region identified with one or more Asian ethnic groups, compared with 1 in 5 people that is 18.9 percent, in 2006. We have all heard from media sources, the majority of conflict today is happening in Asia.  Every nation is plagued with numerous problems. I am migrant myself coming from India. I know the political problems faced by the country with its neighbours. But here in New Zealand, although our homelands are at war with their neighbours, we live in peace and harmony. I have not just friends, but good friends, the friends that I can call them my best friends are from Asian countries. Even I don’t have any problems to interact with people from Pakistan. I could see true diversity here in New Zealand in regards everyday lifestyle and occupational pursuits.

Today when I look at my photo album, hard or soft version, I see great diversity, a beautiful bond and unconditional love among all the friends from around the world. While the political leaders will take a long time to solve the problems. We citizens of the nations have already overcome the problem through social equality and are living with peace together in New Zealand, far away from our homeland. I hope the world leaders can learn from the citizens of the nations and how we live our daily lives when making policies. 

What attracted me to join Toastmasters Club in Auckland?

For me giving presentations and going for the interview would always give me a fright. However, I am part of a drama team and I love performing in front of an audience. When it comes to giving presentations or interviews, I am not able to get the right words at the right time.  I love acting, especially in dramas. I came to know about toastmasters when Steve and Maxine visited my class of hospitality career development. They brought with them the range of table topics, which we can choose from the pool of topics and speak about it for 90 seconds and they evaluate us by providing us commendations and recommendations. I saw that it was really a good way to help us to improve our communication skills. Because whenever I tried to speak in public and ask people for feedback, it does not help you. In short, the feedback given in toastmasters is more like an educational series. I still remember the time in India, in college or universities when seniors will come to freshman and tell us to introduce our self and many times I would feel threaten by them. 

Steve and Maxine also invited us to join us for one of their meetings. In the beginning, I was a bit scared to come for the meetings. But then I thought why not go to the first meeting and check it out. After coming to toastmasters meeting subsequent times, I was surprised it was not just about giving speeches and presentations, but also about leadership development through different leadership roles, such as Grammarian, Time Keeper and Evaluators.

For Me, Toastmasters is much more than about public speaking. The skills you learn do improve your ability to share your message with style, and these skills can be used in everyday situations, such as social interactions with friends and not just interviews or executive presentations.

Helping The Society

Last night while walking back home I saw homeless man lying in the middle of the footpath. I stopped for 5 mins, thinking should I call the police or wait for the passing police car and than approach them, while I was waiting for the police car many people pass through him but nobody cared to call the police or the paramedics. After five mins wait, the man didn't moved a bit, I decided to call 111, and informed the police about the man lying in the middle of the footpath and gave description of the man, and dispatcher said to me, police are on their way. 

After 10 mins, I saw a small bottle of whisky lying just few meters away from him. Than I saw him moving, I approached him but I couldn't understand a single word he was trying to speak, I called 111 again to keep them up to date, as I was speaking to 111 I told them He is very drank, they immediately dispatched an Ambulance, paramedics arrived while I was still talking on phone. And after few mins police arrived as well. 

I am glad that I am able to help the society in whatever way I could. Be alert, Be on guard dear brothers and sisters, don't be the mute spectator or ignorant passer-by.

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

James 4:17 (ESV)

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

Luke 10:25-37 (ESV)

And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”  He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”  And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.  And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

In those days, there were no cars, just a donkey was their main transportation, no cellphone or internet to call for help. Today we have cellphones, reliable mode of transportation, free medical services and free to call emergency number 111 in New Zealand. And thanks to the internet information is all around the place but we are still so faraway from the people and God.

I am so thankful that He adopted me into His family.
Praise The Lord!

Must-Visit Restaurants in Auckland

1. Rasoi Restaurant, Maharashtrian-Gujarati Restaurant

2. 155 K'rd Chinese Restaurant

3. Katigrill,Gourmet Tandoori Wraps

4. Korean BBQ on Queen St.

5. Mamak Malaysian Restaurant at Chancery Lane

You can read the full reviews of the restaurants on my Zomato profile
https://www.zomato.com/gastronomicexperience

View Must-Visit Restaurants in Auckland in a larger map