BoomerGirl Diary

Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand, and the main entrance available for international flights. More than 1.3 million people live in the Auckland area, and despite the usual urban sprawl and dependence on automobile transportation, the air is remarkably clean and clear. This city has a sparkle to it that I haven’t seen anywhere else in a city of this size.

We chose to stay at the Sebel Suites, a new modern hotel adjacent to the harbor and within a champagne glass’s throw of the America’s Cup Village. The Sebel is very quiet and elegant, but not without its quirks.... Such as having two elevators on opposite sides of the lobby that operate on the same call button. Press the button on one and the door of the elevator across the lobby opens. It is not a patient elevator — you have to hustle to get there before the door closes. This feature seems to provide constant entertainment for the staff at the desk.

Our first stop is to The Sky Tower, which is the tallest building in the southern hemisphere at 1,076 feet. I have never seen much excitement in going up in observation towers that seem to exist in every city of size. I guess being up high does not seem so amazing when I’ve flown into the city in an airplane. I have been in New York City several times and never gone up in the Empire State Building, and while in Paris I didn’t go to the top of the Eiffel Tower. However, all of the tour guides said that the Sky Tower in Auckland is worth the time and admission charge, and I have to say that they were right. The view is spectacular and offers a large variety of scenery from cricket players in the park to boats of all sizes and types in the active harbor as well as the usual city bustle and rooftop scenery. The tower has a speedy glass fronted elevator, two observation decks, a café and a restaurant. Brave souls can do a controlled bungee jump from just above the main observation deck. I got chills just watching someone take this jump!

Our second adventure is to take the 35-minute ferry ride to Waiheke Island, where I expected a Sonoma atmosphere. It is not Sonoma, though. Better and more down to earth, less and more. The island has many vineyards and produces prize-winning wines, and the latest venture is olive oil production. There are many opportunities to taste wines and oils, or you can do what we did and just walk along one of the beautiful uncrowded beaches.

Finally, we signed up for a tour of the coast west of Auckland provided by Scenic Tours. After traveling over the Waitakere Mountains, we stopped at the Arataki Visitors Center to learn about ancient Kauri trees, which once were a valuable source of very durable wood and a resin useful in varnishes. We also enjoyed a stunning view of the Manukau Harbour. Next we took a short hike through a temperate rainforest to view a waterfall, and then walked on to Karekare Beach. Karekare Beach is a volcanic black sand beach with high iron content. This was the beach featured in the 1993 movie “The Piano”. It was as large and desolate as it seemed in that scene where Holly Hunter (as Ada) was left alone with daughter and her belongings. Both Karekare Beach and Piha Beach, which was our last stop, are mostly popular with surfers and strong swimmers as the waves can be high and the currents tricky. The most charming part of our tour was our tour guide, a self-proclaimed “greeny” who obviously loved the countryside that she was showing us. Midway through our trip, at a picnic area near Karekare Beach, she served us “tea”. This involved not only tea, but also coffee, juice or water served in china cups and real glass glasses on a tablecloth. No trash was created by this meal that she quickly unpacked and then scooped up and repacked into our small bus. On our way back to Auckland she told us about her hopes that the tour company will convert her bus to biofuel, and start including a tree planting into the itinerary.

We bid Auckland a fond farewell and head to Rotorua next....