π
2015-01-10 01:01
in Ntrips, Nz2015, Trips
This year, for the 3rd time, linux.conf.au was in New Zealand, and conveniently in Auckland which is a nice direct flight for us. We arrived 2 days before the conference started, which gave us 2 days to visit Auckland. While 3 or 4 would have been better, I feel that we got the highlights in 2 days :)
Our first day was a bit tough since we landed around 05:30, and went directly to the hotel to drop our luggage and start exploring. Thankfully our flight in business was quite pleasant and the lie down flat beds were very good:
![the entertainment system was top notch the entertainment system was top notch](/blogimg/00/thumb1024_100_20150109_Flight.jpg)
the entertainment system was top notch
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The flight was almost over too soon, I'd have happily slept there a bit longer :)
![Welcome back to NZ! Welcome back to NZ!](/blogimg/00/thumb1024_100_20150110_Auckland_Day1.jpg)
Welcome back to NZ!
After arriving at our hotel around 07:00, we did a portion of the coast to coast walk although we only got as far as the War Museum (which is actually a lot more than just a war museum). We stopped by the botanical garden on the way:
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![happy bee :) happy bee :)](/blogimg/39/thumb1024_139_20150110_Auckland_Day1.jpg)
happy bee :)
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![heavily loaded bee heavily loaded bee](/blogimg/55/thumb1024_155_20150110_Auckland_Day1.jpg)
heavily loaded bee
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![Finally got to the auckland museum Finally got to the auckland museum](/blogimg/77/thumb1024_177_20150110_Auckland_Day1.jpg)
Finally got to the auckland museum
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The museum had one display showing you a simulation of what willl happen when the next volcano errupts around Oakland (and that's just a matter of time, we just don't know when):
![](/blogimg/54/thumb1024_254_20150110_Auckland_Day1.jpg)
![Oakland is full of volcanoes Oakland is full of volcanoes](/blogimg/58/thumb1024_258_20150110_Auckland_Day1.jpg)
Oakland is full of volcanoes
The war museum part is the 3rd floor, which actually was the least interesting to us, but we still went through it quickly:
![](/blogimg/65/thumb1024_265_20150110_Auckland_Day1.jpg)
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We then went to the art museum before heading back after a quick dinner (actually I went back out to see a couple of movies at the planetarium that were only showing that evening), and then it was time for well deserved rest :)
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The next morning, we took a ferry to Rangitoto, the youngest volcano around Auckland:
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![Rangitoto Rangitoto](/blogimg/11/thumb1024_511_20150110_Auckland_Day2.jpg)
Rangitoto
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![we took the easy way up :) we took the easy way up :)](/blogimg/20/thumb1024_520_20150110_Auckland_Day2.jpg)
we took the easy way up :)
![you can still see that the island is volcanic you can still see that the island is volcanic](/blogimg/24/thumb1024_524_20150110_Auckland_Day2.jpg)
you can still see that the island is volcanic
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![that's the volcano crater, but you can't really tell with all the trees that's the volcano crater, but you can't really tell with all the trees](/blogimg/30/thumb1024_530_20150110_Auckland_Day2.jpg)
that's the volcano crater, but you can't really tell with all the trees
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After getting back to Auckland, we went to MOTAT, the museum of transportation:
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After MOTAT, we went to Auckland Sky Tower:
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![you can walk around the top, tethered you can walk around the top, tethered](/blogimg/64/thumb1024_664_20150110_Auckland_Day2.jpg)
you can walk around the top, tethered
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![war museum war museum](/blogimg/87/thumb1024_687_20150110_Auckland_Day2.jpg)
war museum
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That was it for day #2, we were still a bit jetlagged (not just the difference from California, but that we had flown from France 2 days prior), so we were happy to be in bed by 22:00 so that I could get an early start at the conference on monday the next day.
The rest of the week was indeed spent at the conference, but friday night, before leaving, I went to fly a jet auckland to try a 737 simulator again (75mn of flight), and joined Jennifer for dinner at Clooney, probably the best restaurant in Auckland, where we enjoyed a very nice 5 course dinner:
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And that was it for our time in Auckland. It's a nice little city that isn't too crowded and we lucked out with the weather |