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November 10 2001 New Zealand Auckland Devonport
November 11 2001 New Zealand Waiheke Island
November 12 2001 New Zealand Auckland City
November 13 2001 New Zealand Auckland City Team Dinner
November 15 2001 New Zealand Auckland City WaterFront
November 17 2001 New Zealand Piha
November 18 2001 New Zealand Parnell
November 19 2001 New Zealand Office and WalkAbout
November 25 2001 New Zealand Caughey
December 7 2001 New Zealand Friends
November 04, 2001 (Sunday) - Auckland, New Zealand
My flight to Auckland from Los Angeles was pleasant and I was fortunate to be able to sleep off and on during the flight. Having a seat in business class sure helps. Just as we were about to land in Auckland I looked out the window of the plane and couldn't help but notice how green and plush the hillsides are. The only thing that came to mind was that God must have finished creating the earth down here because it seems like perfection from above. The soil is a rich deep brown, perfect for growing probably anything.
After arriving I took the customary walk to baggage claim where it seemed like I waited forever for my bags to come out. While I was waiting I was asked to take off my backpack so a biohazard-sniffing dog could check it out. She didn't find anything. By the way, the dog was an albino beagle. Very cute!
Well I finally made it through customs and more security checks. Oh, by the way. Leaving from SFO to LA I was frisked. I guess because I look like a middle-eastern? Doesn't really bother me though.
My colleague from the states (Patrick Leonard) met me at the airport with a hired car (taxi). The drivers name was Brian. Brian was a nice person. He brought us to a vista point at no charge to get a panoramic view of Auckland. Not sure if it was really free because he added some sort of surcharge once he dropped us off at our hotel.
The hotel I am residing in is called The Heritage Hotel. It is adjacent to the IBM building. My client is located about one block away. I've decided not to rent a car and depend on my feet and public transportation.
So I settled in around 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, Auckland date and time. Auckland is three hours behind but one day ahead of California. I made some phone calls and checked and sent a few emails. Funny thing was is that I can't connect to my outbound mail server at pacbell. Seems like it might be a switching problem of some sort. I was able to relay through another outbound server to allow me to use my personal email software which I am familiar with.
My first mission was to checkout the Cafe's. I found one that seems adequate but I think I missed one major street off Queen Avenue that might have a better selection. More to come on this one. So that was a quick walk down the block about 5 minutes away. I came back to the hotel and exchanged some currency and then went out once again. I decided to walk a different route through the business district. I ended up at the harbor and as I was walking along the pier a lady handed me a leaflet advertising a free harbor ride. One catch was that I had to purchase 2 drinks for 5 NW dollars each. I felt it was fair.
I boarded the ship and purchased my first drink, a New Zealand Steinlager beer. I believe these are also sold in the states. So I was on the upper deck and finished my first drink before we departed and then purchased my second that I would enjoy for most of the remainder of the trip. While on board I met several nice people that were interested in talking to me especially once they new I had just arrived from California. Dixie (a man) spoke to me the most. He is from Auckland and suggested places to visit during my stay. Francis (a lady) who I believe actually runs part of the business was also very friendly and invited me to take their river ride which included a meal at Forresters Arms Taven on Herald Island, which is the 2nd oldest tavern in New Zealand. A man named Domenic was the captain of the ship but I didn't have a chance to talk to him much. This is schedule for sometime Saturday and takes about 5 hours. Looking forward to this. Well I finished the trip off with a glass of white wine. Once the ship docked I thanked everyone for being so hospitable with handshakes and hugs. There are very friendly people down here.
Next I decided it was time for dinner. Along the harbor there are many places to eat. I chose to have Italian food, which was very good. I'm looking forward to having much of the local cuisine. Oh yeah, Francis on the ship offered me spiced mussels. We both tried them. Francis was a bit unsure about them but I liked them, they were the biggest I've ever seen. Very good flavor too. After dinner I strolled along the harbor one last time and looked at some of the America Cup ships that are docked there. I remember seeing these in Tasmania in 1992 with Mary. Next, I found a payphone and called Mary. It was nice to hear a familiar voice. Especially Mary's. Afterward I headed back to the hotel.
Well it's 8:00 p.m. here and it's time to get ready for my first day working here. I'm glad I decided to take the assignment.
