Auckland - City of Sails

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OOPS _ seem to have lost the cable i was using to upload photos - maybe I can buy another in a few days.


Tired when we arrived after flights from Bangkok-Sydney (9hrs) and Sydney-Auckland. No upgrades on these flights - though I tried to get my IFE system to misbehave!

Two nights at the Rendezvous Hotel which turned out to be in a good location just uphill from the city centre and an easy walk down to the quayside.

On first evening took a bus to Parnell (New Zealand's oldest suburb famed for its galleries, cafés, restaurants and boutique-style stores) and a good stroll had an excellent supper at the Di Mare.

Thursday - started with coach trip to see the general sights of Auckland, including trip a local (dormant) volcanic hill which provided good views over the City (in our case rather grey views as weather poor to start with). Trip across the harbour bridge, coffee stop in Parnell (again) then to Kelly Tarlton's Antarctic Encounter and Underwater World featuring Penguins and local sealife. See: http://www.kellytarltons.co.nz/home/page.aspx

Then to quay to visit Maritime Museum (the Queen Victoria was docked close by and looked great) before boarding a 50' sailing yacht for a 'lunch cruise'. By this time the weather was perfect and a good strong breeze had got up so we had a great sail and saw the city and bay from the water. (lots of good photos which I hope I'll be able to upload later!).

Late afternoon took ferry to Devonport and climbed another hill for a different 360deg view!
Fish & chip supper while watching Queen Vic depart - unfortunately in mist and rain. Weather now so bad that we didn't bother with the plan to go up the Sky Tower.

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Photos

Hoisting sail
Nick pretends he knows the ropes

Windswept in Auckland
View from Devonport