Auckland

Surrounded by lush green trees and less than 15 mins away from the office blocks, Grafton Valley is one of Auckland’s best-kept secrets. Tucked right in the heart of Auckland CBD and nestled within Symonds Street Cemetery , one of the oldest cemeteries in Auckland, most people rush past it every day, on the southern motorway or bus across Grafton Bridge, unaware of the peaceful escape beneath them. Grafton Valley Walkway The valley can be accessed from Symonds St by the motorway ramp or from. St. Martins Lane . It is easy to reach by public transport, with plenty of buses running from Waitematā (formerly Britomart ) and Newmarket , as the area is part of Auckland Transport’s Central Connector . If you enter through the Symonds Street entrance by the motorway ramp, you will come across the grave of William Hobson , the first Governor of New Zealand . From there, the walk continues gently through the cemetery and surrounding trees, where calm is occasionally broken by the distant hum o...

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 pro...

My most memorable hospitality experience was when I first started to serve the guests in our church, the Auckland Baptist Tabernacle, in 2009. Before that, I was not really a hospitable person, even though I am from India, a very hospitable country. In India, as soon as the guest arrives, the host serves that person water and then asks for their food or drink preferences.  This hospitality is based on the principle “Atithi Devo Bhava”, meaning “the guest is God”.  Indian people treat their guests with proper warm hospitality, which certainly requires extreme care and attention.  In fact, we are even friendly and hospitable to strangers on the road.  If anyone asks us for directions, we will likely not only tell them where to go, but also accompany them to their destination, especially when the place is nearby  Yet, despite these good hospitable qualities, I never fully understood the relationship between the host and the guest.  I was not really a people...

Community Get-together: One social event like birthday party can help you to forget all the differences you have with your neighbours. It’s a real magic, a miracle. The one beautiful moment changes bitter thoughts in our minds into wonderful evening. It’s a miracle in 21 st Century. But who believes in miracles these days? Well, I do. This one beautiful miracle happened with me on the night 10 th May 2013. After my exam, when I went back to my hostel, Vadim the Russian boy one of my hostel mate was cooking in the kitchen. He approach me and said, “Ashish, I forgot to tell you but today is my birthday…..and I want to give small party, I will be cooking delicious Russian food in the evening at 7pm.” I said, Ok I will join and went to my room for relax. At 7pm, the most memorable event took place, after a long gap I was having a dinner with my hostel mates.  Something I had given up cause of differences between me and other people.  It was wonderful time, s...

28 th February 2012 10:30PM Tonight my friend Calvin and Reshmi and I were on our way to Hulucat Teahouse when we witnessed an act of robbery. We were walking along St. Paul Street. I was just talking to Reshmi about how dangerous  St. Paul Street is during the night time. I told her about the events happened on that street. The next moment we heard some screaming for HELP! I turned back and started walking to check what was going on, and then suddenly a girl who was running away with a bag bumped into my friend Calvin. The bag fell onto the footpath. Another girl who was the victim came running behind her she picked up her bag. I grabbed robber's jacket with one hand and with other hand I got my cellphone to call the cops. In meantime we were joined by other people who also heard the scream. The thief took her Jacket off that I was holding and tried to run away. We saw a car passing by, people inside the car opened the passenger door for her.  B...

Silo Park @ Wynyard Quarter "The Gantry" reminds me of Jurassic Park ;)  The Beautiful view of Auckland City from Wynyard Quarter. Those cranes are  constructing the new ASB Building  North Wharf the new hotspot to hang out with friends The "Karanga" means Welcome in Maori language is the main entrance of  Wynyard Quarter from Viaduct Harbour  Wynyard Crossing & Beautiful Auckland City dressed in Christmas Lights Queen's Wharf & Cloud after Rugby World Cup looks so deserted.  I hope they don't take it down  View of Viaduct Harbour from Queen's Wharf

The Cloudy Sky with moon looks like giant Eyeball watching over the Auckland City

St. James Theatre Closed Since 2005 due to fire safely issue :( Now its looks like the scary prison of Auckland Auckland Central Library Auckland Central Library provides Free Internet

“The Gantry” at the Wynyard Quarter. It is fun to walk along and up and down and there good views and photo opportunities of the Auckland Harbour and Auckland City Paper Angels on Gantry at Wynyard Quarter Decorated for the Christmas The Telecom Tree at Te Wero Island  Inside of Telecom Tee Sky Tower, Telecom Tree & Xmas Tree on the Yacht

MOTAT (Musuem of Tranpsort & Technology) http://www.motat.org.nz The Tram Stop, the old tram of Auckland will take you to MOTAT 2 where  you can see the history of airplanes  and Royal NZ Airforce Old Winding Clock at MOTAT Tram Stop Main Entrance of MOTAT Western Springs Pumping Station was once used to supply drinking water to  Auckland  from the springs near by.  This are oldest working steam driven electricity generator to operate the pump  Edward Hillary's Antarctic Vehicle Old Printing Shop Old British Petroleum Gas Station Weird steering of mobile milk and bread truck Wheels of Creativity ;) Foursquare Convenience Store < Victorian Village The Last Tram of Auckland before it was reintroduced in MOTAT & newly developed waterfr...