Later and G-Day
November 05, 2001 (Monday) - Auckland, New Zealand
Well this was my first day of work. Started out by waking up around 6 a.m. The time change hasn't really effected me yet. So I decided it would be a good idea to explore a little before meeting for work. I found a street name, "Queen Street". Queen Street seems to be one of the main shopping streets in Auckland. While walking down to the harbor I made note of many alleyways that were filled with Café's and other local establishments. Just about a block away from the harbor I encountered a Starbucks. I really haven't been favoring Starbuck's lately in the US but thought I would give it a try down here. The espresso is not nearly as good as local places. The local espresso houses make very good espresso. I'm very impressed. I never thought it would be so difficult to decide which Café to make my regular while down here. There are so many Cafés. Oh well enough of that for now.
Walking back to my hotel I took notice of a few places I want to explore more in detail as time permits. Once back at the hotel I met my colleague who is actually from Jacksonville, Florida. We walked next door to the IBM Innovation Center for about half and hour and then up the street to the client for the rest of the day. I left the clients facility around 4:30 and headed back to the IBM center to finish up some work and then headed out. My colleague from Florida is actually headed to Sydney, Australia on the 6th (Tuesday). Sounds like we're closer to winning another project over there. I'm slated for that in January but may be doing that work from home, which I actually don't mind except I would like to visit family in Sydney.
About 5:00 now and I'm back at the hotel where I promptly changed into jeans and a T-shirt and then left to search for dinner. Found a place on the harbor called "Mecca". Good authentic New Zealand food I think. The espresso was very good. Finished dinner and decided to walk along the pier and then up Queen Street where I ended up at a Planet Hollywood / iMax. I just went inside to check it out. I almost saw a movie but none of the showings interested me. Next I headed back down Queen Street to the pier and then back to my hotel. I've made a few observations, which to me see very interesting and funny in some regard. This actually happened yesterday when I was down by the pier. I was waiting for a crosswalk light to change. It changed but I didn't see it. A lady walking by said to me, "Come on, you can walk now". Maybe it's just me but I've never experienced that anywhere else I've been. It just seems indicative of the quality and friendliness of the people here. Another observation comes from the driving of people here. You have the typical young group that likes to drive fast. I need to remember to look both ways before crossing. So I'm walking along and notice that drivers seems very relaxed and seem to always be looking around while in the seat and not really paying attention to where they were driving. There was a clear explanation for this. They were the passengers riding on the left side of the vehicle. I guess I knew this but it didn't register as quickly as I thought it would.
Well that's all for now. Oh by the way, I didn't bring a camera but will checkout digital camera prices. I'm not much of a picture taker. I depend on Mary for that. She is much better than I am when it comes to that kind of stuff. I think I have somewhat of a photographic memory but it doesn't really compare to having photos.
Well, It's getting late and I must prepare for tomorrow.
Take care.
November 09, 2001 (Friday) - Auckland, New Zealand
It's been a several days now since I've written. Work has been a bit more intense but I'm still finding time to explore Auckland a bit. Yesterday after work I came home and took a brief unplanned nap and then decided I wanted to see a movie. I left the hotel and headed down Queen Street. Not far away is a Planet Hollywood and iMax Theater complex. It's more like a mall similar to the Metreon in San Francisco. The movie was entertaining but I really enjoyed just checking out the local people. Interesting to hear different accents. Some more from Scottish influence than I would expect. Some definite Irish influence as well. Makes for interesting conversation and just listening is a treat.
The past several days have been busier than expected at work. At the end of today the client decided we should have a wrap up meeting and the main thing on the agenda was wine, beer and peanuts. We enjoyed our last hours together before we left for the weekend.
Next I headed back to the hotel and finished off the day with a few phone calls to some colleagues and chatted with my brother for a bit online. It was around 7 o'clock when I decided it would be nice to talk a walk down to the waterfront and see what Friday night were all about in New Zealand. I took a different route down to the pier, which led me a bit further than expected. I circled back and headed to a familiar are of the pier where I knew of some places to eat. I was beginning to wonder about the New Zealand nightlife because up until now I really hadn't noticed much. As the sun dropped and the day turned to night the city and waterfront came to life. Almost as if people were just waiting for the darkness to arrive the lights were lit and the music started to sound. The pier shaped like a ship came to life. I walked around the pier not really knowing where I should stop, rest and eat. On my left were boats with their sails wrapped waiting for their time to go to sea. On my right were just lines of places to eat. Most of the places very crowed and bustling with conversation and music. I kept walking down the pier to find a place called "Neptune". Figured this might be a good place to try some local fish for dinner. I sat down and ordered Seafood Paella. It was a combination of muscles, clams, shrimp, rice, scallops, sausage and herb. It was very good. Prior to my food arriving I just watched, as people just seemed more at peace with themselves and life than I have ever seen. A couple quietly talking to each other with obvious peace and serenity in the way the spoke and looked at each other. Families with children were enjoying the pleasures of family and friends. Among all of this a cool ocean breeze that can only bring peace to any setting.
