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International Travelogue
- Trip to Auckland, New Zealand
Life is an awfully
lonesome affair, you come into the world alone and you leave the world all
alone yet it seems to me, you are more alone whilst living than ever going
or coming.
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Amidst all good and bad
days one fine morning last March, our son invited us to be in
Auckland. We were busy with the formalities and by the time
it completed, March rolled to the first week of June. On the
16th, my husband and I boarded the
flight for Bangkok and from there to Auckland, “The City Of
Sails”
It was a nice sunny 18th morning and we reached Auckland at 11 am. Our son
had come along with his friend to pick us up. He had rented a nice
apartment for us in the heart of the city. The city’s busy main artery and
show street is “Queen Street”,
which was just a few minutes walk from our
place. |
New Zealand’s biggest city Auckland is a throbbing and high-spirited
cosmopolitan city situated in elegant blue water setting on a narrow neck
of land between Hauraki Gulf and Manukau Harbor.
It is clean and admiringly beautiful and I call the city “Green Auckland”.
Before I write about Auckland I would like to mention a brief History of
New Zealand.
The local or the original people of the country are known as “Maori”
Prior to the arrival of European Colonists in the late 18th century
the Maoris had settled throughout New Zealand. Any people visiting
the country will become aware of the Maori language as the vast
majority of place names are of Maori origin. We visited many places
and some of them worth mentioning are Maungakiekie or One Tree
Hill, Harbor Bridge Davenport etc. We also had the opportunity
of seeing some beautiful beaches. The Auckland Art Gallery
is amazing and has the most extensive collection of National and
International art in New Zealand. Although we missed going inside
Auckland’s most iconic building, the Sky Tower, nevertheless whilst
on wheels we were very near to it always missing the turret by a
few yards. On, the 11th of July our son and his few friends decided
to take us to Taupo and Rotorua taking two days leave from
their workplaces. Meanwhile our daughter had joined us on the 2nd.
So we had two cars. In our car we were our family and in the other, our
son’s three friends.
Our son was driving as he is more familiar with the roads and following
him at the back were his friends...It was late in the evening when we started.
Auckland is a great city for
driving. The traffic is generally light, roads are well-maintained and the
passing scenery makes the kilometer worthwhile. Although many times from
the opposite side huge monstrous trucks decorated with light used to pass
by.
After three hours we were in Taupo - Taupo is known for the largest
fresh water lake. The water is stunningly blue, the air fresh
and unpolluted. The Almighty is a creative designer and has care
fully decorated the earth with mountains, rivers, sea, and the most
important of God’s creation - human being who has a mind. I do not
find words for the scenic beauty. Every place seemed to be a post
card carefully painted with rich colors. Good time passes soon and
we were at the end of fourth week. It was here whilst our stays
in Auckland, we met a certain gentleman who took English classes
for the Church girls and boys. We got introduced to him and he asked
us ‘’ Are you from India” “Well yes” was our answer. “Which city”,
he questioned? We told him Noida, which is one hour drive from Delhi.
“Oh! Delhi the capital of India!” he exclaimed. “Yes” I nodded promptly
he answered, with his raised eye brows, “Delhi is very dirty”. “How
do you know?” I gave a quick reply. He answered he had seen on the
TV. Oh! I put a brave smile, “You must have seen Old Delhi, but
New Delhi is very clean. “I am so sorry” answered the Teacher’
When we reached home, silently I said to myself, what a shame. Oh!
God I lied to myself, I lied to the English Teacher - Our whole
country is dirty. We are over populated, we refuse to abide with
the code of law, we have no traffic rules and we take the law for
granted. I am truly ashamed to write down this; I wonder how many
of us know the meaning of our Tiranga, our National Flag? In every
country children are taught in schools “Know your country” We have
no such concept. How long will this go on? How many more times we
tell lies, how many more times we deceive in the form of untruthful
statement and how many more, we do not know where to hide our faces?
No more The winds of change We must and we will. It is not “I”;
it is four wheels of “We” on the move to “Unbelievable India” serene,
poised, firm and morally upright. I wish I can write down a hundred
times, May We, May I have the opportunity to go to a foreign land
again and again, and each time We go, I go, I treasure my thoughts
in secret, “Your country is good, but ours is better - the best”
I walk with pride on the road and tell to the one who puts up a
question. We have no desire to stay in your country for long, a
country which is not ours, which is not mine. Someone much better
is waiting for me, my people, and our land. It is a sense of possessiveness
a feeling of elation And a feeling which I do not understand--
Contributing Traveller
Minakshi Chakraborty loves her
country. She is an Arts Graduate under Meerut University and is
computer savvy. Whilst studying in Sophia convent, she was awarded the
"Top Girl Badge". Her Hobbies include teaching, writing, listening to old
classics, traveling, reading and is fond of History. DOB 5th July 1950 Email
minakshei@yahoo.com , minakshei@gmail.com
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