Day 4 - Sunday - Piha

We decided to not to rush out to do anything first thing in the morning and took our time getting up, showering and eating an informal breakfast at the Airbnb.  We decided to take a drive to Phia, on the coast of the Tasman Sea.  It is west of Auckland, about 50 miles by the road , but takes at least an hour and 10 minutes to get there due to the twisty road through Auckland Centennial Park.  I found myself saying "this is a great motorcycle road."  Instead we were on this narrow two lane road, in a right hand drive car, in the left lane.  Barbara was driving and doing a good job of it.  However, there is something about driving on the left side of the road.  It's hard to gauge where the car is in relation to the left shoulder.  It's easy to creep over to the left.  All that said, we are both doing much better at driving in this new style.

So, where is Piha? A picture is worth 1,000 words or, in this case, a short paragraph:

Approaching Piha.  No, that's not the road, but a driveway

Looking west

Another panorama

Looking landward

People climbed this, up to the very top.

 

Rocks are covered by barnacles

Local cracking open mussles

 

Tidepool was incredibly warm

All in all, it was amazing day.

Next up - Monday - Ferry ride to Waiheke Island and wine tasting.

Day 3, cont'd - First Full Day in Auckland

As noted, we'd decided to rent a car.  Got a spiffy white, right hand drive Toyota Corolla from Go Rentals for something like $200 NZD for the time we'd be here. 

It's not a bad little car.  After a little trepidation about driving on the wrong side of the wrong side of the road, with the help of Google Maps we navigated to our next temporary home at 12 Apirana Place, in the Glen Innes section of town.  Barb's daughter had reserved what amounts to an 1,100 sf two bedroom "guest home."  It is very nice and comfortable, with excellent views.  All that is lacking is an east facing deck to enjoy coffee in the morning.

We met Barbara's daughter Jennifer at the house.  She works in Wellington and as luck would have it was going to be in Auckland for 5 days to attend concerts.  After unloading the car and getting our bearings we took an Uber into downtown Auckland. 

First impressions of Auckland - it is a very developed city doing well economically.  There is new construction everywhere.  Numerous tall buildings and there are a lot of residential buildings downtown.  Lots of tourists here from Asia and presumably the US (we heard a lot of 'merican accents).   We met one of Jennifer's co-workers who was in town for the concerts and had lunch at Mac's brewpub.  I had an Three Wolves Pale Ale.  Quite good and not as hoppy as an IPA.

We strolled along the waterfront, got a "Bubble Tea" a strange concoction of tea, milk, flavours and tapioca balls (which I guess are the bubbles). 

Ubered it back to the Airbnb for a well deserved rest.

Next up, the black sand beaches of Piha, on the Tasman Sea.

Going to the Land Down Under

Credit: Saltydoginvestor.com

Well, on November 8, or maybe it was the 7th?  A friend called me around 10:00 pm and after I woke up, said, "what do you think about a cruise in New Zealand?" In my half asleep state, I said, "that sounds like it'd be fun."  Turns out, she'd been talking with her daughter who lives in Wellington, NZ, and had been keeping her eye out for cruises.  As it happened, there was a Holland America two-week cruise departing from Auckland on December 7, for the crazy price of $1,099.  And that's an ocean view cabin, not one down in the bilges. And, as it happened, there was crazy cheap airfare from Walla Walla to Auckland, via Seattle and Honolulu, for $635. My partner Tom Scribner said he'd paid more than that flying to Des Moines for a deposition.

After several ticketing shuffles we ended up with one way fares to Auckland, departing on Nov. 30, leaving on the MS Noordam from Auckland on December 7.  The cruise stops at various Ports along the east coast of the North and South Islands, then heads out to sea to Hobart, Tasmania, then to Melbourne, Eden, and finally arriving in Sydney on December 21.

 The ship - the MS Noorddam

 As it happens, my brother Hugh and his family moved there in August.  We will stay with them and also see brother James and Arie and also Hugh and James' mother Helen. We will fly home on Quantas on Christmas Eve.

Seven days to go!!!

So, let the adventure begin!