Monterey Park

On Friday we had warning of a severe tropical storm. Auckland residents were advised to tie down trampolines and not drive unless absolutely necessary. We concluded that the large trampoline would go no where, but decided to put the small trampoline and the paddling pool into the garage.

The storm hit in the night. The wind was strong and the rain lashed down. In the morning it was still windy and raining, but not sufficient to prevent Ian driving Zoe and myself over to 'Farmers' to see Diago and Dora. These are character on a childrens TV and are very popular out here. The characters proved to daunting for Zoe and after a brief photo session and coffee we returned home.

Dora

After lunch the storm had changed to intermittent drizzle and Ian decided to take Zoe, Mum and I to Monterey Park - Motor Museum and Model World. The park is a reasonably large area of land on the other side of the harbour bridge. In the centre of the park is a good sized pond. Around it is a walkway and a miniature railway track. Spread around the area were buildings housing different model exhibits. First we went into the car museum. Zoe was interested in the cars with side raising doors like the DeLorean DMC-12 (Back to the Future).

From here we went to the model railway pavillion. This was a fantastic HO gauge railway, divided into seasons. It can only be described as elegant.

Next followed a trip on the miniature railway. The carriages were particularly good and the 'jouney' was made interesting. There were automatic barriers across the paths.

We walked on to the outside model village. Their were Auckland building which we recognised, such as the Ferry Building and the Domain Museum.


The last building was particularly clever. It had pool in the centre connected to the outside pond through a large doorway. Boats were on the pool and could easliy be sailed out on to the pond. The top gallery had an O-guage railway running around most of the edge. In some places it went through tunnels. Its speed was computer controlled at different places and it had turning loops at each end.


After this we left in search of pies. NZ makes lovely pies and like most NZ things has cheese in.

On the way back I notices elliptical marks on the side windows of the car. In the UK you breath on to a cold surface and it causes the warm moist are to condense on the inside of the glass. Here the opposite was true. The air con in the car cooled the glass and the warm moist are condensed on the outside of the glass, despite our speed of 100kph (80mph).

Churchill Park

Today we let in the refrigerator man. He had come to refit a door seal. He was a young man who was non too complimentary about the people of NZ. (He spoke as a Kiwi himself.) He is looking to emigrate to Australia.

He arrived early which meant that we could have a morning walk. We wanted to go into Churchill Park. It is just over the hill from where I am sitting. Riddell (pronounced reedall) Road forms 2 and a bit sides of a triangle containing an estate of houses and a large area of farmland to the west of its centre. Churchill Park School is in this area. The house on the west of the area look out over the sea and are very smart.


(Tell dog story some time.)

It was a steep climb up Riddell Road until we came to car park leading to Churchill Park. We wandered through it. It had very much the feel of walking in the crater of an extinct volcano.


Passing the school we returned to the road and quite naturally arrived at our seat overlooking the sea.


Back in the house we discussed plans to visit a large area in NW Auckland with a model village, trains and vintage cars.

Hopefully, I have now fixed the bathroom fitting back on the ceiling with glue and tape stronger than that which should be able to fix rocks back on a crumbling cliff edge. I also hope to have blocked up the bottom of the front door through which slugs make their nocturnal way across the hall and over the childrens' bedrooms. We wait for the results on both these matters.

Seaside Holiday

Today has been one of those we are on holiday days.

After doing some work around the house this morning we had lunch. I made a cuscus concoction. I have never had couscous. But, warmed up with chopped fresh tomatoes and sweet chilli sauce it was nice.

Then we smothered ourselves with suntan lotion, grabbed our books and went off to the beach at St Heliers. The sea was out and it was a very low tide. We headed 0ff in the direction of the rocky headland.

We were able to scramble a good way round until we came in sight of the Lady Bay steps. However, we reached a point were we could go no further. There had obviously been a connecting bridge from the flat rocks where we were to the rocks of Lady Bay, but erosion had long since removed them. The strata was very horizontal and at times looked like a man made wall. In places what looked like pipes of hard rock stood out.


In other places the soft rock layers had been undercut and the platform of hard rock and been worn into an overhanging jigsaw pattern.

The people who live near the edge of this place have wonderful views.


We tried to find some shade, but decided to sit on a bench overlooking the bay and read our books.

We did a bit of shopping and back to the house.

