Echo Beach
Paradise, thy name is Waiheke Island. I would like to make it clear that I have only condescended to enter an Internet Cafe (and one that smells like teenage boys and plays Metallica, at that) because Ed and I both needed to check e-mail before we go home and this might be our last chance. Ed hasn't finished yet and so you are favoured with the briefest of updates before I go back to the beach.
I have no idea how to describe the utter loveliness of this place, so instead I'll wait and post photos when we get home. What the photos won't convey, of course, is the perfect temperature or the sound of the crickets or the smell of the flowers and the olive trees. It's a bit like the Mediterranean in those respects, but a degree or two cooler, less dry, and everyone speaks English and drives on the correct side of the road. Our B&B is perfect; our 'room' being a separate villa with stunning views and its own grape vine and kiwi fruit tree, aptly named 'The Bacchus Suite'. We came over yesterday, having decided not to bother with Waitomo or Rotarua because we didn't want to have to spend another day travelling so soon before going home, and it was the right decision. The plane leaves at 11pm tomorrow and if it wasn't for Kitty there would be very little chance of me being on it.
The journey from Wellington to Auckland was quite interesting and covered some beautiful, varied scenery, but at the end of the day it was still a twelve hour train ride. It did break for an hour or so at lunch time and we took the opportunity of going for a ride out through the National Park to Mount Ruapehu (Probably better known as Mount Doom, to the sort of people who favour cheesy rock and not washing) which was visually something. There was also a rather scary open air viewing platform on the train, so I got some photographs of various quality from that, too.
Auckland itself did not impress us, unfortunately. We were very tired and the hotel was disappointing, so we probably weren't in the best of moods to judge, but there was rather an uneasy, almost hostile atmosphere. We headed to Sky City (at the bottom of Auckland Sky Tower) in search of food, but it turned out to be trendy hell in the style of The Light in Leeds (or similar). We ended up in a dodgy Chinese where our Peking duck was served with its head still on and they had a tank full of nervous looking lobsters. Actually, I'm not sure it's possible for a lobster to look nervous but these ones really should have done). We left as early as we could in the morning, with the happy outcome of being able to spend an extra day on this beautiful island. The views of Auckland from the sea on the way over were lovely, and we'll go back one day and give it another chance when we're in a more receptive mood.
Anyway, it is far too nice outside to sit in a sweaty room listening to old Guns'n'Roses records. I don't care whether Ed has finished or not, he can meet me on the beach! Those of you who are horribly jealous, remember that I shall be paying for my good fortune with a 24 hour plane journey tomorrow night. The flight is full so there's no chance of an upgrade, nor even an empty seat beside me. Back in the UK on Tuesday afternoon, and back at work on Friday so if any York based people want to come and be bored senseless by photographs and me wishing I was back here/in Sydney, you know what to do.
I have no idea how to describe the utter loveliness of this place, so instead I'll wait and post photos when we get home. What the photos won't convey, of course, is the perfect temperature or the sound of the crickets or the smell of the flowers and the olive trees. It's a bit like the Mediterranean in those respects, but a degree or two cooler, less dry, and everyone speaks English and drives on the correct side of the road. Our B&B is perfect; our 'room' being a separate villa with stunning views and its own grape vine and kiwi fruit tree, aptly named 'The Bacchus Suite'. We came over yesterday, having decided not to bother with Waitomo or Rotarua because we didn't want to have to spend another day travelling so soon before going home, and it was the right decision. The plane leaves at 11pm tomorrow and if it wasn't for Kitty there would be very little chance of me being on it.
The journey from Wellington to Auckland was quite interesting and covered some beautiful, varied scenery, but at the end of the day it was still a twelve hour train ride. It did break for an hour or so at lunch time and we took the opportunity of going for a ride out through the National Park to Mount Ruapehu (Probably better known as Mount Doom, to the sort of people who favour cheesy rock and not washing) which was visually something. There was also a rather scary open air viewing platform on the train, so I got some photographs of various quality from that, too.
Auckland itself did not impress us, unfortunately. We were very tired and the hotel was disappointing, so we probably weren't in the best of moods to judge, but there was rather an uneasy, almost hostile atmosphere. We headed to Sky City (at the bottom of Auckland Sky Tower) in search of food, but it turned out to be trendy hell in the style of The Light in Leeds (or similar). We ended up in a dodgy Chinese where our Peking duck was served with its head still on and they had a tank full of nervous looking lobsters. Actually, I'm not sure it's possible for a lobster to look nervous but these ones really should have done). We left as early as we could in the morning, with the happy outcome of being able to spend an extra day on this beautiful island. The views of Auckland from the sea on the way over were lovely, and we'll go back one day and give it another chance when we're in a more receptive mood.
Anyway, it is far too nice outside to sit in a sweaty room listening to old Guns'n'Roses records. I don't care whether Ed has finished or not, he can meet me on the beach! Those of you who are horribly jealous, remember that I shall be paying for my good fortune with a 24 hour plane journey tomorrow night. The flight is full so there's no chance of an upgrade, nor even an empty seat beside me. Back in the UK on Tuesday afternoon, and back at work on Friday so if any York based people want to come and be bored senseless by photographs and me wishing I was back here/in Sydney, you know what to do.