Auckland is the largest city of New Zealand. I specifically asked my travel agent to arrange a stop in Auckland before heading back home from Australia. Auckland is a very beautiful city with a crisp and fresh feel – not unlike the feeling I had for Seattle. It seems like a mini Sydney yet it feels so different. The streets are hilly and the harbour is beautiful. I just loved spending my time walking along the waterfront and the viaduct basin. There are some beautiful islands and suburbs you can reach through the ferry like the Rangitoto Island and Devonport. The view of the city from the ferry is superb. I did not go to the Waiheke island, which is supposed to be a great outing as well. In terms of cultural attractions, the Auckland museum is not to be missed. Housed in an imposing historic building, the museum has an excellent collection of Maori art and artefacts. There was a good show of Maori dances at the museum. The museum was definitely another big highlight for me. The Kelly Tarlton's Antarctic Encounter and Underwater World is very good as well. It even has a simulated Antarctica with king and gentoo penguins! Getting around Auckland’s attractions is made much simpler with the hop on hop off bus. It goes to almost all the attractions and neighbourhoods the average tourist would want to see without having to struggle with public transport. The weather was fluctuating widely in Auckland, even within the same day when I was there. Please note that these photos were scanned by Wal Mart.