I must go down to the sea again...
Every once in a while in New Zealand I get to thinking "Why did I ever leave?" That's when I head for downtown Auckland as a reminder. The easy way to get there from Waiwera is to drive to Gulf Harbour and hop on the ferry which dumps you, 45 minutes later, right in the heart of the city with no parking to pay for. Among many other things that Auckland has copied from large American cities is the price of parking.
So, having got up at 7:30 and taken until 10:15 to eat two slices of toast and marmalade, off I tootled. My timing was impeccable as a ferry was just pulling into Gulf Harbour when I got there so, ignoring the stupid beep noise the Audi was making (old - excuse me, classic - cars do that), I sauntered energetically the couple of hundred metres to catch it.
It was a windy but calm ride and the weather gods put on a nice cloud display over Rangitoto.
With no plan in mind other than a determination not to get back on the same ferry and head straight back to Gulf Harbour, I turned right past my old noshing haunts and was delighted to see that Danny Doolans has survived but every other one is no more as far as I could make out. Brisk walk time - particularly energetic as Auckland's famous 100% humidity was in town. Starting to feel peckish, I headed for the fish market which has all manner of tasty cafes. Had. It now has lots of people who would be delighted to relieve you of $25 in return for a couple of bits of raw fish. Nah.
Head for Queen St / Vulcan Lane / High Street, home of the bake shop and caff. For a touch of sanity, the world's best CD shop is still there in Queens Arcade - I didn't venture in but was gratified to see they are still pushing Miles Davis. I think a former Marbecks employee must have thought he was ordering 10 CDs but was actually ordering 10 container loads. By now, I was feeling hungry (my appetite has been non-existent for the last 5 days) and I felt that eating and drinking whatever I bloody well fancied was probably my body's way of correcting an electrolyte imbalance. So sticky bun and bottle of L&P time. Hah! Not in downtown Auckland, mate. Had I fancied a steamed octopus bun and a bottle of water that cabbage had been boiled in, I'd have been spoilt for choice. Mooch off disconsolately towards the ferry with an hour to spare.
But wait - what's this I see? A queue outside a shop? In the middle of the afternoon? With a 40kg bouncer keeping it under control? Yup - come to Auckland and buy the same overpriced gear you can buy everywhere else in the world and queue to get into the shop to do it - now there's an advertising slogan for the tourist board. You're welcome. But still no L&P or sticky bun.
Idea of genius! The tiny store on the old jetty would surely turn up what I wanted. But no - it's all been done up, is 3 times the size and had something infinitely better - Barista Bros iced coffee. I don't care if it is made by Coke and has enough calories to feed a regiment - it's bloody delicious.
So, back to the boat and back to civilisation. As I walk across the parking lot, pleased that I hadn't failed to see the "Boat trailers only - all others will be towed" sign, I notice that some gremlin has turned the Audi's lights on. Probably the same gremlin that made the beep noises when I left it earlier. Fortunately, with so many boats and camper vans around, it was a couple of minutes work to find someone with jumper cables to get me mobile again.
And so, after meeting up with Nonie and the boys, it was time to cool off in the sea at Hatfields Beach. Aaaaahhhh!
So, having got up at 7:30 and taken until 10:15 to eat two slices of toast and marmalade, off I tootled. My timing was impeccable as a ferry was just pulling into Gulf Harbour when I got there so, ignoring the stupid beep noise the Audi was making (old - excuse me, classic - cars do that), I sauntered energetically the couple of hundred metres to catch it.It was a windy but calm ride and the weather gods put on a nice cloud display over Rangitoto.
Head for Queen St / Vulcan Lane / High Street, home of the bake shop and caff. For a touch of sanity, the world's best CD shop is still there in Queens Arcade - I didn't venture in but was gratified to see they are still pushing Miles Davis. I think a former Marbecks employee must have thought he was ordering 10 CDs but was actually ordering 10 container loads. By now, I was feeling hungry (my appetite has been non-existent for the last 5 days) and I felt that eating and drinking whatever I bloody well fancied was probably my body's way of correcting an electrolyte imbalance. So sticky bun and bottle of L&P time. Hah! Not in downtown Auckland, mate. Had I fancied a steamed octopus bun and a bottle of water that cabbage had been boiled in, I'd have been spoilt for choice. Mooch off disconsolately towards the ferry with an hour to spare.
Idea of genius! The tiny store on the old jetty would surely turn up what I wanted. But no - it's all been done up, is 3 times the size and had something infinitely better - Barista Bros iced coffee. I don't care if it is made by Coke and has enough calories to feed a regiment - it's bloody delicious.
So, back to the boat and back to civilisation. As I walk across the parking lot, pleased that I hadn't failed to see the "Boat trailers only - all others will be towed" sign, I notice that some gremlin has turned the Audi's lights on. Probably the same gremlin that made the beep noises when I left it earlier. Fortunately, with so many boats and camper vans around, it was a couple of minutes work to find someone with jumper cables to get me mobile again.
And so, after meeting up with Nonie and the boys, it was time to cool off in the sea at Hatfields Beach. Aaaaahhhh!
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