Days Before the Mount

This blog is only for anyone who is really interested. I have taken to using Google to put picture sets on facebook.

After the art gallery effort the next day was rain and we had a day indoors. Emily was inspired by the ‘sign posts’ art work and started to produce her own. I settled down to build my next ginger bread house.

On Wednesday the weather took an amazing turn for the better. Irene and I had the big car and we drove north over the harbour bridge to Warkworth. To stay on the SH1 involves going through the toll tunnel. Last time we did this we missed the turn off to the pay booth and had to pay for the out and back journey on our return. This time I was determined to find the northbound pay booth. However, once we off the motorway and in the large service area there was no sign of a pay booth. A friendly fellow traveller directed us to the shop and on the door was assign saying that there is now no toll kiosk and we should pay at the petrol station. When we got to the front of the queue we were asked for the car registration. (Now why did I not think that the number plate recognition software would need this?) I walked back across the car park, memorised the number (Why didn’t I think to use my phone camera?), went back and queued again and paid the $2.30. The moral of the story is use the technology and pay on line.

Warkworth had developed rapidly in the two years since we were last there. We got on to the coast road without going into the town centre. It is not the small town that we first saw in 2003.

Our coffee stop was ‘Morris and James’. This is a pottery we first visited in 2003 and returned home with a large, beautifully decorated serving plate. This time we stopped only for coffee and cake. As I drove on I noticed the petrol level. We had just passed what looked to be the last petrol station out in in this increasingly remote area. However, we got to our destination with petrol to spare.

The place of the ‘glass bottom boat’ is well developed for tourists, with board walks, interpretation signs, and a toilet block designed for showering and group changing. The beach is very clean and it was crowded with families. The main sport was scuba diving. It is amarine reserve and no fishing is allowed. Having prepaid our boat fare we collected our boarding pass and waited. Boarding was by paddling on to a ramp and only when the waves pushed the boat on to the beach. Once all the parties were boarded off we sailed. The water is very clear. I did manage to see the shoal of snappers. Most of our fellow travellers could say how many snappers could be taken at any one place and what weight they should be. Our fellow travellers were able to spot more than we could and name them.

From the boat we could see why the water was so calm along this coast of New Zealand. A large number of Islands, in particular Great Barrier Island, kept the shore protected from the full force of the Pacific Ocean. This would not be the case at the place we were to travel to later.

On Thursday we were in until the evening. During the day I started making a cardboard model of the ‘Millenium Falcon’. It is push out plasti-card which needs folding and gluing. It will take a while. In the evening we walked down to the beach and up Cliff Road to the memorial to the ‘Achilles’. There are Maori statues at the look out.

Although Friday was the day before our trip to the ‘Mount’ we walked to the ‘Michael Joseph Savage’ memorial. It was a very hot day and at Mission Bay we stopped for Kiwos. The walk was made difficult by the closing off of the steps at the bottom of the cliff. So we found access from a side street and scrambled up the steep hill. It was beautiful in the gardens. There was some unusual planting. At each corner of the lawn there was a large rectangular flower bed. A row of tallish, blue flowers were planted diagonally so that they made a diamond pattern across the lawn. It was difficult to find some shade to sit but we did some drawing and set off back. The walk home was made longer, in the heat, as we had to walk some way in the opposite direction down the gentle vehicle entrance.

Into Week Six

It's Wednesday already. The day is quite pleasant but we cannot persuade Emily to go out anywhere. I went for a circular walk down to the sea and back. In the afternoon I made my first ginger bread house. For tea we drove down to the fish and chip shop and met Sally on the sea front. However, the wind was cold and we returned to the house to finish our meal. 

The next day we were able to persuade Emily to go out to Crystal Mountain. When we got there the attendant asked if we had been before, to which Emily quickly replied that it is one of our favourite places. She started on the bungy jump and ended there.

 We all went on the train and the visit to the gem museum. Emily went on the horse ride and lots of time on the tractor ride. She fed the animals and petted the rabbit. I took lots of pictures of a peacock that was displaying its feathers. Dinosaurs have appeared everywhere.

As part of the outing we made our way to the cafe in Ellerslie to meet with Sally and be treated to authentic Mexican food.