It soon became evident that the day was catching up with me. I'm writing now from my hotel room sofa watching a local TV show that I really know nothing about. That's about it for today. I'm planning to take a ferry to an island about 15 minutes away on the morning for coffee and to explore a bit. On Sunday I'm planning to possibly rent a scooter and head out to some vineyards for a ride. I've been impressed with Auckland so far and am looking forward to riding through the countryside exploring a bit. More on that later. Those that know me often hear me say that I would like to live in many of the places I visit. This trip is no exception. I am truly blessed for if it wasn't for many sacrifices of my family over the years I probably would never have the opportunities that I have today. I can guarantee that it would have been more difficult without encouragement from family and friends in believing in each other. We all pave the way for each other just sometimes the routes may be longer than others.
November 10, 2001 (Saturday) - Auckland and Devonport, New Zealand
Today is Saturday down under. A day to begin to explore more of New Zealand outside of the main city. Because we are a day ahead of the US I needed to check-in with my colleagues in various parts of the US and Australia. We chatted for a while online about work and then I excused myself to begin my weekend. Around 8:00 a.m. I began walking down the street to the waterfront. The weather was mostly clear. I walked around the pier quiet in it's own right this early in the morning. The water was calm, the air brisk and fresh. Nice time and place for one to gather his or her thoughts.
I made it to the ferry building around 8:30, just in time for the first ferry to Devonport. Devonport is about 15 minutes away. The fare was 8 New Zealand Dollars for a round trip. I boarded the ferry with other travelers and soon had a great view of the Auckland skyline. We arrived in Devonport about 15 minutes later.
I disembarked and began to walk down the pier to exit the ferry building at Devonport. As I exited the door of the building I walked around the corner and just stood there for a while taking in the harbor view in front and turning to view the small village town behind me. While I enjoy the city I like the smaller village towns the best. Walking down the sidewalks I was reminding of towns like Los Altos with it's main street but this had water around it. The streets were quiet as it was still early for most people. I walked up the main street and then back down the other side. I found a small café that appeared to be a local gathering spot. I ordered my espresso sat down and just enjoyed watching people and taking in the fresh morning air. A while later I walked up the street to have some breakfast. The main thing about breakfast that stood out was the apple juice. It seemed freshly squeezed. Well, not really squeezed I guess but freshly made however they make apple juice.
Well, enough of eating for now. I walked back down to the ferry building to see when the next ferry was scheduled to leave for Auckland. I had some time so I decided to call Mary. Fortunately I remembered her cell phone number because I left my Palm Pilot back at the hotel. I think I have a photographic memory in that regard. We spoke briefly about her tentatively coming out but needed to talk later when we had more time.
The ferry arrived so I boarded and returned to Auckland. Arriving back at the hotel I called a scooter rental company on an island I plan to visit on Sunday to reserve a scooter. Then I decided to go into the IBM office next door to catch-up on some work but didn't spend much time there.
Dinner was next on the agenda. I decided that I liked Devonport so much that I would go back for dinner. Same ferry ride so no need to explain that again. Once arriving in Devonport I walk around a bit and quickly found a restaurant that I thought I would like. It was an Italian restaurant call Portofino. I was the only one there. I guess it might have been a little early for dinner. I ordered my dinner, which consisted of a basic pizza with mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, and oregano. I enjoyed my meal with a local beer and finished my meal with a New Zealand Port wine. Just as I finished my meal others started to arrive. It must have been around 7 p.m. I sat for a while enjoying the window view from the restaurant and then after a bit I decided it was time to walk around a bit. As soon as I left the weather changed very fast. It was pouring down rain! I waited under an overhang with some others until the rain subsided. As soon as the rain let up I ran across the street and ducked into a local establishment. Another café / Bar. It was my first experience in a local beer house. I didn't have beer but an evening coffee. The people were nice and friendly but the smoke bothered me a little. I finished my coffee and headed back to the ferry building and then back to Auckland and my hotel. It has been a full day and I'm a bit tired now. Joe, I haven't had much time to research your computer problem yet but I have an idea what might be causing the problem and will research it as time permits.
