The City of Sails

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Well after Queenstown I've opted for a bit of a slower pace in Auckland. For a City that has two thirds of NZ population the place does not seem that busy. Preston or Blackpool seems to have more traffice than this place. That said it's still a nice place to visit and over looks the harbour. This is where you see why the place has the nickname 'City of Sails' everywhere you look there are boats ranging from small sail boats to massive yachts such as the ones that compete in the Americas Cup.

On my first full day in Auckland I have a bit of a wonder round to get my bearings. I head to the martime muesem, which is intresting as it tells all about the history of the early Maori settlers and later the European Settlers. Sailings not really my bag but all the stuff about the Americas cup is quite interesting. In the afternoon I head up the Auckland Sky Tower (the largest tower in the southern hemisphere) for panoramic views of the city.

The next day I head to an Island called Waiheke (about 40mins away), the islands quite small but has over 100 beaches on it and several vineyards :-) One of the beaches is called Blackpool so I can't help but go and have a look. It's nothing special but then neither is the Beach back home. The place has a population of about 7500 but it swells to 30,000 in the summer. Again this place has views that wouldn't look out of place in a postcard. I head up to the hill over looking Church Bay from there you cna see views of the city and all round. There is also a Vineyard up there but I'm a little underdressed in me Bolton top to sit down for some lunch.

In the evening I meet up with a couple from England who are travelling for a bit as apart of their honeymoon. We end up drinking till late in a bar down the road. Needless to see the next day is a write off for me. I've no one in my room and end up sleeping in till 1.00pm I think the lack of sleep from Queenstown has caught up with me. So I spend the day doing boring stuff like washing and sortin out me gear. That evening I meet up with some more people and we hang around the bar till the early hours.

The next day I head to a place called Devonport which is a small village located across the bay. The place has a couple of hills which I walk up (Yes bigger than the crescent back home!). Yet again the views are amazing. The village it'self is very victorian style in it's housing and has a main street similar to St Annes back home. I stop for a beer in a bar called the 'Patriot' and it's like finding gold they have Boddingtons on Tap so I sample one as it would be rude not too. In the evening there is a Beach party in the Hostel and it's just my luck I'm going tomorrow but the place is jumping. I've got to be up at 3.40am so I'll have to take it easy.... well maybe just a couple :-)

Next Blog - Fiji

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