Zoe and Emily played their usual evening games on the swings and the trampoline. Zoe also picked the first of the raspberries. I am hoping that Zoe will settle down earlier than last night so that we can join Sally to enjoy another episode of Boston Legal

Legging-it in Auckland City

The journey into AK city took the same route as driving but without the hastle of one-way systems and parking fees.

We first went on to the quay side to look for information (free stuff). Then we turned away and into the city. The first mistake was going through a door which I thought would take us to the bridge across the road to the shopping centre. Fortunately a kind sikh gentleman used his swipe card to let us out.

Once in the shopping centre I went to Warehouse Stationary where I bought some masking tape and sticky fixing pads. (They are waterproof and stick rocks back on crumbling cliff sides - they might do.)

With no other plan in mind we walked up Queen Street. (This is the central shopping street.) The aim was Aotea Square. This where the administrative buildings are, the theatre and cinema are positioned around a sunken square like Trafalgar Square with out the fountains and the lions. Development is going on and perhaps we shall see the results next year.

The Cinema

Just before the square was a Borders book shop where we had a very nice coffee and cake served by a splendid Chinese man. He was obviously listening and had most of what we were going to order written. He bought our food to the table and then legged it back to get some butter for my muffin. I wish this were a tipping economy, but I thought better and decided not to distort the system. (I legged it.)

Having photographed the cinema we went into the 'arts building' to see an exhibition called 'Queer Images'. There were some digital images, but they weren't the kind of queer that I expected. There was a warning that the images might offend.

We made our exit, photographing the interior (not the images - they would offend).


We got back to the intersection of Victoria St West and Queens Street. Here two four lane roads intersect and so normal traffic systems do not apply. While the pedestrians watch, for a while the traffic makes its usual cycle of road1 then road 2 then road 3 and finally road 4. (Driving around city roads is very slow in NZ) . After this the pedestrians have a turn. All traffic comes to a stop. The walking green man comes on at all four roads. Pedestrians cross in any of the six directions and in any direction. (This makes twelve directions in all.). Instead of the usual flashing red sign the green now becomes an amber number and counts down from 25 seconds to zero when all walkers stop.

The Green Man Legs It

Four Seconds - Face the Camera and Leg It

Having observed the phenomena of the ' *** square dance' we went back to Britomart. There is a huge array of bus stops, but now we have a timetable and were soon back to St Heliers where we picked up money, bought milk, let mum walk on the beach (I was too posh for this) and so to more pancakes and some work.

Monday and ShroveTuesday

Monday
Mum still spring cleaning.
I walked into St Heliers to buy long screws and lemon juice. Used them to fix toilet roll holder on bath side. Used blue-tac to fix light and fan cover on ceiling.

Tuesday
While cleaning in garage the light and fan cover fell off.
Finished cleaning in the garage. Cleared dishwasher. Rain absolutely pounding down.

Pancakes for dinner in 20 minutes.
I asked the shop lady in St Heliers if they did pancake day. I explained that pancake day (Shrove Tuesday) was the day before Ash Wednesday. She asked me if it was in the Bible. I whispered to her "N0. Its probably an Anglican thing"
Do you think that I might have kick started in new tradition in NZ.

The signigicance of this day is that it is 41 years since mum and I decided to get married. Some people might say that we got engaged, but I don't remember proposing or mum accepting.

Pour

Cook

Plate

Eat

Simple

Mum is now cooking stuff, including pancakes, for the family tea. I did help. Whisking and washing up is hard.

Eat Your Heart Out Lawrence

On Tuesday I borrowed the car. The object being to purchase a toilet seat as a third replacement for a broken one. The toilet is not your standard one. I was also going to investigate why the cistern refused to fill up. This year, with greater confidence, I pulled off the lid. It was, to me, a fairly foreign arrangement, but it was immediately obvious that the water supply tap was practically off. After 2.5 years you can now get a good flush.

Because Villory Boch toilets are not your standard ones, I made my way passed Placemakers to Plumbing World. After great indecision we came away with one that we thought would fit, but with an option to return. I also puchased a special toilet roll holder.

We also purchased mirror fitting and concrete mix to fix in the swing. This time from Placemakers. Unlike shopping in B&Q when you can be the only one around, including assistance; there seems to be 5 assistants for every customer. Which is most annoying?