The next day, as forecast, the rain was torrential. The storm drains here are massive and take the rain water straight out to sea. The coast road can flood when the tides are high and it is blowing a storm off the sea.

The plan was to take Emily to 'Extreme Edge' climbing centre. This was everybody else's plan. We were then supposed to go on to 'Wendy's' burger place, but we were forced to return home by the large crowds already queuing. The next plan was for me to take Irene and Emily down to the manicurist in St Heliers and I would meet Sally for a drink in Mortimers.

The wind and rain were backing off a tad and we sat under the awning, being heated by red glowing electric fires and consuming our beers. As we sat we could see the small cloud that was on top of Rangitoto expand until it obscured the island and moved towards us with more rain. This passed quickly over us and the island became visible once more.

We took one car home and then picked up the well manicured ladies before driving along the coast to Mission Bay. As we went along we could see that the sea had taken a browny hue as the wind whipped up the sea, bringing up the sand in this shallow part.

As requested by Emily we ended up at the Masala restaurant. Thanks to the poor weather it was easy to park and the restaurant was very quiet. Despite this the service was very slow and there was talk of leaving. However, when the food did arrive is was well worth the wait. It was obviously prepared fresh. Sally and Emily had a frozen yoghurt before we came home.

Surprisingly, the  next day was to be very different. Although it started with some light drizzle it soon stopped and by the time that Irene and I got to Hamilton the sky was blue, there was just a breeze and the heat built up quickly.

Once more the crowds were out in force and again we were in the overflow car park. Hamilton Gardens are always beautiful, but today they were spectacular. Our first call was to the toilets and then to the cafe where we had coffee and cake, sitting looking over the lake.

Everyone's a Master Chef

After coffee we paid a couple of dollars each to visit the local, Waikato lilly growers exhibition. This was a real bonus as we watched and heard real enthusiasts talking about their interest.

 Having walked around the lake we found our way to the central gardens where the themed gardens were to be found. Last time we visited this area it was August 2003, it was far cooler, less colourful and less crowded. When we made our 2003 visit to the 'American Modernist Garden' it was quiet. This time children played in the pool.

I repeated some of my shots from the previous visit, including one of Irene on the bridge in the Chinese garden. In one of the gardens Irene overheard a child asking its mother if she could play in the ornamental fountain. Obviously the answer should have been 'No', but the answer was that it would be all right unless someone told you off. 

I almost forget to write about the secluded spot that we 'found'. It took sometime to realise that we were not looking at three circular holes and a mirror.

There were new gardens which included Tudor, Maori, tropical and an English version of a Chinese garden. This was a large lawn with the façade of pagoda. New gardens are planned. 

This visit to central gardens was interrupted by a trip back to the cafe for lunch.

Our final walk was up to the Victorian greenhouses. We have previously enjoyed seeing these but this time they were closed to the public and a wedding breakfast was laid out.

Route 1 always amazes me. It goes from the far north at Cape Reinga down through Auckland and away to Wellington on the south of North Island. A ferry then takes vehicles across to Picton where it continues to the far south to end at Bluff. Even on the bit of it that we travelled to Hamilton the road is so varied. It has three and four lanes in Auckland. It is sometimes a dual carriageway, but suddenly the speed limit drops from 100 kpm to 50 kpm as it goes through townships where you can pull off for refreshments. There is a lot of modernisation going on with new roadways and fabulous flyovers.

On the way back we made a stop at service station north of Auckland. It was very modern with a number of eating place, including a MacDonalds. Here I consumed a Georgie Pie. This is basically a mince and cheese pie. It was world famous in New Zealand, disappeared for some years ago and was re-established by MacDonalds about two years ago. It was delicious.

Twice during the week we had passed Hillside Community Church which is about 10 minutes drive away and we decided to pay a visit on Sunday. I saw on the website that it was a baptist church and to my surprise one of the ministries was called 'Silver Eagles'. It is still the holidays here and it was quiet. It was housed in a large building. Unlike many of the larger churches we found the people to be very open and friendly. The service was very much Pentecostal and was led by a very gifted musician. The service was very open for the congregation to share their thoughts about the scriptures. The contributions flowed and very uplifting. We left them with promise that we would return.

