NZ-OZ Trip: Auckland - Sky Tower

It was a cloudy day when I reached Sky Tower. Maybe that's why there weren't many people. I was going in early evening to watch sunset, but I suppose, with that kind of sky that day, there wasn't any sunset to watch... But it was my last night in Auckland, so I just had to go no matter what. 

There are 2 kinds of tickets, one takes you to only up to Main Observation Level, while the other one is for up to Sky Deck (change to a different lift at the Main Observation level). 

On the Main Observation level, there are some parts with glass floor. It was kinda scary to stand on top of it since I'm scared of height. But cmon! Might as well do it while I was there! 

glass floor

view from Sky Deck

storm far far away

sun finally peeking out

When I was in the lift at Sky Deck, the lift didn't move even after the Lift Lady pressed the button. She took it very easy as if it happened before and talked to her walkie talkie. She opened the door and closed it again, and yet it still wouldn't move. So I decided to get out off the lift and spent some time again in the Sky Deck while waiting for the lift to work again. 

However after few minutes, the same lady announced that the lift broke down and we (everyone on Sky Deck) would take the emergency stair to Main Observatory Level, which was 8 floor down. And so we did... and once I reached ground level, I saw the announcement that the Sky Deck was closed. Whew, good thing I came early, otherwise I wouldn't be able to get to Sky Deck. 

NZ-OZ Trip: Auckland - Voyager Maritime Museum

A visit to Voyager Maritime Museum is something to do for those interested in sailing, or history of sailors in NZ. I, for one, am not one, so I'm sorry to say that I find the visit was somewhat a waste of 15 NZD. Although I did like some parts of the exhibitions (beach houses and history of immigrants in NZ), but overall, it was forgettable.

After spending an hour or so at Maritime Museum, I took a walk to Viaduct, across the bascule bridge (Wynyard Crossing).

a bascule Bridge at Wynyard Crossing

plaza with outdoor chaise

great use of container boxes - tourist kiosk, ads display

some kind of library in a container box

a stretch of restaurants/bars

NZ-OZ Trip: Auckland - Wintergarden, Parnell

Just few hundred meters from War Memorial Museum of Auckland, there is Wintergarden. Being designed in 1920s, it is consists of 2 Victorian style glass houses and one quarry at the rear.
One glass house shows tropical plants, and the other glass house shows seasonal plants. I didn't go in to the quarry as it fills with wide variety of ferns, and frankly, I'm only interested in flowers and sometimes fruit plants.

A short walk from Auckland Domain (where the museum and Wintergarden are), there is Parnell Road and it's a good place to take a walk. There are restaurants, cafes, galleries, etc, and also rows of houses made of wood. There is also St. Mary's Cathedral, which is just beautiful. It was the first time for me to see a large wooden church, and it is really a beauty.

Selwyn Library

Apple store housed in an actual house building

NZ-OZ Trip - Auckland War Memorial Museum

War Memorial Museum, Auckland

Though the name is War Memorial Museum, this museum also covers other stuff, like history of New Zealand (including Maori people and culture), wild life, Asian culture, etc.
There are 2 entrances, the one near Wintergarden and the other one close to Parnell area.
I came in from the latter entrance, and welcome by a spacious atrium with souvenir shop and cafe.

The souvenir shop offers wide range of postcards, and it also sells stamps, with the postbox right next to the entrance. Convenient for those who likes sending postcards like me :)

Here some pictures of the museum:

This kid is so brave. He opened each drawer filled with all kinds of insects and practically stared at each of them! I myself had to stay at a safe distance...

At the war memorial, the walls are filled with panels of names of those died in the wars, except for one. One would wonder why there's one panel with no names, until their sight goes to the writing at the bottom.