Flying Foxes

On Saturday there was an opportunity to photograph flying foxes with the telephoto lens. Mum and I took Emily to the park while Ian and Sally took Zoe to the zoo.

This is the best that I could do.



In the afternoon I set off in search of ginger beer. (We already had Cadbury chocolate with Macademia nuts ready for the Saturday night feast). The east coast of Australia has the famous Bundaberg brewery. For quite a while I wondered if I would find any. There is a little convenience store in Parramatta and there it was; Bunderberg Ginger Beer.

Parramatta Park

Yesterday mum, Sally, Emily and Zoe went to Parramatta Park. It is a large area. The muddy Parramatta River flows through.

The main feature is the Old Government House. The park and the house go back to the 1790s.

The girls had a good play on the swings and things and a walk in the park.

Birthday at the Bridge

I would never have believed that I would ever celebrate my birthday at Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House.

Sally and family put on a good do at the apartment.

There were rugby hats, scarves and phone holder. I had already had made use of the SATNAV from all the family.

After breakfast we made the journey and enjoyed coffee by the bridge. The opera house is difficult to photograph in the wet, but it is spectacular.

The day ended with white-chocalate mud cake.

Olympic Pool Day

This morning we visited Sydney's Olympic Village - in particular the Olympic Pool. It covers a vast area with many pools including the fun pools.

Sally, Emily, Zoe and Nan togged up. Suddenly there was a small drama. Nan, who is the only person I know who can swim without a bathing hat and keep her hair dry was drenched. In the 'fun' end there is a giant bucket fed by water. The contraption is designed to topple over at a particular water level. There are warning bells, but nan did not understand what they meant.


Despite the soaking they all had fun and we ended with a feast of hot food, doughnuts etc.

Everyone is now resting, except for Sally who is charging about sorting child care and Ian who is at his second day of work.

One of the cars is in for minor repairs and we are improvising with one. It was a bit hairy following Sally along roads we were not familiar, even the SATNAV got confused, but I managed to keep the Camry in the convoy.

Arrival

It is now Monday evening at 5.40 pm. It has been dark for sometime.
We landed safely on Friday night; having circled the Australian sky waiting for a landing slot. Ian met us.The air was cold and we were dressed for the 32 degs of Hong Kong. Fairly straight to bed. Saturday was familiarisation and shopping. On Sunday we did meet some of the wild life.


Today has been Medicare and car day. You wait in a very sophisticated queue system and collect a form. On Saturday Sally and Ian return to the queue with completed form. The afternoon was more interesting. Sally collected a cheque and then we set off to the garage. The Camry was about ready for collection. The deal was done. I drove the petrolless Camry back to the apartment. Why don't they put petrol in or maybe be close to a filling station.
The car is now in the apartment garage and Sally has gone off in the Zafira to pick up Ian after his first days work.
Sally and Ian now have two cars and a house which they can move into on 23rd; furniture or no.
Emily and Zoe are coping with the move very well.

Last Post Before Home

Tomorrow is our last day here in Kiwi land. A final picture blog will sum up this journey when we get home.

On Saturday it was Zoe's birthday. It was a good day. It started with some present opening and then Ian, Sally and Zoe set off as the party organisers at 'Butterfly Creek'. Half an hour later, mum, Emily and I followed behind.

No one thought that the weather could be as good as it was. we left a dull Glover Park and turned up at the party to baking heat. The party went well and the first drops of rain fell and turned into a downpour when we got back.

We spent the afternoon presenting, but it became obvious that leg stretching was in order. All of us drove off to 'Valentines' in Papuranga. At this restaurant you could eat as much as you wanted, including pud for a fiver. The choice was wide, including baby octopus and the quality was high. A good day ended well.

On Sunday it was 'Around the Bays' day and, despite dire predictions, it was hot and sunny. The family had made provisions to 'batten down the hatches', but suddenly Ian decided to take Emily to the zoo. For me it was a good opportunity to do the photo swap with Sally. Ian prepared tea and then mum and I set off for my final NZ photo shoot of Auckland City from Devonport. I stayed as long as I was allowed. A few minutes more would have bought real darkness.


Today we are doing last jobs around the house and getting ready to pack in the morning. We have had a final walk down to St Heliers shops and I hope to go to Sylvia Park to buy a new suitcase this evening.

