Because parking in the city turned out to be a bit complicated, I decided to return the rental car to the airport location two days early. I was glad I didn’t return it on the day I actually fly out, for had a hard time finding the place, even with GPS help (or maybe because of it??). Anyway, I would have been rather pressed for time.

Thus stranded at the airport, I got to experience Auckland’s public transport to get into the city again. They make you buy an AT HOP prepaid card for $25, which you use to tag on and off. A bus then takes you from the airport to Puhinui Station, from which one takes the train on the South Line to Waitemata or Britomart. I was a bit puzzled about the English name “Britomart”. To me it sounded like a brand name for a scrubbing brush rather than the name for Auckland Central Station. But, within an hour, I was back in Auckland CBD, which wasn’t bad at all.

To round off this experience I chose a restaurant at the harbour to have lunch at.