BSCI Down Under 2026

Today was a really cool day and definitely one of the highlights of the trip so far. We started the morning at the Domain Wintergardens, and that place was unreal. The glasshouses were full of all kinds of plants and flowers, and everything was super well maintained. It had a really calm atmosphere, and it was a nice way to ease into the day just walking through and taking everything in. Right outside of that, the park around the Auckland War Memorial is huge, with a lot of open space and some really good views of the city. It was one of those spots where you could just hang out for a while and enjoy being outside.

After spending some time there, we made our way over to the Auckland War Memorial Museum, which was probably the main part of the day. The first thing we did was watch the Māori cultural experience, and that was really interesting. It gave a much better understanding of Māori traditions, history, and culture than just reading about it would. The performance was really engaging, and you could tell how important those traditions still are today.

After that, we walked through the rest of the museum, and there was a lot more to it than I expected. There were exhibits on war history, natural history, and a lot about New Zealand itself. It honestly felt like you could spend hours in there and still not see everything. Overall, it was a great mix of being outside, learning something new, and just experiencing a really important part of Auckland. Definitely one of those days that stands out.