Day 24 (2/4/2026

Today was our first real day in Auckland, and it felt like a good mix of learning, exploring, and personal time. We started the day by visiting a residential remodel project, which was a great way to get grounded in how construction works here. It was interesting to hear about their contracting process and compare it to what we are used to back home. The way the team approached coordination, scheduling, and client involvement gave us a lot to think about, especially seeing how different regions handle similar challenges in residential construction.

After the site visit, we headed out to One Tree Hill, and that was easily one of the highlights of the day. The views from the top were incredible and gave us a great look at the city from above. It was one of those moments where you can really appreciate how scenic Auckland is, with the mix of urban development, greenery, and water all in one view. It was a nice break from the technical side of the day and gave us a chance to slow down and just take everything in.

Later in the evening, I went out to dinner with my dad, who flew in earlier that morning. It was really nice to catch up after a long day and spend some one on one time together. We went to a steakhouse for dinner, and the food was absolutely delicious. It felt good to sit down, relax, and talk about the trip so far.

We ended up calling it an early night since we have an early morning coming up. Even though it was not an overly packed day, it felt like a meaningful start to our time in Auckland. Between the site visit, the views, and getting to see family, it was a great first day in the city.

Responses

  1. skw0060 Avatar

    Kyle, I love how you highlighted the similar challenges that they face in NZ as to America. I thought it was especially interesting how they handle procurement over here with such a lack of locally made resources and how that drives the price of construction up so much. That definitely makes me grateful to live in a country where we are not constantly shipping doors and windows from overseas just to simply acquire a product!

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  2. Sarah Cary Avatar

    Kyle, I also loved our trip to One Tree Hill. Getting to admire Auckland and the surrounding areas from on top of the hill. It was interesting to see how Auckland has integrated itself within the landscape while not overtaking.

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