On the way home we called into the Michael Joseph Savage Memorial Gardens. This is centotaph in honour of the first Labour Prime Minister of New Zealand. It is a large area of green with different views of the city and Rangitoto.

After lunch we unpackaged the toilet seat to find that it fitted. However, it was badly scratched and so back to Plumbing World. Very annoying, but a satisfactory job was done.


On Wednesday we tackled the swing. Mum and I took turns digging the four holes. Mum is much neater. I am quicker. Once levelled in went the concrete. Another job done.

On Thursday the tropical storm struck.

CRASH
On Friday the rain still came down. Sally did not have a sitter so mum and I got up early. I went with Sally and bought the car back to take the girls to child care. It was too wet to do anything.
There was no going outside, so the two mirrors got hung. Another job done.

At ten to four I left to get Sally. It was only drizzling. I was pleased with how well I knew the route and managed a difficult island. I little down the road I noticed a bright orange car approaching the next junction on my left. The approach raised concerns and I was ready for evasive action. It appeared to stop and then suddenly turned right across my bows. I put on full anchors and for a minute (no second) I thought I had avoided the inevitable. But, the inevitable is the inevitable. I pulled up. So did the man behind me who gave me his card and left. Somehow the orange car had done u-turn back into the street it came from.

A little old lady got out of the car and my first words were "What did you do that for?" We exchanged details. I got to Sally who miffed that I hadn't totalled the car.

The insurance man will not be charging us excess has he was convinced that it definitely was not my fault. The car goes in on Monday. I am grounded until it is restored to health.

My 30 year unblemished record is down the pan + a lot of inconvenience.

On Saturday mum went with Sally to take Zoe to ballet class. Ian, Emily and I went off to Plumbing World to pick up the toilet roll holder and my missing phone, which Ian found in the car as we parked at Placemakers. I swear it wasn't there when I looked. We had coffee and breakfast. Rather, Emily drank Ian's coffee and helped consume my chocolate whiskey cake.

Today, Sunday, mum went with Sally to Zoe's swimming class. It has generally been a quiet day. Sally is photocopying my passport and driving licence for the insurance claim.

Overlander

A very early start to catch the 7:20 am Overlander to Britomart, Auckland.

The trains here are narrow guage and the coaches seem to dangerously overhang the track. Book in for this service was almost airline style. Baggage was checked in and etickets checked at the desk. There were only three passanger carriages. One contained the dining area. Up front, behind the baggage car was an open observation platform and at the rear a closed one.

From the open area you easily get a feeling of speed.


Our journey took us through miles of open countryside, over gorges, with a stop in the National Park.

The train stops at the town of Ohakune. At this stop you can either buy food in the buffet car or at the station cafe. We chose to buy our food in the buffet car and eat it sitting at the picnic tables along side the track.

At this spot the Tongariro volcanic peaks are visble. There is little snow near the summit.


From here its pretty much down hill with the engineering feature being the Raurimu Spiral. It was declared a 'wonder of the world' when it was completed in 1908. It has three horse shoe curves, a complete circle and two tunnels.

Sally and Zoe met as at Britomart, a little later than expected; our south of North Island complete.

Wellington Sunday

Today was the return of the car day. The SAT NAV guided us well to the Hertz office in the industrial section of town, but did not show petrol pumps. From the off ice we went in search of fuel. It was 'Around the Bays Day' and somehow we got involved in heavy traffic leading to the motorway tunnel. I don't think that our manoevre was really a u-turn on the motorway, but once more the SAT NAV got us back to the office and a final search for fuel.

Once out of the car and on foot Wellington is much easier to navigate. Once down the road away from the office we were back on the quay side and everything was recognisable. We made our way to the Te Papa (Our Place) Museum. This took us passed a bright outdoor Sunday market.


Te Papa is a very modern museum. There is much hands-on for children and the usual story of the country and the Maori culture.


We were there for the first day of the Monet exhibition. It was not over busy. There were complaints in the media that such exhibitions only come to Wellington. But, after all, Wellington is the country's capitol.

The city is very arty. There are clever, carved messages hidden around, boys diving into 'wells' in the quay side decking and even youths spraying grafitti (?)


Before going in for lunch I took a photo of our Lambton Court Apartments.

Before ending our day we went for a last visit to the quay; photographing such things as model boats, Scottish performers and the stock exchange.


