Destination Auckland, North Island, New Zealand

Auckland is regarded as New Zealand’s most cosmopolitan and vibrant city, so I expected something special. What greeted me was a place full of concrete and glass buildings and a melange of clashing architectural styles that were not going to win any prizes for their beauty. 

My first impressions were that it was old fashioned with splashes of chicness. However, after digging a little deeper Auckland won me over.

This is a city that seems to live its life in the present with few hints of its past. While the fabled Sky Tower, which has dominated Auckland's skyline for about 20 years, may not have been the most spectacular wonder I have ever cast my eyes over, just seeing it was emotional. 

Sky Tower seen from the waterfront

Here I was standing in front of a tower which, for many years, I have watched on the television bringing in the New Year with a marvellous firework display. For me it signified the past is not the direction to be going in, the future is.

From the waterfront the Sky Tower appeared majestic. The real draw of the city, I discovered, is that it is only a step away from the sea and beautiful beaches are within easy reach. 

A street in Auckland (seen in the rain)

Cross the Waitemata Harbour by way of the Auckland Harbour Bridge and you will be rewarded with stunning vistas of the city.

The waterfront, made up of Queens Wharf, Wynyard Quarter and Viaduct Harbour is a hive of activity. Watch cruise ships sail into port and ferries going back and forth to scenic places such as the Bay of Islands and Waiheke Island. Renowned in the 1970s as a place where arty, Bohemian types gathered, Waiheke Island now attracts visitors for its beaches and wineries.

The Waterfront

There are also restaurants and bars galore here. It is a lovely place in which to spend a few hours. It is hard to have a bad meal in Auckland. People here are really friendly so you will often find somebody wanting to strike up a conversation with you.

While Queen Street, the main shopping area, has a certain grittiness about it, Smith & Caughey’s, the city’s only remaining department store, is worth popping into. Housed in a lovely old building, it feels as if it is clinging on to a bygone era, but do not let that put you off as its merchandise is luxurious and the service good. It also has a super little café. 

Culture buffs will find some interesting museums here including the Auckland Museum renowned for its collection of Maori and Polynesian artefacts and Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki. Opened in 1888, the collection includes historic and contemporary New Zealand art as well as featuring works by Māori and Pacific Island artists.

If you like walking you will like Auckland. It is an easy place to get around. While I did go to places in New Zealand that had more of a wow factor, Auckland’s energy and vitality were inspiring. And that had me hooked. 

By Daralyn Danns

Getting there

Which city you fly into in New Zealand will depend on where your tour starts from and therefore, which airline you choose. Highly recommended are Cathay Pacific cathaypacific.com and qantas.com The service and inflight experience is spot on. Ensure that the flight you book is operated by the company and not just code-sharing

The tour was part of the Grand Pacific Ultimate Small Group Tours which I booked through Trailfinders (trailfinders.com) as I did the flights

The advantage of travelling aboard the Ultimate Coach is that instead of carrying the normal 48 passengers, it only carries 20. You sit in comfort in leather fully-reclining seats so no neck ache at the end of a long day. (Distances are vast in New Zealand.) There is plenty of personal storage. It is much easier being in a small group, no hanging around waiting for people, no long queues for the loos, overall much cosier

Watch out British Airways, there is plenty of competition about

Sitting on a British Airways flight to Singapore recently, I found myself wishing that I had flown with Etihad Airways. A few months earlier I was a passenger on Etihad's new Airbus A380 in economy to Abu Dhabi and was amazed by the service, the food and the aircraft. It was almost like being in a hotel – even the loos were well decorated and pleasant to use. Etihad’s employees are proud to work for the company and it comes over. The crew cannot do enough for you.

Now here I was on a British Airways flight in Premium Economy flying to Sydney via Singapore on an aircraft (Boeing 777) that was beyond disappointing. The service and food were poor. I thought longingly of the perfectly-cooked chicken breast I had on my Etihad flight.

We arrived into Singapore in the evening yet BA served a mediocre breakfast. Well, at least the entertainment system worked and offered all the latest movies.

Things did not improve on the flight from Singapore to Sydney, though the crew were slightly more attentive. 

Going from Sydney to Auckland I travelled with Qantas operated by Jetstar. I expected the same service that I had recently experienced on a short-haul flight out of Heathrow with BA to Helsinki. You paid for refreshments and there was no flight entertainment.

Etihad Airways A380 was amazing

I was in for a real treat on my two-and-a-half hour journey with Qantas which was a slightly shorter flying time.

Everything was spotlessly clean. I was handed a welcome drink as soon as I sat down. I wondered if I had turned left instead of right as I was booked on economy. I had a screen which I thought was not going to be operational. How wrong I was. I watched Lion.

The chicken couscous salad was so good that if I had bought it in a café I would have been pleased. The wines were of a high standard. The red was served at the right temperature. I even got an ice cream for desert. The crew was warm and friendly. I would certainly want to fly with this airline again.

Flying from Auckland to Hong Kong with Cathay Pacific in Premium Economy was another wonderful experience. Service and food excellent. Two proper meals served on this 10-hour flight. 

There was even a glass of champagne to welcome you on board. (With BA now you have to ask for it – even in Business Class.) Travelling with BA on its A380 from Hong Kong to London was a let-down after being treated so well by other airlines. 

Cathay Pacific was another wonderful experience

Everybody is human and can make a mistake which is why I am giving BA another chance and flying with them again this month.

This time, I hope, I will see the British Airways that I knew and loved and have so loyally used for years. 

By Daralyn Danns

Etihad Airways is the national carrier of the UAE and offers three daily flights between London Heathrow and Abu Dhabi. Etihad Airways also flies from Manchester and Edinburgh to Abu Dhabi. For reservations and further details visit etihad.com or call 0345 608 1225

A return fare departing from London – Melbourne via Abu Dhabi starts from £659 in economy class. (You can fly to Sydney. For rates check website.) This fare price is inclusive of all taxes and subject to availability

Cathay Pacific flies from Heathrow via Hong Kong to Australia (make sure that Cathay Pacific is operating the flight and not just code sharing). There are 5 daily flights to HKG using 777-300s and from June 2017, a daily direct flight from Gatwick on its new A350. There are good connections through to Sydney. For best rates and details of departures from regional airports visit cathaypacific.com

Qantas flies to Sydney from London Heathrow and Gatwick. For details of departures from regional airports and stopovers as well as best rates visit qantas.com Check that Qantas is operating the flight and not just code sharing

First published in All About Hair (All About Hair UK), the travel and lifestyle blog with a luxury twist