Oriwa and the Hibiscus Coast

Sally took the day off on Wednesday. This is becoming standard practice for her to have a special day with us just before we leave.

This time we chose to go to Oriwa.This is a holiday town just north of Auckland. It has a huge clean beach and a few shops. We walked most of the beach. Their were many beautiful shells which mum enjoyed and collected some. We had morning coffee with cheese cake and headed back via the Hybiscus Coast. This a long peninsula with one road in and out. It can get conjested in rush hour and holiday times. We passed through an area which was a settlement for the wealthy centred on the Gulf Golf course. The open is player here. It is a strange place. At the end of the peninsula is a headland. It mainly belongs to the army, but there is a short path which allowed us to 'go bush'.

Another strange part is called Manly and there is a sign saying 'Manly' and 'Ladies Mile'. Work it out.

We stopped at one more bay. It was small, but almost within wading distance was an almost pyramid shaped island.

On the way back to Auckland we stopped off at a shop called 'Spotlight'. It is a 'Hobby Craft' plus kitchen and bedroom wares.

Today we have had Zoe home with a cold. I took Sally to work then Emily to childcare, then Zoe shopping, then to 'Placemakers'. I have added a new downpipe to the car porch.

A little while ago Sally called. I went off to pick her up and on route home we took Emily in to the doctors. She will be home tomorrow. Zoe will be in daycare sharing a Dora and Diago cake.

Tonight we are baby sitting while Sally and Ian visit Churchill Park School as a possible palce for Zoe quite soon.

I will not be posting pictures until I get home.

Banquet and Thomas

Saturday was a busy day. It started by taking the hire car back to the city. From here we went to Pakuranga shopping centre. The main street is called Aylesbury Street. The main claim to fame is that it has a British shop. However, our main mission was shoes for Sally and Zoe. Then it was a dash to Zoe's ballet class. From here we went back to Sylvia Park. The show issue was not resolved and we were birthday present buying. This shopping trip turned out to be extensive and we returned home with a short time before the banquet.

Karen arrived about 6 pm to baby sit and ian drove us in to Mission Bay. Having arrived a little early we had beers at the Belgium Bar. From here we moved on to the Tai restaurant. Sally had booked a window table overlooking Selwyn Domain, the sea and, of course, Rangitoto.

The food and the wine were excellent and we hope that the were a good treat from us to Ian and Sally at the start of our final week here.

On Sunday Sally, Ian and Zoe went off to swimming lessons. We took Emily off to the beach, but our time was cut short by the arrival of spots of rain and the returning family.

After a short time home I drove Mum and Zoe out to Glenbrook Vintage Railway. It was Thomas weekend.

Mum and Zoe on Thomas

It was very busy. The ladies rode Thomas in an open carriage. We found lunch on the platform where we purchased tickets for a longer run down the line in proper coaches. The presentation of the engines was excellent. They all had names and their faces were properly moulded and fixed to the front. It was an amature thing, but well done.

Not the Office Roof

On Thursday morning Zoe had a special treat. Sally went off to work. Karen picked up Emily and took her to child care. Later we took Zoe to see mummy at work in her office.


As you can see, Sally is in the beverages business. Zoe stayed longer than we thought she would and we were able to join in with enjoying the chocolate cheese cake being shared to celebrate the departure of one of the staff to maternity leave.

Having dropped Zoe back to child care we returned home to do a few jobs. The wind was getting stronger and the weather was deteriorating. As we sat eating lunch there was the most almighty metallic crashing sound. We rushed to the window thinking that something had blown off the house to see part of the roof of the park building opposite on the other side of the car park and another piece blow across, hitting the power cable, causing sparks and landing across the end of our drive. There was no disruption to the power.


We watched as the council workers on the park calmly did nothing. However, the foreman was soon on his mobile phone. We watched as the wind threatened to bring the corrugated metal sheet up to the drive and into the front of the hire car. No one would believe it if I saw two cars go to the body shop in one holiday. (By the way, Sally had her car back and it looks better than it did before the collision - even the rust had gone.)

In a short time a fire engine appeared and naturally started the proceedings by putting out cones.


As you can see the council work men had the wisdom to run a digger on to the sheets in the park to prevent further damage.


Once they got going the firemen and the workmen quickly got the bits of roof removed and tidied up.