My thought for today is this. I have seen new things today. I have seen things that are unique to this country and things that are familiar and remind me of others. I am in an industry that is very demanding with my job but I realized a few years ago that the most important thing in life is living and helping others. Sometimes it's hard to find the balance but I think I'm getting better in that regard. Tomorrow I tackle driving on the opposite side of the road. It's 11:00 p.m. now and time for bed. God bless.
November 11, 2001 (Sunday) - Waiheke Island, New Zealand
I wasn't really sure what to expect today. All I knew was that I was going to an Island that didn't sound like it had much of the amenities of the city but in reality had much more.
The day began early. I decided to get and early start to beat the rush that was expected on the weekend. I arrived to the ferry building to buy my ticket to find they hadn't opened yet. The weather was partly cloudy and brisk. I decided to walk around a bit mainly to look for a café. Even the cafes were closed. So I kept walking around the waterfront and then headed back to the ferry building. I noticed that a café had just opened so I went in to have my morning coffee and send a few emails. While waiting for my coffee I noticed to young women speaking western English. I think they were part of a tour group.
Well, I finished my business at the café and decided to go and buy my tickets next. The ferry would leave in about 15 minutes so I got in line to board. While waiting to board I noticed people bringing things like gardening tools, new toilets and other stuff you wouldn't normally expect. So I began to think that this Island didn't have much.
It was time to board now. It was about 8:00 when we boarded and the ferry left port around 8:15. I think I dozed off a bit. I think I needed some extra sleep. After a while I began to look for the Island. I thought I could see it in the distance but wasn't sure. As we approached what appeared to be the island I noticed more boats around and figured that we must be close. We passed a jetty where I saw someone casting a fishing line. I also noticed a jet skier and other boats around us. I could see the pier now. We finally docked and disembarked.
I got off the ferry and just looked around for a while. I needed to find the scooter rental place. I saw it from a distance so I headed that direction. It was located right on the waterfront. There really wasn't much around besides some boats and the beach. I made it to the rental company and signed out my scooter. The guy that was helping me was very thorough in explaining me how to drive it. This may sound funny, but I hadn't driven a two-wheeled motor bike since we were kids and had our mini-bike. It all came back fairly quick. The rental guy told me to stay as far left on the road as possible. So I took that into consideration at first but quickly realized that the proper driving line was the fastest. The scooter maxed out at 50 KPH even though the speedometer went up to 60.
So I just started driving, and driving as far as I could go. I made it to one edge of the island. My objective was to head out as far as possible noting places to stop on the way back. The cars on the road were cooperating and I wold let them pass because they were faster but I really didn't like to have to do this. Going down hill was faster. I think I might have even picked up a few MPH by drafting a car for a few seconds. It didn't last though. The only place I made ground on the cars were through small towns over the speed bumps. The scooter seemed stable at high speeds even though it had small wheels.
So when I made it out to the strand, which is a road along the beach I headed left for a bit then, changed course and backtracked. I took a few photos while on the waterfront and then started to head back. While driving around there was one thing that would always come to mind. It was so over powering. I smelled flowers everywhere I went. No exhaust, not smog, just flowers. It reminded me of flowers in our garden when we were growing up. It almost seemed as though all the plants, grasses and flowers were immediately filtering out any pollutants. It was truly amazing!
I kept driving for a bit and saw a vineyard sign so I darted to the right off the main road. I saw a steep downhill grade and then steep uphill grade. I wasn't sure if the scooter would make it uphill. So I floored it, feathered the throttle so the engine would breathe better. Got up to about 55 KPH and made it up the other end. It probably would have made it regardless but would have overheated the engine otherwise.
