Exploring Auckland

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Well I had a day to just sight see in the city yesterday. I slept in which I haven't done much on this vacation. Then got up and went walking around downtown. Had to stop at Starbucks because its the only coffee shop in NZ where you can get a real cup of coffee for a reasonable price. I'll have a double tall Mocha. Instead of I'll have a micro sized "Flat White" that costs $3.50. You'd have to drink 3 of them to get one 12 oz Starbucks equivalent. Yes, I'm a coffee snob from Seattle (o:

Anyway, after looking through downtown I pulled my bike out and went out the waterfront trail. I had ridden that trail to a suburb called Mission Bay when I first arrived. Today the weather was beautiful so I decided to ride all the way to the end of the bike trail and then do a loop along a bluff that visits a couple of parks or reserves. On the way I passed beautiful beaches. Actually saw people swimming in the bay. I passed Mission Bay which is a hip little enclave with lots of streetside resteraunts and coffee shops. Then I climbed uphill to an overlook at Point England which overlooks the bay and Waiheke Island. From there I rode through neighborhoods similar to Magnolia to a bird reserve and a sand spit.

I followed a paved trail out to where the trail takes off into the reserve. Then it becomes single track and boardwalks that wind through a estuary lagoon and then out onto the beach. The trail ended so I ended up riding my bike along the sandy beach out to the spit and around to the otherside. Saw lots of birds out on the spit. I rounded the spit and ran into two streams so I had to turn around and go back the way I came. From there I went back to a T and went left instead of right. The trail winds through coastal estuary bush and then goes to a nice point with a beautiful wooden bench and views of another bay. Then the trail went along side a lagoon. I saw a Pakeko which is a ground bird that is about the sized of a ckicken. It has black and midnight blue feathers and a bright red short beak. Very interesting bird. It seemed unconcerned with my presence so i watched it eat its way along the shore 2 feet in front of me.

Then I headed back out onto the roads. I climbed up over the hill and back down to Mission Bay and hit none other then a head wind going all the way back. Imagine that. Great ride to get me tired for my long flight today.

I met Rob and Viv for dinner at a great Thai resteraunt last night. I was hungry after the long ride and head wind coming back into the city.

Up late until 2am last night getting packed while the "Base Backpackers" bar thumped with wild rave music until 2-3am. The streets were packed with cars well after I went to bed. I had to close all the windows and put in my ear plugs. I love my room on the 6th floor because I can just hangout looking at what is going on on the streets below. I could also see the "Sky Tower" from my window which is where I'm headed today before flying home.

Well more later.

Backyard Adventure Girl

Lisa

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