With ridiculous house prices, urban sprawl and terrible traffic, I sometimes wonder why so many people choose to live in Auckland. Especially when there are so many gorgeous, much cheaper, alternatives. We didn’t spend a lot of time in Auckland itself on this trip but explored some stunning places nearby which helped me see some of the attraction of living in the big smoke. And maybe the good, good people that live here make it hard for some to move away. We certainly caught up with some good people in and around Auckland. Still, you won’t get me moving there anytime soon!
Auckland from the car window as we cross the Harbour Bridge
We visited our Savings Pool administrator in Auckland, who made an incredibly delicious 3 course vegan meal for us. It was so good and he and his wife were lovely company. We stayed with a friend of Antony’s in Takapuna and with my uncle in Albany, all lovely people and kind hosts. We linked beach visits to catch ups with other friends north of Auckland. The weather played its part and we enjoyed a swim at Big Manly beach with Hannah, my ‘penpal’ since 1991, and her family, after their church picnic & two baptisms in the sea. Lovely to see her & her wider family as well.
Torbay, Auckland
Another day, another catch up, this time at the beach in Torbay with Fiona, a friend from Otago uni days & a fellow waitress at A Cow Called Berta in Dunedin in the late 90s. Although I follow her updates on facebook and read her blog posts, prior to living north of Auckland Fiona lived in the US and Australia and it had been many years (10? 15?) since our paths had crossed. It was great to see her and afterwards have a swim in the sea – again.
Takapuna Beach
A few days before we were to leave the country, I randomly make a ‘goodbye’ call to Rebecca, a good friend from Ashburton, and I discovered she was in Auckland! So we met up with her in Devonport after her Navy reunion and before she headed to the airport to fly home. So nice to see her and wander some lovely Devonport streets together while Antony had a good long swim in the sea. I will miss friends from home this year away. Some of whom I was just getting to know. It is nice to think of returning home after all our adventures, knowing some wonderful people and good friends are there.
Aside from the lovely places mentioned above, we also enjoyed walks along Piha Beach & Bethell’s Beach and a swim at the nearby Lake Wainamu during our workaway stint at Te Henga.
Piha from above
Piha
Piha
Piha
Bethells Beach
Sand patterns, Bethells Beach
Lake Wainamu in particular was amazing. We had to walk up and over huge sand dunes to get to it. Although a hot day, threatening black clouds hung around keeping other visitors away, so we had the place to ourselves.
Lake Wainamu
Antony off for a swim, I soon joined him
The water was a wonderful temperature and we both enjoyed swimming far out into the middle. I wanted to capture the beauty of the place, the moment, the feeling of being immersed in nature and utterly happy, but it was obviously not possible to photograph ourselves in the middle of the lake with the Samsung Galaxy waiting on shore. Instead of photos I have my memories of Antony’s impromptu poetry and our laughter, as we treaded water in the middle of such beauty, high on life, rather reluctant to leave.
Walking around the sand dunes, Lake Wainamu
Gorgeous native bush at Lake Wainamu
The Upper Fairy Falls are about halfway between Bethells Beach and Piha Beach and are just gorgeous. We visited on a hot day but it was a beautiful walk through native bush to the waterfall.
Upper Fairy Falls
Loving reading this Kate, what a great job you do writing it!