Free time before the flight

Do you have free time between flights, and you are not a person who will sit in a hotel
room? How is it possible to sit anyway 😊?

This short story is about my personal experience between two flights. I am traveling with my family to Europe. In case you haven’t read my first post about this long trip to Europe, you can check it
out here.

We traveled from Napier, Hawkes Bay, to Auckland (1h flight). We are accessible the whole day,
and tomorrow we will depart for Europe. It will take us 35+ hours. Did we plan our free day in
Auckland? No. We just wanted to rest and enjoy the transition from the New Zealand lifestyle to
European one.

Free Morning

I wanted to get up earlier to get tired, so I could sleep on the plane the day after, making
my transition between zones easier. I wanted to do that with Sophie (my 2.5-year-old daughter),
but it did not work. I have my theory about transitioning, and it’s working 95%. You can read here to learn more about packing and planning a long trip.

I used the time to write and edit pictures for my blog while Axel and Sophie were sleeping. This is the
best time to do something. It is quiet, and you feel fresh to think. If you think you do not have
time for your hobbies and passions, believe me, it is best to get up early and do whatever you like.

.

If you like painting, building something, working on some projects, writing, etc. you will do it with more energy and passion in the morning than in the evening.

Time to go and feel the freedom

First, what we wanted to do was walk in the sun. We grabbed a few things, bought water, and
caught our bus. We rented a hotel room next to the airport because our flight was early, and I did not
want to see 2-3 buses in the morning, with all suitcases and a toddler to reach the airport.

That is why it took us 1 hour to reach the city center. To be straight, we did not know where we were going.
The plan was to go to the aquarium. But it was 1.5h far from our accommodation. That is why plans
change into no plans. 😊

Breakfast in Auckland and intermittent fasting

We get off the bus feeling hungry. I haven’t eaten since the last night. No coffee, no food. The
reason is that I am fasting. I read a lot about it. There are a lot of pros and cons, but I wanted to
try it and see how I feel about it.

I do not eat or drink for 16 hours (I drink water and teas/black coffee), and then I eat and drink for 8 hours. I do not support black coffee on an empty stomach, but I enjoy it, and it is only one life that I want to leave it entirely.

So far, I find that I feel good while I fast. It is not my first time. I did fast before, just in a different
way. Because I am orthodox, I did fast on water for 49 days before Easter. That means that whatever
you eat, and drink, must be based on water. No dairy, no meat, no fish.

Long story short, do and try things if it makes you happy.

Teed St Larder

It’s a popular place for breakfast and lunch. Cafe’s philosophy is that it is a friendly place for staff and customers. Around noon brunch was fabulous. I eat duck with kale, cauliflower, fennel, and walnuts; and the best oat milk latte in New Zealand. Please see the link below and go and try this café; you won’t regret it.

More productive free time

After brunch, we enjoyed the sun and walked through Auckland’s streets. We realized we needed
a few things to buy, so we stopped at Wellfield shopping mall. I bought some extra memory for
my videos and photos, an additional camera memory, and a book and drawing book for Sophie.

When we looked at Sophie, her hair seemed too messy, so we decided to see a hairdresser. That
It was an intelligent move 😊.

How do you start your vacation?

We started with ice cream in a very cozy and cute place, ‘Duck Island Ice Cream. Sophie’s favorite sweet besides lollypops and chocolate 😊, then we played in the park.

As you see, we did not do much, but it was ideally spent free time, and the first day of our holiday. We
do not need much to be happy.

Also, sometimes I plan some activities just because I love to be active. And if you need more
ideas on what to do with kids, check it out here.

The free night before the flight

The best way to rest before the flight is to have a cinema night. You take takeaway
food you love and watch movies in the hotel cozy bad. Yes, just 3 of us, Thai food, cuddling, and
films.

I know that this story was short, not like my other ones. There is not much helpful information,
but our day between flights was relaxed and enjoyable. In case you want to see more details,
see my video below.