New Zealand Adventure 2024

 Wednesday 21st February After vacating our bnb by 9, we stored our bags and went walking.  Rick in the township and Wendy along the coast to a headland and back.  What a magical healer the human body is.  Almost no pain in the ankle. No, I didn't have an epiphany! Oneroa bay Headland view Ruthy picked us up and gave us a tour of more parts of the inland and we finished up at Casita Miro, one of the many wineries for a guided tasting of 4 wines with tiny matching food to nibble.  A wonderful way to end our stay on the island.   While the wines were all interesting and great quality it was a few of the nibbles that were particularly special, not only because they were almost all sourced on the property.  A smoked paprika and chilli infused olive oil, fabulous focaccia bread, wine marinated olives, manchego cheese and walnuts soaked in port and roasted with butter and sugar. Impressive Malbec Mosaic bar Illustrated poem   We left Waiheke on the...

  Sunday 18 th February A decadent Sunday.   An unusually slow start, with a plan for brunch at a local restaurant.   Wendy decided to walk there, a 5km walk through leafy suburbs and mostly quiet streets. She got too excited by the food and forgot to photograph the event.   Oops.   On the way back home we had a tour of the oldest part of Auckland with its grand buildings and big gardens and the schools where Andreis and Vanessa teach. We dropped Andreis back at home, picked up our hire car and headed to the airport to return it.   Vanessa followed in her car to pick us up.   After chasing around for a fuel station that functioned we dropped the car with no drama at all.     Vanessa then drove us to the port where we caught the 40min ferry to Waiheke Island. Historic Ferry Building Ferry building amongst modern Auckland Auckland from the ferry Brown Island on the way to Waiheke Approaching Waiheke Our friend Ruthy invited us to visit Wai...

 Wednesday 16 th February Heading south back to Auckland we had a few stops along the way. The first was the “World Famous Public Toilets” at Kawakawa.     Why so famous?   Judge for yourselves: Next stop was Whangarei Falls.   Very beautiful and offered a great short walk down to the bottom and back.   Escaping the main highway we headed off on another Tourist route which was delightful.   A few fabulous beaches and great views of off shore islands.   We found a wonderful café with a beach view.   Rick had brunch, Wendy ordered a coffee and cake.   Breakfast at the bar  While enjoying the coffee she chatted to a cyclist who rolled in.  He was from Newfoundland and surprised to meet people who’d been there!  Wendy’s cake never arrived, so when paying she said “Don’t worry, just take it off the bill”.  The response – they gave her the same cake in a takeaway box…on the house.  Impressive service. Waipu...