AUCKLAND

FRIENDS OLD AND NEW.
1. Before we left the UK on January 7th. we'd fixed up to meet Richard and Aileen Swain when we got to Auckland. Richard is another ex-BT colleague of Steve's, currently working in Auckland. He and Aileen have lived in rented accomodation on their previous times in New Zealand but recently took  the mind-blowing decision to buy a yacht on the North Shore and to live on it! And, of course, sail in their weekends and free time.
We met up again with Richard Millard and Margaret, who'd been visiting a volcanic island off Auckland, and had a lovely evening together and a delicious meal in Devonport.
Many thanks too to Richard and Aileen  for inviting us stay the night onboard!

Pre-dinner drinks on deck.

A 7 berther.

The name couldn't have been more appropriate.

And then to the Hotel in Devonport overlooking the harbour.  Richard used to live next door....

Dinner at the Hotel Esplanade.

Just a short ferry to work in the city....

2. We'd also fixed up to meet Matt Campbell, Sue's cousin, and his wife Jenny. Matt is 6 months older than Louise, and Teresa, his mother, and Sue were sporting bumps at the same time when they met in Midhurst in 1981.
Matt and Jenny moved out to Auckland last March, and Matt teaches in an International School while Jenny practises Law in Auckland. Jenny's parents (Richard and Sue) were on a visit over from the UK too when we visited.

The way down to Matt's house is a very steep incline so we left the car at the top. How does everyone we meet here live in such fabulous locations, looking out over the bay?

We set off in convoy to One Tree Hill which has panoramic views over the city of Auckland. Auckland houses a quarter of New Zealand's population. Apart from the motorway, which Steve hated, there is still a country- town feel with lots of green and low density housing.

One Tree Hill gives a panoramic view of Auckland, and is topped by a 33m-tall obelisk.

In the 19th century the site was bought by the Scottish medic and 'Father of Auckland', Sir John Logan Campbell, who was one of only two European residents of Auckland in 1840. Campbell went on to make a considerable fortune, and became Mayor of Auckland in 1901.

On his death, Campbell donated his One Tree Hill estate to the people of New Zealand, and named it Cornwall Park.

With its beautifully manicured lawns, ha-has and flower beds it could be the grounds of an English stately home. Matt and Richard entered into the feel of the place by ordering High Tea, sandwiches, cakes and mini-scones served on a three-tiered stand. A lovely end to a very pleasant day!

We hope to see Matt and Jenny again, in the Coromandel, before we head back home, and to see Richard and Sue in Les Chapuis on their French travels.

 Devonport

We spent some time, between meeeting friends, at Devonport,  one of Auckland's oldest suburbs. We called into the local  i-Site, New Zealand's excellent tourist information centres, and picked up a map of a suggested walk through the town.

Devonport has a tree-fringed waterfront as well as a wealth of pretty, late-19th century houses.

Mount Victoria is an ancient volcano that backs Devonport, and is the  site of a Maori fortified village. It's an easy walk to the top and from its peak there is a fabulous view of the bay below.

Funny what you come across in unexpected places!

No visit, for us at least, would be complete without something to eat! At first we thought this was an Irish pub, but the waitress was at pains to tell us that it represented all 4 Home Nations (hedging their bets?). In any event, we got into conversation with an English woman who had lived in New Zealand for 10 years after setting out to travel in the Pacific but had met and settled down happily with an Irishman and was now a Kiwi at heart.

UNBELIEVABLY, as we were leaving Mount Victoria Sue spotted this number-plate. It couldn't possibly have been a reference to Ipswich Town Football Club?? We had to take a picture, but as the driver was in the car eating his lunch, we thought it might be advisable to ask his permission first. He turned out to be an Essex-born fervent supporter of the 'Tractor Boys', who'd lived in New Zealand  for 11 years and had been planning to get tickets for this year's Carling Cup Final UNTIL Arsenal put a spanner in the works. We swapped reminiscences of Suffolk, Bobby Robson and Portman Road. What a small world!!

A Great Couple of Days in Auckland - we will dedicate to the Tractor Boys