First Full Day in Auckland

Editors notes will be in blue :-)

We have had our first absolutely great day in Auckland. Woke up feeling SO much better after sleeping like 2 logs. The hostel is a bit basic but very friendly - we are by many years the oldest here.

Weather is coolish and windy, I am glad it is not hot or the contrast would be too great. Auckland has the feel of a colonial place, lots of wooden bungalows with verandahs and tropical trees and plants, and the area we are in is quiet.

Nearby is a really interesting shopping street, and the first thing we did this morning was to make for the Italian bakery! Breakfast in communal kitchen and dining room, got chatting to a Texan girl travelling the world on her own, ecstatic about the new President.

We walked to the huge park called the Domaine where there are a couple of greenhouses - the Winter Garden- one with a mass of beautiful plants in bloom, things that would be OK in an English summer like delphiniums and huge snapdragons, only all bigger and better and brighter.

Then a tropical house with a pool with waterlilies, blue and white ones and the enormous leaves. Oh, before that we went to see the 2 cathedrals - the old one, made of kauri wood, and an ultra-modern one, built when the wooden one wasn't big enough. Both stunning.

Then we went into the Museum, where I really wished Douglas had been with us. The Maori collection was just so impressive, and I know I said I wasn't neccessarily going to be that interested - but we were so glad we did. We took lots of photos for D. Parents were worried that the Maori collections would be very "touristy" and did not want to be party to the "touristicification" of this race of people.

Then we walked to the Parnell Rose Garden, the biggest collection of roses in full bloom I've ever seen. It is Rose Weekend this w/e. We staggered back to the hostel, and were just recovering with a cup of coffee when Mat arrived! (Mat is the same age as my younger brother, and lived next door but one to us in Leicester for many years)

We sat and chatted, and he had booked a table at a nearby pizza place, so at 7.30 we wandered out, and got back at 10 pm. He is coming here tomorrow and taking us down to the car place to pick up our car. Then we are going on the ferry to Devonport which will give us a good view of Auckland and the harbour.

So, so far so good, there are lots of unknown and exotic plants and strange-sounding birds. I am using the email at the hostel and hope it doesn't run out of dosh - so will stop now, and write again tomorrow.

Give our love to all, and to yourselves. From the upsy downsy folk. XX.

Well.. as hoped it sounds as though they are having the holiday of a lifetime!! Please do feel free to write comments on the blog.. you dont have to sign up, just choose the annonymous option, but type your name at the end of your comment so I know who you are. I will pass on any messages in an email over to Ma and Pa when I get them.