Tourist in Your Town

Participating in Natalie Sisson - The Suitcase Entrepreneur’s 15 Day blog challenge, yesterday’s challenge, Day 14 was: What ONE thing are you going to do in the location you are in right now that is going to make you feel alive and feel like a tourist?

When I first saw the challenge I remembered back to living in London and towards the end of my five year stint thinking, what if I don’t ever come back. So I set myself a challenge, bought the Rough Guide to London and made three lists: A - the must do’s before I leave ; B -  self explanatory, it’s the B list; and C - if I have time.  And with a deadline in mind, the outstanding A’s (most I had done early on in my OE) got done quickly, crossed off all on the B list and a few of the C’s. And now what I love about returning to London is that I simply get to visit my favourite haunts, catch up with friends and enjoy the city for what it is.

But in Auckland, there’s one thing I do pretty much every day and that’s head out along Tamaki Drive.  It might be a walk along the beachfront that meanders from St Heliers to the Ports of Auckland - the route of the infamous Round The Bays Fun Day (Sunday 8 March).  Pilates in St Heliers - we have the most amazing views from the Peak Pilates studio, and it makes the spinalates class go so much faster too!  Or driving to a meeting in the city. And regardless of the traffic snarls and delays - peak hour traffic, waterfront events, hot sunny days and half of Auckland trying to get to the beach for a swim, I never fail to enjoy that view. 

Mission Bay, heaving with beach-goers on a summer's day

There is always something happening out on the water:  paddleboarders; kite surfers and kayakers; the huge luxury cruise liners that majestically appear in the habour over summer; the ferries that make you want to take a day off and escape to Waiheke; the midweek yacht racing on summer evenings and let’s not forget the people watching.  

Auckland skyline from Tamaki Yacht Club

It’s very easy to get immersed in the day to day stuff - making time to enjoy where you live should be fun.  So think about why you live where you do; set yourself a challenge to play tourist this weekend and enjoy your fabulous home town.  I love where I live but I’m excited to be off to the Hawkes Bay this weekend and will definitely be in tourist mode!

Have a fantastic weekend.

Michelle