The road finally ended at the vineyard entrance. One problem, it was closed. So I turned around and started to head back. I looked to the left as I was driving and saw this amazing view that combined vineyards and the harbor. It was breathtaking. As I continued to drive around I would stop quickly just to enjoy many different vistas. I started back toward a town called Oneroa which is I think at the base of a dormant volcano. Just before the town I notice a vineyard sign so I drove in down the gravel road. The place was called GoldWater Estate. As I drove toward the main store I was greeted by someone washing the picnic tables. I parked the scooter took off my helmet and went inside. The lady was nice and asked if I wanted to order something to eat and some wine. I decided to order a smoked meat platter and one small glass of wine with a bottle of water. All that riding mad me thirsty. The lady was actually a GoldWater. I think her name was Gretchen. She suggested that I walk up the hill to their famous tree, which is on their label. I walked up to find that the view was spectacular. I walked through the vineyard thinking about the stories my father tells me about when he was young carrying grapes back home from the farm in Sicily. I was a very pleasing experience. Next I headed down to the picnic table where my meat platter and drinks were waiting for me. Gretchen came out to make sure everything was okay. She asked why I was here. Business etc. and asked what I did. I told her that I work for IBM and that I was here on business. She said that they were having computer problems so I offered to look at the problem for her. She said that she would let me know if they needed help after I finished my meal. I began to enjoy my meal. While I was enjoying my food all I heard were birds singing. So far this day seemed as though time stopped for me. No worries just the beauty of what nature has to offer.
I didn't notice but there was a young lady cleaning tables a few down from me. She asked if I was from the US because of my speech. Obviously I told her that I was and quickly asked her where she was from because her accent wasn't that recognizable. The said that she was originally from Portland. SO we began talking about the U.S. for a bit then she left and I finished my meal.
Well it was time to leave now. So I thanked everyone there for the hospitality and took off on my scooter. I headed toward Oneroa which was about 2 miles away close to the pier. I noticed a café so I stopped for my afternoon coffee. The espresso was actually very good. It was a quick stop. I quickly got back on my scooter and turned round to go back toward the vineyard but this time would turn left to go into the mountains and to various beaches on the other side of the island. I found some really neat roads that were windy. Here I would have the advantage of the cars. One street name Wilma was especially nice. It seemed as though I was driving though a forest. The grass along the side of the pavement was carpeting the edge of the road. It was quite nice and also very peaceful. The road took me to another road call View Street. It was a bit funny that when I thought I was lost I would just turn down a road that I knew I hadn't been down and it would bring me to a familiar place. You really can't get lost even though there are a lot of roads they all lead to one or two main roads.
As I was driving around especially through town, I think the locals started to recognize me. I kept o lapping other scooters that seemed to be going really slow. Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed the scenery very much but I also love to drive.
Well it was about 1:30 and I decided to head back to return the scooter. I returned the scooter and then waited for the ferry that would bring me back to Auckland. Driving through all the vineyards, beachfront, hills, and small towns quickly made me realize that the island that I questioned early on actually had more to offer in a different way than the city. It's beauty and serenity was unmatched. I can still smell the flowers today.
November 12, 2001 (Monday) - Auckland, New Zealand on The WaterFront (Combined with other days)
Today I would meet to new IBM Team members on my project. Their names are Krish and Feraaz. Two very nice people. Krish lives here in New Zealand and Feraaz lives in Sydney, Australia. I got up a little earlier today to make sure I didn't feel rushed. I arrived at my local café where the owner and barista now knows me as a regular and also knows how I like my coffee. It sure makes a difference starting out your morning this way. The weather today was mixed. It was raining a bit but seemed more tropical than anything else. Many of the locals say that the weather patterns have been changing to a more tropical pattern. I left the café and went across to the IBM office and met Feraaz for the first time. Later we would meet Krish. Well I can't talk much about work. All I can say is that working in a TV station is very interesting. It's a very creative environment and the people all look like they belong on TV. The inside of the station is decorated in deep colors and creative modern designs. All the offices have TV's in them. As you enter through the front door you are greeted by a coffee cart on the left, chairs and sofas on the right and a little further down on the left a Sony PlayStation that anyone can use when ever I guess. The project is starting to pickup steam and deadlines are coming up pretty quick. So enough about work.
It's about 5:00 now and time to leave work for the day. I went back to my room, unpacked my work stuff and then headed down to the pier for a walk. I just walked around for a while remembering my Sunday Island trip and the scooter journey. I remembered my grandmother Nonna Maria telling me stories about when she was back in Sicily and that she would ride on the back of my Grandfathers Vespa. Don't know why this entered my thoughts at that moment. It was a nice memory about my Grandmother.
