Day 6 - Auckland (Day 1) - City Sightseeing - 24th September 2009

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Awoke mid-morning with strange builder men pacing the decks awaiting the arrival of the big Yin - known locally as “Don” I was beginning to get scared by the murmuring I heard afar. It turned out that this old country bumpkin was in fact not a fearful Maori warrior, or indeed the famous boxing promoter of the King variety - it was the boy from the Cruix - Donald by Sunday name. The weather from our suite window looked changeable with showers moving in across the bay, none the less Claire and I had decided to head out for a while despite us previously agreeing to have a relatively quiet day.

With the arrival of big Don, we took the opportunity to hitch a lift into central Auckland. Here we were deposited at the ferry terminal at the foot of Queen Street where we slowly ascended the hill taking in the shops. Claire was doing the obligatory shopping habbit “hand thing” that has both infuriated and puzzled me for some time. By seemingly touching every garment with her hand - as only females would know why - it would appear that a magical power advises the brain whether to buy the garment or not… A question to be answered later perhaps but I cant understand this shopping behaviour.

We stumbled into Elliot Stables for lunch en-route somewhere else, we found a French restaurant called Tronchon. Here we indulged each in a Gallette - sort of savoury pancake. Claire opted for one stuffed with Ratatouille, myself for one with chicken, mushroom and white wine sauce. Absolutely delicious food in a fab little eaterie with great atmosphere. I even sneaked a cheeky glass of Cote Du Rhone whilst down under! From here, Claire walked - and I stumbled - into the department store across the road where this time it was I witnessed the power of the shopping hand syndrome and succumbed to a cost of a blazer jacket for myself.

From here, we headed home to finish a quiet day after a 30 minute walk undertaken from mid way up Queen Street area in downtown Auckland. From here we headed; through Wentworth Gardens, past some nice University buildings, a giant bird of paradise plant that particularly interested Mrs B then back down to the ferry terminal. At this point, whilst waiting for the ferry to Birkenhead 2 things cross my mind. Firstly, with the notion of a ferry trip to Birkenhead, if anything like the UK name sake how we’d literally survive the walk home past; hoodies, scallies and neds. Secondly, being subjected to a tropical downpour of rain - how we’d keep my new jacket dry. It also perhaps dispelled the myth that Scotland is not the wettest country in the world - I reckon enough rain fell in the 10 minutes waiting for the boat as Glasgow in October - we’ll see when we get home, looking forward to that already incidentally.

The short albeit choppy ferry ride home was spent wondering how we’d conquer the 20 minute walk from Birkenhead Ferry point to the house…. Luckily, “Big Don” had read us like a book and was waiting to collect - the man had suddenly become a genius for this simple act. We spent an hour sitting in the kitchen having some drinks and eventually tucking in to a brilliant spag bol with salad and bread to boot prepared by Aunty Yvonne. A lovely evening sat in the house having dinner brought the curtain down on a nice albeit quiet day in New Zealand - next stop Waiheki.

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Photos

Auckland
Auckland City Skyline