Day 14 – Sunday

Tonight, we were supposed to fly to Queenstown on the South Island. If you read yesterday’s entry, you might already suspect that things didn’t go quite as planned. Spoiler: it wasn’t Viator’s cold that caused the change.

Since our flight was scheduled for the evening, we had a full day to enjoy Auckland. After breakfast, we headed to Westhaven Marina, located right by the Auckland Harbour Bridge.

Westhaven Marina – The Heart of the City of Sails

Westhaven Marina is the largest recreational marina in the Southern Hemisphere, home to over 2,000 boats and four yacht clubs. It’s a true icon of Auckland’s sailing heritage – a place where locals and visitors alike come to stroll, fish, sail, or simply enjoy the view. We walked along the piers, soaking in the morning sun and admiring the endless rows of sailboats gently bobbing in the water.

From there, we crossed the Harbour Bridge to Devonport, a charming coastal suburb with Victorian architecture and a relaxed vibe. We wandered along the promenade and settled into a cozy café for a light lunch – a perfect moment to slow down and enjoy the view across the bay.

Auckland Zoo – Wildlife and Wonder

Back in Auckland, we decided to visit the Auckland Zoo. Being a sunny Sunday, we weren’t the only ones with that idea – finding a parking spot took a bit of patience. But it was worth it.

The zoo is beautifully laid out across 17 hectares, featuring over 135 species and a strong focus on conservation. Highlights include immersive habitats like the African Savannah, South East Asia Jungle Track, and Te Wao Nui, which showcases New Zealand’s native wildlife.

The Kiwi – New Zealand’s Elusive Icon

One of the most special moments was visiting the Kiwi House. Kiwis are nocturnal and notoriously shy, making them hard to spot in the wild. Auckland Zoo has created a purpose-built habitat called Te Pō (The Night), where day and night are reversed. Visitors enter a darkened building and, with a bit of luck and patience, can observe these fascinating birds. We were fortunate enough to see one – though the photos didn’t turn out great due to the low light.

Another highlight was the Red Panda enclosure. These adorable creatures spend most of their time high up in the trees, but we arrived just in time for a short feeding session. Red pandas eat mostly bamboo, despite being classified as carnivores due to their digestive system. Their fluffy tails and reddish fur make them look like living plush toys – and they were a hit with everyone.

The flight that didn’t land

After a wonderful afternoon, we headed to the airport. With all our luggage, check-in took a while, but everything went smoothly. The flight departed on time, and we were finally able to relax – until just before landing.

The captain announced that dense ground fog in Queenstown made landing impossible. Due to the early night flight curfew and the forecast showing no improvement, the decision was made to return to Auckland.

We were surprised that the flight didn’t divert to Christchurch, which would have at least brought us to the South Island. Later, we learned the unfortunate reason: since the flight returned to its departure airport, Air New Zealand wasn’t obligated to cover accommodation costs.

This wasn’t just a logistical inconvenience. We had chartered a helicopter flight over the Southern Alps and Milford Sound for the next morning – a rare experience that’s only possible on about 100 days per year, depending on the weather. We had already received confirmation that conditions would be ideal.

Of course the helicopter company couldn’t be reached that evening, nor could the Avis rental counter in Queenstown. With no support from the airline, we were on our own. Thankfully, Viator managed to book a nearby hotel while we waited for our luggage, and we were able to walk there directly.

A rebooking for the next flight appeared in the app – but with a midday departure, the helicopter flight was definitely off the table. All we could do now was hope the company would be flexible and the weather would hold.

We’ve learned to expect the unexpected on our journeys. While this was a frustrating turn of events, we’re staying optimistic. Tomorrow is a new day – and maybe, Milford Sound will still be waiting for us.