From a Black-and-White TV in Rajasthan to the Green Fields of Christchurch

A New Zealand Travel Story Every Cricket Lover Will Understand

TL;DR — For the Impatient Traveller

Some people plan their New Zealand travel for months, comparing itineraries, hotel reviews, and the best things to do in Auckland or Christchurch.

Mine began 22 years earlier… on a black-and-white television in Rajasthan.

As a skinny 12-year-old boy running on cricket obsession and very little sleep, I used to wake up at 2 a.m. just to watch the 1992 Cricket World Cup. Back then, places like Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin were not destinations. They were strange magical words floating out of a commentator’s mouth while Sachin Tendulkar batted on grounds greener than anything I had ever seen.

Twenty-two years later, life did something funny.

It put me on a plane to New Zealand.

Not for vacation.

Not for a honeymoon.

Not because I had suddenly become a rich travel influencer who says things like “just book the ticket.”

No.

For work.

And somehow, between meetings, airports, and an unexpected business class upgrade, that childhood dream quietly came back to life.

Because sometimes life doesn’t fulfil dreams dramatically.

Sometimes it sneaks them into your calendar disguised as a business trip.

Childhood Cricket Dreams Don’t Usually Come with Boarding Passes

Growing up in Rajasthan, life was wonderfully uncomplicated.

No smartphones.

No Instagram reels telling you the “Top 10 places to visit in New Zealand.”

No Google Maps.

Half the time, even television itself felt like advanced technology.

Our black-and-white TV had the visual quality of a haunted microwave.

But when the Cricket World Cup arrived, none of that mattered.

Because suddenly the world entered our living room.

I still remember watching the 1992 World Cup like it happened yesterday. An 18-year-old Sachin walking out. Those impossibly green outfields. The weird excitement of matches happening when normal children should have been sleeping.

And those place names.

Auckland. Christchurch. Dunedin.

To a kid sitting in Rajasthan, they sounded less like cities and more like fantasy kingdoms.

My best friend Saurabh and I took cricket fandom very seriously which is another way of saying we occasionally bunked lunch breaks to catch day matches at his house.

We collected cricket postcards from bubble gum wrappers and cold drink promotions like investment bankers collecting blue-chip stocks.

Life was simpler. Dreams were smaller. But somehow they felt bigger.

And that’s the funny thing about childhood dreams.

They do not care whether you are rich, poor, realistic, practical, or geographically confused.

They simply plant themselves somewhere in your heart and wait.

Sometimes for decades.

The Lost Mumbaikar says:
“Never laugh at your childhood dreams. They may be immature, unrealistic, and geographically ambitious—but they are often the purest version of what you truly want.”

The Business Trip That Accidentally Became a New Zealand Adventure

By 2014, life had changed dramatically. Work had taken me across countries, and what began as another routine business trip through Hong Kong, Taiwan, New Zealand, and Australia unexpectedly turned personal. At Auckland immigration, the officer casually asked why I was visiting, and without thinking, I smiled and said, “To meet Richard Hadlee.” He laughed, stamped my passport, and said, “Well then, make sure you explore Waiheke Island too.” That moment perfectly captured New Zealand—warm, relaxed, and quietly charming. As my flight descended over rolling green hills, scattered islands, and endless blue water, it felt strangely familiar, like I was arriving somewhere I had already visited in my imagination as a child watching cricket.

Landing in Auckland, New Zealand, felt strangely familiar, as if I was arriving in a place I had already known through childhood cricket commentary. But Auckland quickly became much more than a nostalgic checkpoint. After exploring the city’s sparkling waterfront, volcanic landscapes, and the unmistakable energy of the City of Sails, I took a ferry to Waiheke Island, one of the most beautiful escapes in any New Zealand travel guide. Just under an hour from Auckland, the scenery transformed into something almost unreal—emerald hills, vineyards rolling into the sea, impossibly clean roads, olive groves, quiet beaches, and the kind of natural beauty that makes you question why we willingly live stressful urban lives. Auckland itself has a fascinating history, first settled by Māori centuries before becoming New Zealand’s largest modern city, but Waiheke felt like its peaceful soul. I ended that perfect day with authentic local flavours—fresh green-lipped mussels, New Zealand lamb, and ocean air that somehow made everything taste better. Travel teaches you many things, but sometimes its greatest lesson is this: the world is far more beautiful than the version we imagine from behind our desks..

 Christchurch: The Quiet Soul of South Island New Zealand

If Auckland felt energetic, vibrant, and full of coastal charm, Christchurch felt like New Zealand had suddenly taken a deep breath. Located on New Zealand’s South Island, the city carried a quieter elegance—calmer streets, beautiful gardens, European character, and a sense of reflection that instantly slows you down. But what makes Christchurch travel truly special is not just its beauty—it is its resilience. After the devastating 2011 Christchurch earthquake, this city rebuilt itself with remarkable courage, proving that some places do not just recover, they reinvent themselves stronger.

After finishing my meetings, I explored Christchurch the way I love discovering cities—slowly, mostly on foot, with no pressure to tick boxes. Walking along the peaceful Avon River, through the stunning Christchurch Botanic Gardens, colourful streets, and open viewpoints, I realised this was a city best appreciated gently, not rushed through as part of a hurried New Zealand itinerary. A local cricket story at a pub later that evening somehow made the experience even more personal. Maybe that is the beauty of travel. Sometimes it is not the big landmarks you remember, but the small stories that make a place feel strangely connected to your own life. Christchurch reminded me that strength does not always need to be loud—sometimes the most beautiful places are the ones that quietly choose to rise again.

This Is Just the Beginning of My New Zealand Story

This was only the beginning of my New Zealand journey.

In this blog, I wanted to share the emotional story behind why this country mattered to me—not just what I saw, but what it meant.

But this is far from a complete New Zealand travel guide.

In upcoming blogs, I’ll go deeper into Auckland travel, Christchurch attractions, Waiheke Island experiences, must-try food, practical itineraries for Indian travellers visiting New Zealand, what is genuinely worth your time, and perhaps a few things travel brochures oversell.

Because New Zealand is not a country you rush.

It rewards curiosity.

It rewards slower travel.

And occasionally, it rewards people who once watched it through a blurry television screen.

Your Turn

• Have you ever travelled to a place you first fell in love with through sports, movies, books, or pure imagination?
• If you had 7–8 days in New Zealand, what would be first on your list?

And tell me honestly—are you the type who builds military-grade itineraries… or the type who prefers getting gloriously lost?

Drop your thoughts in the comments.

The Lost Mumbaikar wants to know.