No one was injured and, apart from the roof, no serious damage was done. The lady owner of the white car in the picture above returned to her car to find the scene of devastation, but was obviously relieved to see her car completely unscathed and was escorted off the scene by the firemen.

I checked with a fireman whether it was safe to leave and we set off to the local garden centre. The wind was getting more furious and the coast road was getting drenched by waves breaking on the sea wall.

We arrived at Palmers Garden Centre as it started to rain. The centre has a collection of brollies for customer use. (Great idea - UK garden centres take note.)

We collected the girls, had tea, spent some time on our own before rejoining Sally for another episode of 'Boston Legal' before going to bed with the wind howling and rain lashing down. Aucklanders were warned to keep off the roads between 7 am and 12 noon, but by morning it was calm so we took the girls to school and then went off to do some shopping in Newmarket and Slyvia Park.

We were pleased to find a letter from Jenny when we arrived back. (It was a little soggy -Please note the mail box. Papers are put in the round hole and letters through a slot in the box below. The box has a rear flap which blows about in the wind.)

The weather looks brighter and the wind has dropped.

Beach and New Car

On Sunday Ian and Sally took Zoe off to swimming lessons, followed by breakfast and special Early Learning Centre shopping. Mum and I used the buggy to take Emily down to the beach. She became very excited when she saw the playground; so much so it was difficult restraining her - and it would be one of those moments when traffic was heavy.

The beach was in full use. A large group of children were having their fourth surfboard lifesaving class.


After her time in the playground Emily spotted the beach. She was bit miffed when we would not let her simply jump off the high grassy bank on to the beach. However, as soon as she got on to the beach she spotted the sea. She made a bee-line for it with mum in hot pursuit. The sea edge is still lined with sea weed from the recent storm, but mum found a clearer space near the rocks.


The sea was really busy. Further down the bay a large group of people were in various stages of swimming to Rangitoto and back and there were many boats of various sizes in view.

We regrouped for a really nice lunch and after lunch it was time to get the new car.

We knew that this week was going to be difficult for Sally, but we had plans. On Friday Ian informed us that it was going to be difficult for him to help. The solution was that we had a car, leaving both of them free to come and go as they needed. Ian came up with the idea of using air-miles to hire one (if you remember the Subi is off the road at least until Wednesday at the earlist). So, Sally and I went off into town. We did not realise that the Saturday street jazz festival had been transferred to Sunday in Mission Bay, causing a slight delay.

The centre of Auckland City is strangely quiet on a Sunday and all the car hire places are in one area. The hire was speedily carried out and soon I was following Sally on detour of Mission Bay route in a rather nice red Mitsubishi Lancer.


Another good meal, prepared by Ian ended a pleasant, if half stormy weekend. The only trouble being that I went to bed itching madly due to insect bites we think we picked up from the pond side at Monterey Bay. They still itch even now.

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

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.

Strawberries, Wine and Trains

Thursday 12th was to be the only full day that Ian, Sally and girls spent with us.

This was also the day to discover that the cable to the SAT NAV was not working. We manually followed the family to 'Strawberry Patch'. Here Zoe had a happy hour picking fresh strawberries and we had coffee.

From here we followed to 'Clearwater' winery. The best part was sampling the product. The final one 'Sea Red' was particularly tasty and we have a bottle to share and eat chocolates with. After lunch the family went back as the girls were tired. We wondered around the vineyards and spoke to a young Kiwi man who was humping barrels. He was not looking forward to returning to his studies in Uni next week. I guessed what he was earning money for and left him with the wish that he did not drink it all at once.

We found our way back to Napier, being particularly pleased to find the 'Rothman's Building' again and bodly enter the foyer to photograph interior Art Deco details.

In the afternoon Ian, Zoe and myself made our own journey into 'Train World'. Zoe enjoyed controlling the engines on the Thomas layout, but we spent nearly an hour there because of the play she had on the wooden Thomas layout.

The largest central model was a very imaginary (no comment) model of British trains. The star model was one that started life as a model of Us scene, became Napierised, was purchased and presented to the town. A ride round on a miniature railway completed Zoe's time there.

Here we go again; 'where are my glasses?'. We had just driven off. Ian drove round to the front of 'Train World' and waited in a parking bay. I retraced my steps around Train World and then along the alley back to where we had parked. Coming back to the car I was giving up and beginning to hope that I had left them back in the house. At this point I spied them on a low wall. There is a God who watches over lost spectacles and a helpful Kiwi who picked them up of the pavement. Thank you both; if you are reading this.