Dinner here begins around 7:00. It's about 6:30 now so I would start to look around for a place to eat. I found a place called Limone and had a nice meal and espresso. It's late now and I'm pretty tired. I decided to head back and call it a day.
The next day, November 13 was much the same at work but in the evening the IBM and Client Team decided to enjoy a night out for dinner. First we went to a local pub and then to a nice restaurant where we enjoyed the most incredible seafood meal. Everything seems larger down under as far as food is concerned.
On Wednesday, November 14 the local project manager for IBM invited me over for dinner where I meant his children and friends. It was a long night and I got home late. The next day was a little rough.
Well it's Thursday November 15 now and things seems to be more routine. My walk down to the pier would be different today. The weather was beautiful. From a distance, actually as I left my hotel I saw an Italian flag. I knew what it was for but never really noticed it from so far away. As I crossed the road and then on to the waterfront pier I decided to head toward the buildings that housed all the America's cup ships. Walking along the brick pathway I couldn't help but notice all the teams and their flag flying over their buildings. It was a pretty site. I kept walking around. It was a pleasant walk. There was a lite breeze and sails were bustling and fishermen were working on their boats with rigging equipment. I walked around for a bit and then headed back to have dinner at a restaurant call Milano. I had a nice spaghetti dish. I sat there for a while after finishing my meal. It was a nice time to collect my thoughts. It's been about two weeks since I've been here now. I've seen some very nice parts of Auckland and have adventured out to Devonport and Waiheke. I've met some really nice people and am beginning to understand the culture with every passing day. I never really imagined that I would have the opportunities that I've been blessed with. I ask myself what will be next. What will the next day bring. I really don't know but will make the most of it whatever it might be.
I've just covered a few days all in one. I've fallen a bit behind with my updates. This evening I wasn't really hungry, so I grabbed a bag of M&M's and just walked down Queen Street for a bit checking out shops and people. I eventually headed down to the waterfront and looked at a few restaurant menu's but nothing really interested me. Guess I wasn't really hungry. So I'm here on the Sofa and it's about 10:50 p.m. Friday night. Watching the movie, Backdraft. I remember see the sets for this movie when I was working in LA last year. Going to wrap it up now. Tomorrow, Saturday, Krish is taking Feraaz and I to his home and then to a local popular beach and waterfall.
Goodnight
November 17, 2001 (Saturday) Piha and Devonport, New Zealand
I really wasn't sure what to expect to day. I woke up at my usual time and prepared for a day of well-anticipated adventure and fun. My hotel room actually doubles as an apartment so I'll try to refer to it as such as it help me feel a bit more grounded. I left my apartment and headed down to a Café near the harbor called "Liquid". One of the young ladies that works there now recognizes me and even remembers how many sugars I use in my coffee. My primary Café is the one across from the IBM building courtyard. Liquid is my backup when the other is closed. They both make good coffee.
My friend Krish was picking up Feraaz and I at 9:00 a.m. I was a little early so I decided to go for a short walk around the harbor. Soon it was close to 9:00 so I headed back to the IBM office where Krish was going to pick us up. We soon left for our trip. We would drive on a main motorway, which is like our freeways. The drive on the motorway was short, as we headed west through some suburbs and then started climbing. Our ultimate destination was Piha, a popular beach resort for people of Auckland. The roads along the way reminded me of some roads back home. There were some windy parts like La Honda and then some more like highway 17. For the most part the roads were in good condition, probably because there aren't as many cars here.
Driving along all I could notice on either side of the road was green bush. Now I know why they call it "The Bush". I can't imagine how someone that entered could ever find their way out. We passed a road sign that I had trouble making out because "The Bush" was hiding most of it. Later I realized that it said "Concealed Exit Ahead". I bit ironic that the sign warning that an area was concealed was also concealed!
