RTW TP Run in Jan 2026: Day 9 – Morning in Auckland

By Nige on January 26, 2026 at 10:04 am
Type: Post
Story: Round the World Tier Point Run in Jan 2026 Category: Travel
Tags: Auckland

I managed to get about five hours’ kip and woke shortly before 6am. I caught up with Vick and promptly tied myself in knots over time zones and their relationship with the International Date Line (IDL).

Fiji had been twelve hours ahead of the UK, and I’d crossed the IDL on arrival there. After flying on to Auckland, I’d moved another hour ahead, leaving me thirteen hours in front of the UK — which felt counterintuitive at first.

This was the explanation that finally made it click:

1. The International Date Line controls the date, not the clock
2. Time zones control the clock, not the date
3. You only lose or gain a day when you physically cross the IDL

The IDL itself is a geographic boundary rather than a time-zone boundary. It broadly follows the 180° meridian, zig-zagging to avoid splitting countries and island groups. Cross it eastward and you subtract a calendar day; cross it westward and you add one.

So there you have it.

By then, I was in need of coffee. With no easily accessible Starbucks nearby, I wandered down the road to McDonald’s instead. I’d enjoyed breakfast at Maccy D’s before, so I figured it was worth a try.

As it turned out, McDonald’s isn’t a great place for lattes. The coffee was awful — though I suppose it was technically effective. I did, however, treat myself to two hash browns, which were excellent.

The climate in Auckland felt reassuringly familiar. Much like the UK, there was a slight chill in the air, and even the light drizzle felt oddly comforting.

That said, when it suddenly started tipping down just a hundred yards from the hotel, I hot-footed it back to avoid getting soaked.

I then realised that check-out at the ibis was at 10am — rather earlier than I’d expected. With some time to fill, I fancied a short walk and noticed a recommended jogging trail on the back of the door.

I got washed and ready, dropped my bag at reception, and headed out for a gentle loop around the trail. There was nothing particularly exciting about it, but it gave me something to do and helped stretch my legs ahead of yet another very long flight.

Just after 10am, I made my way back to the airport.

Next up: My flight from Auckland (AKL) to Hong Kong (HKG) on Day 9 of my Round The World trip of a lifetime.

Round the World Tier Point Run in Jan 2026