29 – 30 November 2014
After a long day of traveling and some delays in leaving Brisbane we arrived into Auckland in the early hours of Saturday morning.
We had 2 great days with Keith and Lynley Edwards and their family. The own and operate All Secure Self Storage in Auckland and have sites in Wellington, Christchurch and Lake Taupo. We spent Saturday exploring the city. The Viaduct on the waterfront was redeveloped for the World Cup and was also the site for the America’s Cup challenge in 1989. We also checked out Parnell where the Prime Minister lives and the nearby rose garden. Took time out to watch a Waka – a mouri war canoe.
We bought some fresh seafood and cooked dinner at home in their apartment above the self storage facility.
On Sunday Geoff and I caught the ferry across to Waiheke Island, about 30 minutes across the harbour. We hired a car and drove around the island. Enjoyed
a great lunch at the Man of Wars vineyard. The restaurant and gardens are right on the beach. Great setting for a lazy (but delicious) lunch and a bottle of their reisling.
When we arrived back on the mainland we met Keith and Lynley for dinner. We were joined by their son Hamish, daughter Nicole and her partner Rohan. We dined at the Brew on Quay – a former police station complete with bullet holes in the brick facade. We enjoyed a nightcap around the corner in the Northern Steamship Co. All of these bars and restaurants in Britomart are established in former commercial buildings that have a seafaring past. The decor in this bar is quirky with lots of standard floor lamps hanging upside down from the ceiling.
