Our first impression of New Zealand is that there are three parts of New Zealand - The City of Auckland, the rest of North Island and South Island.[left: Location of Auckland city in New Zealand]
Auckland is by far the largest city in New Zealand, with a population of 1.3 million, although the capital of the country is Wellington.
Auckland although a small city by European standards, has all the typical problems - major traffic congestion, especially at rush hour times - high property prices and a (relatively) high cost of living - vast, sprawling suburbs reaching out in all directions (there is no green belt) you would expect.
[below: picture of Auckland city centre from Devonport]
Auckland is a young city - the first house was built in 1840 and, for lack of any other history, has been preserved - and yet Auckland seems to lack the vibrancy and 'get up and go' that you might expect of other cities (I have been comparing with our visits to Berlin and Sydney, which, I suppose, is a little unfair). 
Perhaps the reasons for this feeling is that the city drew from the mature culture that founded it (Victorian Britain) or perhaps it is a reflection of New Zealand psyche - simple, hard-working, relaxed, and inherited (or retained) some of the better cultural values from Britain (and not necessarily English - there is a lot of Irish and Scottish decendants here).But let's be clear - the essence of what is New Zealand will not be found in Auckland - and we look forward to exploring both North Island and South Island to find the real land of the Kiwis.
