Day 62

I hope you are all enjoying a little taste of summer this week! New Zealand is cooler than Australia, but still warm enough here not to need a jumper. I even managed to get sunburnt today - it is completely my own fault... just because it feels cooler I still should have worn sunscreen! The rumours about the thin ozone seem to be true.... amazingly though I have burnt my right arm but not my left... unusual!

I have had two really good days in Auckland and my feelings towards NZ have dramatically improved since my run in at the airport! It is a really beautiful city; yesterday I walked the hour and half walk round the harbour to the bridge (impressive, but not as good as Sydney!) and across it to the far side. I can see why they call this "The City of Sails", there are more boats here than I have seen in the rest of my life! The water is a stunning blue-green colour, and given that this is a busy port it is incomparable to the waters at Southampton!!

Today I took the ferry across the harbour (12mins as opposed to an hour bus ride) to Devonport, a small village on the outskirts of the city boundary - but looking out directly to the CBD. I climbed three volcanoes (extinct!) and the view back to the city centre one way and then out to sea and a series of islands the other way was amazing. Truely spectacular. Well worth the slightly undignified descent....

So - all in all, Auckland gets the thumbs up! I'm yet to partake in any of the adrenalin junky activities, I'm saving them for the rest of the country (or for my return here at the end of the week!).

Tomorrow I leave for Wellington and then join a tour of the North Island early on Wednesday.... I'll keep you posted!

Love to all of you,

Miss you

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx