Emily Gets Jabs

On Wednesday I had the delight of seeing Emily vacinated, one in each leg. She was obviously good about the first one. But, a bit more wise about the second one. After waiting for any reactions and having coffee. (The surgery has a very good coffee shop.) The car park bays are marked 'For the use of customers'. Being a customer rather than a patient is a double-edged thing. As a paying costumer of the doctor you can expect (even demand) a better level of service than in the UK. However, the doctor is free to carry out whatever treatments they might want to, and charge for it. Childhood immunisations can be expensive, but Kiwis balance it against the possible cost of the parent being off work.

Did I say that I lost my spectacles (glasses). I confused the Kiwis over this. I had rung the Museum on Tuesday and a kind lady described my missing glasses/spectacles that had been found. After a long discussion during which she took my name (the discussion was prolonged because we could not get the terminology of kiosk of foyer right; it turned out to be cloak room it was agreed that I should collect them on Wednesday. So, after returning from the doctors to collect Irene and take Emily back to daycare and Sally to her office, where we were served more coffee (Sally does sell it) Irene and I motored off to the Auckland Museum. I presented myself at the 'place' and announced my business. I was presented with an number of 'things'. What had happened to the glasses labelled Norwood. A tad of panic set and suddenly they appeared at the left side of the counter, amongst many other unlabelled things. I told the attendant that I really loved her and Irene and set off for a visit to the Winter Garden and I took more photographs. Among them was this beautiful lily.

Purple Lily

We had planned to repeat the Mt Eden visit, but in the confusion of the morning I did not have my tripod. I decided instead to do some boat watching. In the 'City of Sails' it can be hard to get near any sails. I looked at the map and thought that Hamer Road would get us near the main sailing harbour. I set the sat nav. It took us into dockland amongst large fuel tanks and other industrial plants. However, we could part in one spot for free. When we reached the top of this small peninsular we found that it was an excellent view point for the harbour bridge and sailing boats. Indeed we found it to be a point on the coach tours of Auckland, with one coach after another putting down and picking up tourists. Tourists can be a nuisance, but I was able to do some photography. (Us tourists?)

Auckland Harbour Bridge

Sailing by the Harbour Bridge

We made our journey back along the Tamaki drive, but stopped off at Okahu marina. This area is full of cruisers which must be worth many times more than our house.

Cruisers in Okahu Marina

Auckland Day

Monday was Auckland Day. We are not sure what it represents. Even those people surveyed for the news were not sure. They failed to tell us. Even the web does not explain and that includes Wikipedia.

Many events took place and we joined the bank holiday makers at the Museum.

We started off with the girls feeding the ducks in the park. Emily would have prefered to have joined the ducks, but Zoe had a great time feeding bread to them.

After coffee we went to the Winter Garden. This is a large greenhouse built in 1930. It is full of colourful plants and ornamental ponds.

Ornamental Pond

Carnivorous Pitcher Plants

Water Lilies

At this point Emily began to tire. Ian took her home and we went into the museum.

There was dinosaur display. Zoe enjoyed most of this, except for the skeleton. We went on to the seas shore gallery, the toy gallery and to the childrens section where Zoe made a badge and did puzzles. We finished up in Zoe's house. This was the Maori Marae that we have visited before. It must have been there where my glasses fell out of my pocket. There is story to follow.

After lunch, back home, Ian took me off to Sylvia Park for the final puzzle in my connection to the internet. This was two lengths of USB extension cable. There is now a wireless detector in the garage beneath the wireless hub and after a great deal of configuration work I went on line by the end of Monday.

Secret Garden and Mt Eden

On Sunday morning we went off to a garden at the base of Mt Eden. Auckland is dotted with a large number of such mounts. Each one is the remnant of a volcanic cone.

Zoe really enjoys this place. She can explore the numerous paths and is learning about maps.

The garden is shaded by tall forest trees and tree ferns. But, there are bright colourful gaps such as this one.

Bright Colours in Eden Garden

We then drove off to the top of Mt Eden. The City and islands views are stunning. The crater is sacred. It was strange to see a herd of cows roaming about in the bottom.

Auckland Harbour Bridge

Cows in the Crater

The City, Mt Albert and Rangitoto

Auckland Zoo - 2009

The zoo remains a favourite of the children. And of many people in Auckland.

We were 'late' setting off, so no attempt was made to park in the car park. Entrance was followed by coffee. As we sat in the central area elephants were bought out on parade. Irene says she does not remember being so close to them.

Up Close and Personal

Baby Tiger

Last years tigers have given birth to babies. They have grown fast.

The howler monkeys were noisy and playful.

The Giraffes have Grown

The Lions Still Roar Lazily

Ian spotted that Emily was getting tired. She does run around quickly. He took her home. We had lunch. Zoe explored some tunnels and posed nicely on the yellow lizard.

Sunset and Sunrise

Thursday and Friday saw us having a time for decorating and shopping.

On Thursday afternoon Sally returned. We went to our favourite spot looking over the Glover Park crater and Rangitoto to watch the sun set.

Sunset over St Heliers

Glover Park Panorama

Ragitoto Panorama

On Friday morning Sally woke me up to tell me that the Chiefs rugby team were practicing in the mist in Glover Park.

The Chiefs Practicing in Glover Park

During Friday afternoon news came on about a car chase. The police were chasing a gunmen on the North Western Motorway (see earlier). The gunman was commandeering vehicles. He stopped one particular vehicle, but the police, unfortunately, shot dead the innocent driver. This shooting of an innocent person is apparently a first for New Zealand.

This happened at the start of the Auckland Day bank holiday weekend. The city was gridlocked for hours. Ian was delayed, but found a way through.

Waitakere Ranges

After the daycare run Irene and I set off for the Waitekere Ranges, spefically to the Arataki Visitors centre and the nature trail. As we are now getting use to, the sat nav gave precise directions along the Tamaki Drive, through the city, along the North Western Motorway, the Great North Road and Scenic Drive through Titirangi.

The visitors centre was undergoing renovation but there were spectacular view points.

View of Auckland City through Rainforest

Tree Ferm Emerging from the Rainforest

Panorama of Waitiki Range

We ended our visit by stopping for coffee in Titirangi. The chololate mudcake was superb. We bought a eve of inaugaration newspaper. There was a prophetic cartoon of Obama getting the oath wrong. The caption read that his oath would be "Give me five. Alleluia Bush has gone."

Musick Bay

Today Irene I did the morning run with Zoe and Emily.

Last year our first indepenendant exploration ended in failure. This year we have the sat nav. Musick Point is a place of interest (POI on the sat nav). Program in and off we go.


St Heliers is at the end of Tamaki Drive which is the road from Auckland city. The Tamaki River mouth is wide and at right angles to our location. Musick Point is at the opposite side of the river mouth.


The route is inland, across the bridge at Panmure, across to the suburb of Howick and up along a narrow peninsular.


At the point is a Telcom office and steps down to a rock platform where an ex-pom (engine driver was fishing.


From the point the tower at Glover Park is visible, and of course, and Browns Island.

Rangitoto and Browns Island

Water Tower at Glover Park (The grey block in the centre)

We had a brief time there and back to jobs and the daycare pick up.

I Can Drive

On Monday morning Karen picked up the children to take them to daycare.

Sally had left the Subi for us to use and my first ride out. Thankfully, this was alone to do some shopping at Placemakers. I needed some tape to go over the ceiling board joints, some skimming compound. Sally had put panels on the ceiling and I wanted to get it emulsioned. I could not find a shaving mirror or lamp so my journey extended to Warehouse in Sylvia Park where I was able to buy a clip on lamp, but the mirror was purchased elswhere.

I did have the assistance of a charming Kiwi lady giving me directions via a sat nav. A brilliant invention.

My driving mistake was to use both feet. One on the 'go' pedal and the other on the 'stop' pedal. The technique works, but I soon discovered that it is better to keep the left foot out of the way.

We did some work around the house before going to collect the girls from daycare.

We had a walk and saw some of the stange architecture near us.

Why disguise the wood

Does Royalty Live Here?

No 16th Jan

For us, crossing the date line, the 16th Jan never existed. At the end of a week I still had one days supply of tablets left.

The first day here was spent mainly in recovering and getting to the know the children. (Photos of children will be sent to private email addrsesses via Picasa.)

On the 18th we began a little walk about. This was down to Ladies Bay and up to the cliff above Gentlemans Bay. Although we missed the red tree flowers by a little over a week. we did catch sight of beautiful blue and white blooms.

The all familiar Rangitoto from above Ladies Bay

Auckland City from Ladies Bay

Browns Island

Auckland from Glover Park

We spent time with the girls who showed us their bouncing on the trampoline and paddling in the pool.

Sally left for New Zealand on Sunday afternoon and we became baby sitters until Thursday.

Back to Kiwi Land - 2009

We apologise for the delay in sending this blog. It has taken some time to get the computer functioning and, as I write, I am still not on line.
Wednesday morning was dark, cold and remained misty all day.
The departures board was full of cancellations and delays – mostly to UK and European destinations.

Air NZ in Heathrow Fog

We were slightly delayed in boarding and then delayed for half an hour while on board. It was annoying to find that our booked window seats were not available and once more one of our in flight entertainment consuls was broken. Having started to make friends with an elderly gentleman, travelling alone, we were given two more seats someway further back.
It turned out that our friend was also heading for The Hacienda Hotel. After a relatively sleepless flight (I did not enjoy the movies, but Irene did) we returned to our seats for landing and eventually departed the airport accompanied by our friend. At 8.00 pm it was hot in LA and we were glad to get to our air-con room.

LA Sweltering Morning

LA Garden Centre

Starbucks Coffee Shop

Before our site seeing walk we went to, what is becoming our usual dinner for plates of pancakes covered in . . .

I recognised the waitress (Claudia) who had sat and chatted last year. She thought that we must make it a tradition and repeated the performance.

We met up with our friend at the hotel and had a chat before boarding the shuttle and departing for the airport.

In America do not let your passport and boarding pass go through the scanner. They are not helpful in retreiving them and letting you through. My first 'criminal' mistake.

The Air NZ staff were better. They at least recognised a mistake and moved seats around so that we could sit together as booked. We are resigned to no window seats. Breakfast was served, on board at 4.00 am. NZ customs are more friendly than US ones. Once through at 5.30 am we waited for Sally to collect us and get us home.