We needed an early night ready for an early start on the Scenic Overlander in the morning.

Botanical Gardens, Beehive and Potter

Having worked out what was happening to our on board navigation system, we went down to Lambton Quay on the ground floor. (Note this) Along the street was the alley to the start of the cable car. This was a coach on a steep track that was pulled up the hill. Here we had our first meeting with George and Elizabeth from Nottingham. It was Nikon at first sight.

The winding gear was much more gentle than this speeded up picture shows.


We were to meet up with the Nottingham couple a number of times. Finally, here at these famous gardens. As you can see the celebrity, 'Lady Norwood', could not keep a straight face at the unveiling ceremony.


We separated from our friends at this point. I hope to meet them back home.

After tea we walked to the 'Beehive'. For some strange reason this is name that the Kiwis have affectionally given to their Parliament building.


We rounded off our walk by visiting the railway station as the Potter shot tells;


then back to our apartment through the third floor entrance on 'The Terrace'. Navigation myster solved?

Sunrise in Wellington

Cities are noisy places. At 4:00 in the morning mum decided that I would like to photograph the sunrise. By six o'clock having had breakfast, washed and had a nap we were 0ff. I looked at the map and decided that we should turn left and arrive at the quay in seconds. However, we found ourselves going for longer and reaching the university. Mum checked the map, redirected us and we made it to the quay. (The solution to this navigation mystery might be dawning on you - it did not on us.)

From here it was simple. Follow the road around the bay. Mum noticed a notice which said something about 'Bay Closure'. But ignoring this we continued. It was bitterly cold even with clothes on. Mum rarely got out of the car. But there were some dramatic views. Eventually we called into Warehouse and bought a coat. Part way through the morning we left the coast road and went into the suburbs for coffee. We found the 'Embassy' cinema/cafe (Not the one that held the 'Lord of the Rings' premier.

Journey's end was to be 'Red Rocks'. The beach here is only suitable for four wheel drives. We were satisfied with a walk and a look in on the visitors centre which provided a frame for this picture.


Here is where we turned the SAT NAV on. We arrived back in Lambton Quay. Where was the car park? Why was there now a flower border? Once more to the right and round the town we went. Back to the start again. This time I pulled up where told and mum found a corridor at the back of a shop. At the end of the corridor was the Lambton Apartment lifts. So, to the left I went, into the car park, crossed the road, went into reception and up to the room for lunch. Have you solved the mystery?

Cheese and Ale Day

On the 13th we woke up to a dramatic sky and watched a small liner sail into Napier harbour.

Having cleared up we made or way south leaving the family behind. We were to find out later that we really left them behind. Their flight home was cancelled. How do you cope with two infants in a small airport. At least they slept on the plane home.

Our first port of call was a cheese factory. It wasn't that brilliant and after morning coffee/tea we departed Napier in the Camry bound for and Wellington.

Next on the itinerary was the Tui Brewery at Mangatainoka on H2. One Henry Wagstaff (1836-1911); an English rouge stopped at the spot where the brewery stands and made himself a cup of tea. It was the best cup of tea that he had ever tasted so he decided to settle their and brew beer.

The Tui adverts are amongst the funniest I have seen and the visit was fun from the beginning; starting with a glass of Tui bitter which mum enjoyed as the picture shows.

Even a visit to the toilet was fun. The fittings were converted barrels.

We were fortunate to turn up on the one day that they bottled the beer. Our guide grabbed more bottles off the belt. It is true that such beer tastes the best.


So, having grabbed our 'STOLEN FROM TUI BREWERY' beer glasses we set off down the SH2.

The road over the mountains was an adventure. We should have pulled in for coffee. It would have helped with the drive in Wellington.

Wellington is a very compact city with a complicated one way system.

Once more the SAT NAV failed us. We set it for 120 Lambton Quay; the address of Lambton Serviced Apartments. Even though the SAT NAV lady said 'Destination on left' there was nothing to be seen but a Bureau de Change. Having passed the destination the lady directed us to the right. First we went back north on SH2, then back around the one way system. At this point I decided to switch the lady off and turn left. A parking space presented itself and I watched as the meter moved to 6:00 and all $4 of parking. Ten yards from this spot was the reception for our stay. Having registered we were directed to the across street car parking.

This not the end of the story.

Here at last. The journey took 8 hours.