On the way home Ian called in to to sort out the SAT NAZ. Zoe had gone to sleep in the back. I began to feel hotter and hotter. At which point I tried to open the door. Locked in. So I tried the windows - electric. I didn't try the air con - no power. In desperation I twiddled a lock on the door. This triggered the alarm. Ian dashed straight out laughing and gave me the keys. No I had air - even air con. After lengthy negotiations Ian appeared with the new SAT NAV cable.

Home for tea, walk and bed.

Napier - Part 1

Napier, having a population of over 50,000 is designated a city. It is on the sweeping Hawkes Bay. It was planned as a town in 1854, but in 1931 it was virtually destroyed by an earthquake reading 7.9 on the Richter scale.

Most of the buildings before 1931 were destroyed by fire, but over two years the town was rebuilt during the peak years of the Art Deco style.

Unfortunately it would seem that this country has little concern with history. I have seen it written that nothing here is worth preserving because it is not old enough. There are many Art Deco features in Napier, but much has been allowed to come into disrepair, destroyed or modified.

We, that is Sally, Ian, Zoe, Emily, mum and I flew in to the town on a twin prop plane. This makes it the first time that mum and I have ever flown on anything other than a jet.

The girls travelled quite well. It would be the first plane ride that Zoe would remember. Emily perhaps won't remember this trip quite the same.



The flight took us over some rather bleak ranges.




I am always pleased with the detail of my aerial photographs taken without image stabilization using a standard lens. The following image is a very clear one of the moment when the wheels touched down.

The plane landed on the tarmac of the small domestic airport and we were soon through.

After the flight we were in convoy of cars. Ian had the SAT NAV in the red Toyota Camry and so I followed behind, with mum, in the silver Camry and parked outside our holiday home. Both cars had air con and automatic gears. This was in a very quiet area 'near the airport'. The open Pacific Ocean was a short walk over a browned grass and a gravel beach. From the horizon their was nothing but water between us and America. It was a peaceful ocean at this point.

Napier has a reputation for being sunny and dry. But, that did not take into account the arrival of the rain gods from Nottingham. I did try to persuade the grateful residents to bow down and worship us and bring offerings of gold. The chap next door just laughed.

Out accommodation was good. Mum and I had the upper floor with a bed sit room, en suite and balcony. The Clark family had two bedrooms off the kitchen, lounge and spa bath area.This arrangement worked well.

This is our room with balcony looking over the sea.

Once we were settled I drove out to Napier with mum, Sally and Zoe. We got to the sea front where there were certainly Art Deco signs. The central promenade gardens were like many UK seaside towns.

The beach that we saw was somewhat disappointing, being made of grey gravel that was just becoming black sand grains. Zoe enjoyed this and mum enjoyed collecting the white drift wood that was prevalent on the beach.

We made a visit to a shop called . Here we came face to face for the first time with deadly 'possum'; destroying scourge of the kiwi bird in the country. This group were on top of a mini singing of their victories.

On our return we came upon a beautiful example of Art Deco. This was labelled 'National Tobacco Company'; being known as the from the 1950. It is now a gymnasium. Cool!!! I made a return a visit on Thursday and was able to photograph some of the interior.

I finished the day with a photograph of Napier Harbour taken from our balcony.

Crystal Mountain and Botanic Gardens

Today we went our separate ways.

Mum, Sally and Emily went off to the Botanic Gardens and Ian, Zoe and myself went off to Crystal Mountain.

The range of charges was daunting.

Crystal Mountain is an area some distance away in Auckland. It is trying to be a theme park for adults and children, but it fails in being a theme park and children friendly. It has number of activities for children, but these are hourly and children just won't wait. There is a roller coaster which Zoe went on, a tractor train, which we had to give up on, pony rides, crystal panning. There was also a display of crystals and a well stocked crystal jewellry shop.

We regrouped at the house and had a leisurely afternoon. It was too hot to be out for long. UV burn times, with blocker, were extremely small.

In the evening Sally and Ian went for a meal in Parnell while we baby sat. When Sally got back we sat and watched the first episode of 'Boston Legal' - strange but enjoyable, with William Shatner playing a comic part as an aging head of a law firm.

