When it came time for me to fly halfway across the world to start my working holiday in New Zealand I felt as ready as I’d ever been. I had recently finished 2 years teaching English abroad in South Korea so this wasn’t my first rodeo. Of course, change and stepping into the unknown is always a little nerve-racking but I felt more prepared this time around. I was extremely excited for this new chapter of my nomadic life. Here I go over the very first day of my New Zealand working holiday to provide you with some insight on what it’s like.
Late-night Arrival
I boarded my 7am flight in Los Angeles on October 27th and after a long flight and 4-hour layover in Hawaii I FINALLY landed in Auckland as scheduled on October 28th at 9:55pm.
Auckland Airport is the largest international airport in New Zealand so most working holiday visa holders begin their journey here. The public concourse was rather small and a lot of shops were closed so it didn’t take me long to explore.
Productivity at the Airport
In order to save on a night of accommodation I chilled in the airport until morning time. Since I just completed a 2-month budget backpacking Eurotrip earlier that year I had no problem roughing it. It was nice to see that I wasn’t alone either as there were plenty of fellow travelers also lounging around the airport. Some were super prepared and even had their own little sleeping situation arranged on the floor. I didn’t feel comfortable enough to sleep so instead utilized my time to get some things sorted.
I had quite a productive time at the airport. I purchased a pre-paid phone plan with Spark, freshened up, reorganized my suitcase, did some extra research on New Zealand, and bought my online ticket for the SkyBus. I spent a decent chunk of time chatting with loved ones back home. The free Wi-Fi had a cap of 45-minutes but at least I was able to maximize the sessions by first signing in with my phone and then my laptop.
I decided to stick around until the i-SITE information center opened so I could buy myself a transit card and be able to easily commute around the city. I reckoned I didn’t want to roam around the city alone in the dark with all my luggage anyway. I wanted to wait until there was enough light out before I left the airport to get to my hostel at a reasonable hour. Once the i-SITE center opened I bought an AT HOP card and added $20 to it.
I ended up staying at the airport until about 6am. It was 60°F outside and since I was cold indoors with my denim jacket I switched to my bomber.
Uphill Climb to Hostel
I took in all the sights as I stared out the window while riding the SkyBus into Auckland city center. I think it wasn’t until that moment that it truly hit me that my working holiday had officially begun.
The walk to my hostel was pure torture because I had to roll my suitcase uphill the entire time. My suitcase was heavy, 64 lbs to be exact, so learn from my mistake and don’t overpack. To make matters worse it started to rain. At one instance I thought the handle was going to break from the weight and being pulled against gravity. My calves were burning and I soon regretted the bomber jacket as I sweated like a pig. I bet I was a laughingstock to the passing cars who thought “typical tourist” when they saw me because the struggle was real. I actually later learned that my hostel was situated on the steepest street in Auckland (no wonder!)
Let’s just say I was more than thrilled to arrive at the hostel at last at approximately 7am. The hostel was pretty basic and had all the usual amenities. It was dead since it was still early in the morning. Unfortunately, I was told it was too early to check in, that no beds were ready, and to come back at 2pm. Thankfully they were able to hold my luggage in the storage room in the meantime.
I went to the common area and video called my family which only lasted a short time because I ran out of Wi-Fi. The hostel only gave 2GB of free Wi-Fi per day and I forgot how fast that gets sucked up by video chats. My next hostel offered unlimited Wi-Fi so I figured I could take advantage of that then. I wanted to save my phone data for emergencies so decided it was time to head out and make some moves.
Bank Hunting
My first mission was to open a bank account. I asked the receptionist if I could put the hostel down as my New Zealand address. She agreed and provided me with a signed document as a proof of address to show the banker.
Attempting to get a bank account opened turned out to be a whole ordeal. I walked to the closest Westpac on Queen Street but they were fully booked for the month and advised me to try a location outside of CBD. They informed me that the next closest branch was located in Newmarket.
I decided to save a few bucks and walk since I had plenty of time to kill before check-in. Of course, it started pouring. I was already sore from this morning’s luggage fiasco so the walk felt long as it consisted of many hills. I stopped by a small sushi joint for a quick break to grab a bite to eat.
After about 45 minutes I made it to Westpac in Newmarket but was told that they no longer offered bank accounts to working holiday visa holders. I then went to ANZ and was told the earliest appointment would be the next morning. I wanted something the day of so I tried Kiwi Bank next but was told they were booked a couple days out. Lastly I went to ASB bank but was informed that I needed a job before I could even apply for a bank account and that I needed to find an employer that uses ASB.
I circled back to ANZ because they seemed like the most promising option. The representative was super friendly and set up my appointment for the following day.
New Friendships
By the time I made my way back to the hostel that afternoon I was like a zombie. I checked in and met my roommates. It turned out everyone in the room was on working holiday visas. We all shared our story and how we ended up in New Zealand. I became fast friends with a trio from Thailand.
After a much-needed shower, we went out and wandered the city for a bit. I had tunnel vision earlier while bank hunting so didn’t really get a chance to appreciate the vibe of the city until then. We searched forever for a place to eat and ultimately settled for good ol’ Mickey D’s.
At nightfall it started raining again and the temperature had dropped dramatically. I was underdressed so could literally feel myself shaking from the cold.
The Inevitable Crash
When we returned to the hostel I immediately jumped into bed. The morning workout of dragging my suitcase uphill, day of searching high and low for a bank, and evening of freezing outdoors had certainly taken its toll on me. Keep in mind I had also been going on zero sleep and little rest the prior days. I was exhausted to say the least. I instantly passed out and slept like a baby for the rest of the night.
Oh, what a day it had been! But I successfully made it through the very first day of my New Zealand working holiday and was in for a treat with an adventure of a lifetime.
I hope you enjoyed reading about my experience and that it gives you a better idea of what to expect on the first few days of your NZ working holiday. Check out my checklist for a full list of important things that you’ll want to get sorted early on to get the ball rolling.
I ended up staying in New Zealand for the full year and had a magnificent time!
For additional content on New Zealand, read my guide on the New Zealand USA Working Holiday Visa, check out my list of NZ must-eat foods, and learn about how I came down to the decision to embark on a working holiday.
Do you tend to take it easy or be out on the go on your first day in a new country? Have you ever slept in an airport to save on a night’s accommodation? Let me know in the comments!
