At c.8 am, with another sunny day welcoming us, we started planning our one full day in Auckland…
Stage 1 – Lighten the Load
We had concluded that we would need to send some of our excess clothing back to the UK, so made our way to the closest NZ PO realising in the process that, not unlike Edinburgh, Auckland is made up of 7 hills!
It came as no surprise that our 2 bags weighed in at 10 kgs, but needs must…
Next door, in the Parnell district, was an old church that merited a further look…
After a brief coffee stop we got an Uber taxi (within a minute 😊) to take us the 5 km across the city, taking in the variety of architecture on show…
Stage 2 – Fulfilling a Lifetime Ambition
Any fan of rugby will be familiar with the ground where the All Blacks play their home test matches..🏉😊🇳🇿
I had only ever seen this iconic ground on TV from the inside, but its outside, set in a suburb of traditional properties, is equally impressive..
…and 2 very famous statues celebrating international rugby “firsts” form part of the main entrance…
I was happy to try to emulate the older one, but not the Michael Jones’ try! – and, No, I have no idea how that logic-defying statue manages to stand there like that either!
Tours of the stadium run Thursday to Sunday, so we were outside that window; however, Julie noticed that the entrance used for the tours had a light on and some kit etc for sale.
Once the receptionist, Karen (who had worked there for c,25 years), realised we were not from the latest cruise ship in town, she took pity on our plight and invited us into the corporate entertainment section of the main stand to get some “I was there” photos 😊
Outside the ground there are also a number of Maori carvings standing like sentinels warding off any ne’er do wells…
…plus some old bloke revelling in the experience 😉🏴…
Feeling very fortunate we then took the train back into the centre of the city …
… whereupon we embarked on…
Stage 3 – Exploring the City Centre
On exiting the station at the Britomart terminus we were immediately impressed by the setting and the extent of the greenery…not to mention the huge cruise ship moored nearby…
…and this then merged naturally into…
Stage 4 – The Marina Walk
This area was regenerated over several years, driven partly by Auckland hosting the Americas Cup, and there is an awesome fitting tribute to that occasion..
An abundance of eateries are located along the way, one of which we succumbed to for a late lunch, speculating just how much did some on the “Gin Palaces” harboured here might cost 🤔…
By this time, with the temperature still rising, we felt we needed a better view of the city, so made our way through the streets for…
Stage 5 – Reach for the Sky
When the city was being regenerated the planners opined that it needed an iconic emblem, which resulted in the Sky Tower, which, at 328 m high, is the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere 😊🇳🇿…
Upon entering the building for our tickets it was clear the hotel was geared up for the forthcoming celebrations for the Chinese New Year…
A jet lift then propelled us up to level 52 where we carefully, unlike some very brave toddler (whose mother kindly gave permission for the shot), avoided the glass tiles!
We then took the lift up to the higher platform at level 60…
With a better understanding of just how far and wide this city extends, and why it appeals so much to the sailing fraternity, we made our 40 second descent in preparation for…
Stage 6 – The End of the Day
We strolled back, taking in more of the street art and crafts on display…
By the time we got back to our hotel at 7.30 pm we had walked 10 miles/16 km and made c. 23,000 steps; we dined in the restaurant, reflecting on yet another fabulous day in this remarkable country 😊
BTDU 