We took our lunch to the top of Mount Wellington, but the cold wind had returned and we only ventured briefly to look over the landscape. From here, with the tide out we could see how narrow, but navigable was the channel from the end of the Spit to Howick.

We wanted somewhere less windy to walk so I drove us down to the Panmure Basin. The tide was out and it was practically dry. However, I was able to take my first shot of my first good sighting of a kingfisher.

The car was pointed towards Pakuranga where I knew would be a Warehouse. There was not a great choice of shorts but I found a suitable pair to buy before heading back.

Today it is Monday 11th and I immediately think about Joe starting is new job and hoping that all goes well for him.

We have just been to take Emily to the Auckland Art Gallery for her first visit. For a while we wondered if this had been a good idea, but the last gallery inspired her and after picking up a MacDonald she began her work.

I have done a stupid. Having got a 'pay and display' ticket from the meter I forgot to display it and have a £20 fine to pay. What a day and it is not finished.

Fines here are strange. They seem to be a fact of life. Even speeding tickets carry no more than a reasonable, financial settlement provided they are paid on time.

Kiwikly Into 2016

New Years Eve was one of the hotter days so far. Sally drove Irene, the girls and me into the city. The events started underground where the girls did a sensory maze and we all did mini golf. A 'rocket' lift took us to street level. Over the years we have watched the civic square develop. One year there was an 'Occupy' camp on the grass. Now there is a funky looking arch. This was near the Coffee Club where we had lunch. I was a bit disappointed to find that there was only one helping of pancakes available. I let Irene have them and I went without my bacon and banana pancakes.

 After lunch we were driven north-west to a PYO strawberry place known as 'Big Red'. In the heat of the afternoon we picked about a ton of the fruit. Emily counted her collection to be 240. 

Emily nearing 240 strawberries

In the evening there was a water-balloon fight before we watched 'Inside Out'.

Then the rain came. It continued throughout new years day and the next day. Many Aucklanders go up north to camp after Christmas. Many of them returned home just as quickly as the rain was more than enough in that part of the country. There were  reports of congested roads, poor driving and bad behaviour. I had an exciting day. Talking to Joe and Julia was a highlight, particularly since we found out that Joe would be starting work on 12th January. I also had a ride out with Ian in search of a computer part.

The next day we stayed in and this time it was the turn of Tim, Isla and Izzie to be on the other end of the Skype connection. Iona was out. She had been to New Year celebrations in London.

On Sunday the rain had passed over, but we had decided to go to the church that we have attended in this country. I looked at their website and saw that the service began at 11.00 am. When we got there at 10.30 am we found that the service had already begun. The leadership, in their wisdom, had decided that, because it was holiday time, they would combine the 9.00 congregation with the 11.00 one. It was a good call since only 1000 people attended. Irene and I sat outside, drinking the free tea and coffee and watching the end of the service on a big screen.

In the afternoon Irene and I went up to the school playground to play with Zoe on the climbing frames.

Ian left for Australia on Monday morning and our plan was to go to the Zoo and MOTAT (Museum of Technology and Transport). Admittedly, it was a public holiday, but  there simply was no way to park near to either place. Even if we walked a long distance we would have experienced severe overcrowding, so Sally decided to go in the opposite direction to the Botanical Gardens. Here we also came unstuck with the usual parking. However, they did have space for an overflow car park.

 The girls enjoyed a good hour or so exploring. then, as we went up to the cafe word came that they had run out of food.

All of the above has never been experienced before, but given that it had been a wet weekend, many people had returned early from holidays and that tomorrow they would be back at work, it was not surprising.

Failing to get to these venues Sally took us to an unknown tourist hot spot, which was a cafe in Ellerslie. Here I almost got my pancakes. It turned out to be waffles with bacon, banana and syrup.

After tea Irene and I drove down to the beach to have a walk along the front. We stopped to talk to a family we know.They had made the decision to be on the beach.

Today it is the 5th. Sally is packing for Zoe to go off to the Jamboree tomorrow. Irene and I have been out to post cards off to the UK and to buy cross stitch material from Spotlight. Now she is happily working on it. The sound of Master Chef is in my background.