The wind was brisk and the weather quite rainy upon our arrival. This left us indoors for most of the early week with little in the way of adventures. We did venture out for groceries since the hostel we are staying at provides a well suited kitchen. Here we found our most shocking experience thus far: food prices.
The exchange rate is about 1.13 NZ Dollars for every 1 US Dollar (spot price is closer to 1.17 but of course you don’t get that since the bank needs their cut). This leads to some sticker-shock since prices will appear higher just from this fact, but with a little math you can appreciate the actual cost. For example, ground beef was 16NZD per KG bringing the cost to almost $6.50 per pound. Eggs were outrageous, ringing in at $5.80 per dozen. Thirty pack of Coca-Cola, $29, and the cans are 355ml, not even 12 ounces.
Weather is clearing up and we’re looking to explore the city in the coming days. Hope to have some pictures once the clouds clear away. Will keep you posted.