Auckland, New Zealand

When looking at flights to Cairns from Los Angeles, we realized whatever route we took would be a long flight, so we decided to plan an eight hour layover in Auckland.  Our Air New Zealand flight turned out to be a good choice.  The seats were comfortable, with just enough recline and leg room to make sleep possible.  A comlimentary glass of pinot noir with a late night dinner was enough to enable me nod off every time I started watching a movie, while Julie skipped dinner and slept through the night.

The 13 hour flight actually turned out to be easier for me than flying to Miami, probably because flying west just made it a very long night.  We arrived in Auckland relatively rested. 

We checked our two suitcases for $8 each at a shipping kiosk (once again, it pays to travel light), and took a $23 roundtrip express shuttle bus to the harborside.  Our first encounter with New Zealanders showed them to be helpful and friendly, which proved to be true throughout. 

Auckland is sort of a cross between Seattle and San Diego, with fewer people and cars than either of those cities.

We enjoyed walking around town and through Albert Park.  Add in a snack at McDonald's, a tropical fruit smoothie at Esquire's Coffee and a glass of wine on the harbor at Y-Not, and it was far superior to waiting in the airport for three or four hours to change planes.