A day in Auckland

at Eden Park

Auckland skyline with the sky tower taken from the ferry

Wanda and me on top of Mt. Eden

Auckland is to Thames as Fernandina Beach is to Jacksonville. Small town close enough to a big city to visit, to shop and take in big cultural events. The bus took us though the plains, up to Bombay (farming land of Eastern Indians), up the hills and to the ferry ride across Half Moon Bay to Auckland. The sky tower, a casino/restaurant/viewing point presides over the city. It reminded me of the West Jerusalem YMCA tower in that, I thought if I got lost I'd just start walking toward the tower and find my way back. Of course, this group isn't going to let me out loose on my own, so I wouldn't have to think about that! Calm waters made for a non-upset tummy trip and we were off to the maritime museum for a self guided tour of dug out canoes, yachts, boats, boats, boats and more yachts. The three ladies I walked through with were as interested in the America's Cup full size yacht and canoes as I was. It was like a very sweet treat - a little goes a long way - but an hour and a half was making a cavity in my brain. Then we were off to lunch and a walk around Eden Park, which is a reclaimed quarry. What a great idea! I could feel the circular cuts the machinery had made walking down down the curving walkways. Family could pay for a tree or whatever and have their cremated loved one buried there. Another great idea! Make cemeteries place where everyone could visit as a park/garden, so the departed didn't get all the good views from up high on a hill or 'resting' taking up green space. The Museum of Auckland was next. I should say I liked the Maori displays and extinct birds, but I enjoyed seeing the live geckos (from Geiko)! Then we went up, up, up to Mt. Eden, one of the dormant volcanos surrounding Auckland. A huge crater, now greened up, with a walking track around it, gave us a chance to get our blood moving. My legs said, "RUN!", so I did. I joined in the other runners (who had run all the way UP the mountain, were running AROUND it several times and then DOWN it).
OH - I felt like a runner again! I hadn't consulted my lungs, though, and I coughed and wheezed all the way back to Thames - darn allergies and asthma! Wanda, ever to the rescue, gave me one of her inhalers when we got back. (I wishfully had left mine at home)
We then were off to a wonderful dinner at another FF couple's home and, for me, straight to bed with my - getting to be a nuisance- Tylenol PM, to sleep through the coughing spells.