It is now Sunday morning, the day is starting, the sun is starting to blaze and we are promised temperatures near to 40 C with burn times of 3 minutes. Keeping cool and out of the sun is the priority. There is no actual air conditioning, but the heat exchanger between the roof space and the house is on and I expect all the fans will soon be buzzing.

Dining Out

On the same Wednesday we, (Ian, Sally, Mum and me) were invited out to dinner. Karen, who is Sally's child minder had told her parents about us and they were keen to meet us. Ted Worthington was an ex-pom. He has lived here for 50 years, having left the ship on which he was serving at the age of 23. He had worked hard on various jobs such as fruit picking and eventually bought a small fleet of fork lift trucks at the height of the building boom in NZ. His wife was a blond Kiwi named Dianne.

Ian drove us to quite a 'normal' home in Mission Bay. It had the usual steep drive. It ended at a car porch containing a BMW car and a Mercedes pickup (neither brand new). We were shown into a small room at the end of which appeared to be an illuminated beer pump. We were offered a complicated array of beers or wines and nibbles. It became obvious that we were in a small bar room. It had imitation black oak beams. Around the edge were genuine horse shoes. There was hunting horn, a stack of old vinyls. Pictures of boats, airoplanes and trains. Ted knew the writer of the ancient railway magazine. There was an old picture of a mansion in Colney with an old Bentley out side the door. Ted now has an old Bentley in the garage. I did not quite catch whether it was the same Bentley that was his father's one outside the house in the picture.

Before we left we were asked what we would like to drink and Ted busily loaded up a bottle bag. Ian drove Sally, Mum, Karen and I down into Mission Bay we parked and made our way into a fish restuarant where we were seated at table for 7.

Ted arrived and there was a load pop as the champagne cork accidentally flew out of the bottle in the bag that he was carrying. He plonked down the wine and asked the waitress for glasses. They said that they did not have enough. Ted refused one of the glasses as it was dirty; was annoyed that there were not enough glasses and strangely enough a whole batch of clean wine glasses appeared. The restuarant did sell its own wine, but in NZ it is quite normal for customers to have their own wine and use glasses from the restuarant.

We had a good meal of snapper, chips and salad and having had good time and arranged to sail with Ted on Thursday we went back home arriving about 9. All was quiet and we went to bed.

The Row

Last night I had the most almighty row with Mum. She had gone to bed concerned about food. She would not settle she kept getting up and down, putting the light on, reading and prowling about. I wanted to sleep. I had this amazing row speech in my head. It cannot be repeated here or anywhere. In the morning it turned out that she had been asleep all night. Perhaps I was too, but I'll never be sure.

Mum as gone out with Sally and the girls for a school dental check up. When they get back I will go off to work with Sally and bring the car back. Then we will set off across the Harbour Bridge towards Devonport (This is the Kiwi naval base - I'll try and count the ship). Here I hope to be closer to the yacht race. It is time to revisit Mt Victoria.

Now to find out about Facebook, crashed car and snowmen.

Beaches

Saturday and Sunday were beach days.

On Saturday morning we went off to St Heliers Bay beach with Sally and the girls. Emily generally kept awat from the water, but Zoe could not get in far enough.

On Sunday Ian took us with Zoe to Piha.

St Heliers is on the east coast and Piha is on the west coast at the other side of the Waitakere Mountain Range. The sand is shelly at St Heliers and it is generally calm, whereas the west coast has black sand made from volvanic rock and the shore is constantly pounded by waves. A sea mist hangs near the ends of the bays and surfers find this to be paradise. many bachs hang off the mountain side.

Zoe was more careful about the sea at Piha and spent time digging into the black sand.

The Beach at Piha

After our morning we headed back. We stopped at a cafe / restaurant in the mountains. The food was plentiful. The starters were meals in themselves. The place was called 'Elevation' and the view across the forest and city was spectacular.

View From Elevation Restuarant

On Saturday afternoon Ian and I went off shopping. A huge box of Tomy trains which were supposed to be $300 were on sale last week for $200. On Saturday they were $100. That is £30.

We also bought two sets of curves to go up. We had a rough go at the weekend. Today I have rebuilt the track. I now want somebody to explain why; whichever direction you put the engine on the track it always finishes going the same way. That is; if you pick up the engine and replace it facing the way in which it came, when it comes back it is facing the way it arrived in the first place.

Tracks plans are going - at a price.

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

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.