auckland
Ah… at long last, the start ofthe Long Awaited HoneyMoon ™.
Auckland: Not much to say, really. Hills like you would NOT believe. But what did you expect? We’re on volcanic tectonic plates. I once tried to serve Duck a L’Orange on Tectonic plates. People preferred the grey ones. I’m here all week; try the veal.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaanyway. From my journal comes the following notes:
Strange City: They (The NZ Tourism people) bill Auckland as “The City of Sails.” That’s probably because “The city of hills so frequent and steep it’s imopssible to get your heart rate down below 119″ doesn’t scan so well.
The city is an odd mixture. Feels like Hong Kong in parts - that Pacific / Asian atmosphere with the Western architecture. Shopping’s a bit spartan and cheap along Queen Street. Went down to Viaduct Harbour (from where the ship sails in two days) for lunch. Suddenly, the city is bright and trendy and glam. Sat in the sunsghine and had Salt and Pepper Squid. Lovely.
Late afternoon, we found my fave part of the city. D suggested a walk from his guidebook, so we set off to the Auckland Domain. Locals (from the sweet, shuffling oldies, to the sweating, topless hotties) jogging by… The winter gardens a haven of peaceful tranquility… I decide to relive my childhood by rolling down hills. I rememebr that I am not 4 any more, and fractured hips take a while to mend. D takes some wonderfully flattering photos of my fat arse.
We visited Parnell, a village/suburb. Another fave place. Everything closed, but beautiful shops, cafes. Nice. Very pretty and chic; the antithesis of Queens Street.
Also in Auckland - a trip to the Otorohanga Kwiw sanctuary, and the Waitomo glow worm caves, a first meeting with the Californian sisters and the Canadian Massive, and a beautiful lunch at Cross Hills, a proper family farmhouse (5 people, 2 dogs, 800 cows), consisting of roast Lamb, Beef Meatloaf, Salad, New Potatoes, Garlic Bread, Fresh Fruit Compote and Home made Vanilla Ice Cream served in an icebowl decorated with fresh flowers. all eaten al fresco, surrounded by rolling fields, lemon and lime trees, flowers, and with a barely audible Il Divo drifting on the breeze from the stereo.
Heaven.
Next stop: Waimangu Volcanic Valley Tour. By the way, the vids get a little less … manic after this one, as I learned how to use the tools I was working with.