HELLO NEW ZEALAND! Auckland 28th Jan-2nd Feb

Muriwai Beach

In Auckland I stay with Susan and Pete; Susan's a Vet I used to work with and she and Pete have been living in NZ for 2 1/2 years. It's amazing to be in a house and see people I know! For me it's about 3 in the morning by the time I'm finally there, local time is 8am. I head to bed for a few hours and in the afternoon we hit the beach at Muriwai, just West of Auckland. It's a national holiday and there's a fair few people on the black-sand beach and a colony of Gannets round the corner. In the evening a BBQ at some friends of theirs- there's New Zealand lamb and Green-lipped mussels- awesome!

Auckland Skyline

I end up having a pretty relaxing few days- it wasn't the plan. The plan was to make a plan but I've basically collapsed. The first day I sleep, the following I make it into the city and up the Sky Tower for views of the city.



Just off the Auckland coast is a volcanic island; Rangitoto- formed 600 years ago. I catch the ferry one day for a hike around and to the summit, a strange landscape amidst lumps of volcanic rock. There's traps all over the island- trying to elimate the mammalian pests which threaten so many of New Zealand's flightless birds. It's hot and sunny with views back towards the Auckland sky line. On the way back I hop off at Devonport a quaint suburb hub of cafes.

Auckland Museum

Friday 1st: a morning swim with Susan then she drops me off in the Domain parklands at the Auckland museum. It's a good museum- lots of Maori history and I begin to try to learn about these people and the culture. Back for BBQ chicken and sweetcorn- hmm, I think they fed me too well to speed my departure.

After some planning on Sat and wrestling with the awkward place names, and when Susan's back from work the 3 of us pop down to a harbour beach for a swim. New Zealand's still feeling cold to me after Australia but the cold nights are very pleasant. We go out for pizza in the evening and then to the Observatory for an excellent show about the summer night sky, looking through telescopes at Jupiter afterwards. Now I'm well set up to spot Canis major, minor and Taurus.