As we were driving, Krish pointed out where his sister-in-law lives and said that her house is usually in the clouds and the clouds are actually inside her house. He also pointed out that many of the driveways would require four wheel drive vehicles because the path was either so steep or not paved. Soon we stopped at a visitors center where we enjoyed some breathtaking views of the coast and Bush. Krish mentioned that the local council wanted to erect something at the Center that would tell the story of the local area. He pointed out a large sculptured picture frame. The picture frame was about 6 feet wide and 4 feet tall with an empty center where a painting or picture normally would be. I walked in front of it and then I understood why they did this. I saw the picture. I'm having a hard time describing it. It was just there. All the beauty of the Bush and Coast encapsulated in the frame. It was a living picture, one that would change with every minute while you looking through it. Really as if it was alive. What better picture than one that god has created.
The visitor's center boasted many spectacular views but time had come for us to continue our journey, which would last another 45 minutes or so. Along the way we passed by Krish's home. We continued through the mountains for a while. The weather was raining off and on so we were taking it a little slow. Soon we reached a vista point where we could see Piha and it's black sand beach. From up above it was evident why it is considered a popular place for locals. We headed down to the beach but didn't stay long as the weather was very windy and sand was blowing everywhere. We noticed some lifeguard training activities going on. Too bad the weather wasn't better because we really wanted to climb up on one of the hills adjacent to the beach. We feared being blown off on the way up so we decided that we'd had enough of Piha beach.
On the way back we were planning to go for a Bush walk on some predefined trails. Soon we reached our destination but we were the only car parked at the entry. The rain must have frightened off people. The weather wasn't that bad and Krish mentioned that when we are in the Bush we would be protected by natural umbrellas of trees. We entered the path and walked for about an hour. We ended up at a beautiful waterfall. It reminded me of Bridal Falls at Yosemite. The water was showering down with a certain softness and peaceful sound. All I could hear were birds signing and the shower of the falls. It was a very relaxing feeling. We stayed there for about 20 minutes and then headed back through the bush and then to the car.
We all enjoyed the walk very much but now it was time to head back. On the way back we stopped by Krish's home for Tea, Coffee and Biscuits. Krish and his family moved here from England about 18 months ago and have been fixing up their new home. The house is about a quarter mile in from the road and bush all around it. Very quiet especially when the kids aren't home he says.
Soon we returned to downtown Auckland where Krish dropped us off and said goodbye until Monday. It was a very pleasant day. It was about 3 p.m. and I was feeling hungry so I decided to go into Auckland's famous Sky City. It's actually a casino but it also has a good buffet for a reasonable price. It's also adjacent to the Sky Tower which is supposed to be the tallest building in the South Pacific, I think. After finishing a late lunch I headed back to my apartment and took a nap. When I woke up I decide that I wanted to go to Devonport, maybe to catch a movie. By the time I got going and to the ferry building it was about 5 p.m. The ferry left around 5:15. It only takes about 10 minutes to get to Devonport so we arrived around 5:30. I walked toward the local movie house but decided to have dinner first. So I found a small Italian restaurant and had a pizza and some pizza bread. The pizza had a little too much cheese for me but otherwise it was good. I left the restaurant and headed across the street to the old movie house and purchased a ticket. The movie was out by around 8 p.m. I headed back to the ferry building and ended up back at my apartment by around 9 p.m. It was a long day and I was very tired. I retired, gratified of the places I saw today. Things around here are starting to become familiar but not old. There always seems to be something new each day I experience New Zealand.
November 18, 2001 (Sunday) Parnell, New Zealand
Taxi to Parnell Villiage about 3 miles out of the city. Looked for the rose show but only found a small rose display at a local church. Passerby asked me where the rose festival was. Walked up and down Parnell Road, stopped and had lamb pita pocket and water. Noticed a group of four people talking standing on sidewalk when I arrived. They were still there talking when I left about 45 minutes later. Continued to walk around and then stopped at a Starbucks for an Espresso and Cinnamon roll. The girl behind the counter mentioned that she was getting married next year. She seemed happy. I congratualted her and then sat down to have my coffee and roll. Walking in I noticed little birds all over someones table picking up table scraps. As I was having my coffee and bird landed and was searching around my table top for food. Walk around through local shops and then headed back to town by foot. Stop at the waterfront and then back to the hotel.
November 20, 2001 (Tuesday) Auckland, New Zealand
Today I saw an old ship with its sails pushing it through the water. I saw a bird preparing for flight and taking off from the water. I saw views of a skyline at night. It's not that I haven't seen these types of things elsewhere before it's just that I've only just understood what they really stand for. Maybe it's because I'm in a foreign place and the people and places are new, allowing me to understand what life is really all about.