The world really is small

If you enjoy hiking on trails and hills, New Zealand is definitely worth visiting; the possibilities are endless. Plus, there are many other great things to experience. Before I arrived, several locals advised me to rent a car because the public transportation and train systems aren't great, distances are long, and time is valuable. I quickly learned this myself, as the closest tennis club in Auckland was an hour's walk from our accommodation in Kingsland. So, without a car, I walked to the club and back every morning. It wasn't so bad getting there, as the road was downhill, which served as a decent warm-up. But after a tough match, the hour-long walk back, exhausted and uphill, was a killer. Let's take a look at the numbers to get a picture of my "tough situation": I arrived in Auckland on February 12th, and I got my car on March 10th. Between February 12th and March 10th, I took almost 60,000 steps, which averages out to about 15,000 steps per week. All that hoofing it was worth it, though, because in return I got leg muscles that even Usain Bolt would envy. I was fortunate enough to buy a car, and as luck would have it, the first one I chose turned out to be perfect for me. While we looked at several options, the winner was a 2007 BMW 116i. I picked it because it’s a car I’m familiar with — I had the same model back home, so I already knew its strengths and weaknesses. For the car-buying process, I had local help from Adam Vály, who, incidentally, makes an excellent stew for the Auckland Hungarian Club. On the way to meet the seller, Adam enthusiastically explained what to check on the car, how to ask the right questions, and what potential issues to watch out for. To be honest, when it comes to anything technical, I’m completely clueless. As usual, I just nodded along while Adam spoke (in Hungarian, no less), but I didn’t understand a word of it. What happens when you ask an artist to deal with technical stuff? Absolutely nothing! When we arrived, we were greeted by Mikhail, a friendly man who had moved from Bucharest, Romania, twenty years ago. He was a family man with two kids and five cars parked out front. As Mikhail led us to the car he was selling, I whispered to Adam that he seemed trustworthy. Adam whispered back that it shouldn't be the seller we focus on, but the car itself. How right he was. While assessing the car, I was utterly useless. I stumbled over my words, couldn't find the right phrases, and was as insecure as any artist would be when buying a car. After Adam saw me floundering about, he mercifully took over, sparing everyone from my awkward display. Being an actor, I tried to pretend during the test drive that it wasn't my first time driving on the left side of the road. It was, of course, and every time I had to turn, I instinctively wanted to veer into the wrong lane. Somehow, I managed to keep it together. I'm not one for waiting – patience is perhaps my worst enemy – so I shook hands with Mikhail and bought the car on the spot. As it turned out, Mikhail from Bucharest had actually attended the 2025 Hungarian Festival and Market in Auckland. He remembered seeing me on stage hosting the show, praised the lángos and Hungarian wines, and said he'd definitely be back next year. I told him I hoped I would be too.

Áron Darvasi