Spent a few days on Waiheke Island after picking up John, Judy, Jane & Jason at Auckland airport and ferrying over to the island. Hired a big house overlooking the gulf and pottered around the island's vineyards and shops in a hire car. Great weather. March 5 was NZ census day so we all got to do that. The islanders are on tank water and they are in drought, so the place was pretty dry.
Mish, Jase and Jane playing nicely and getting stuck into a typical holiday event - the jigsaw! Found this one at the local SPCA shop, all pieces accounted for. Not the usual choc box image - it's a caricature history of people in television. We came nowhere near completion and wrecked backs and eyes attempting it. So brought it home to have another crack - sometime.
Little Oneroa Beach - rock scrambling and great shell collecting.
Auckland city from Cable Bay vineyard restaurant at sunset.
Backyard of the rented house, a struggling orchard and ground gaps you could lose a foot in.
The silver fern, NZ's national emblem, on a nature walk beside the beach.
A big old native, twisted branches growing in rock and sand on Little Oneroa Beach.
Mudbrick vineyard, looking past lunch, over topiary to Rangitoto Island, one of Auckland's 50 odd volcanoes. They don't shake much up there - maybe 10 tiddlers a year - but Auckland is scheduled for an explosion sometime geologically soonish.
Mish and Carol on a small piece of driftwood.
NZ has whopper gulls.
Mish strolling the vines, looking towards the city.
Census day. The Reid family filling in the form in the kitchen of the rented house.
NZ flax and island view.
Flax up close.
Shingly / sandy beaches, with lots of coves for sheltered swimming. Water temp most lovely and no sign of big fish with teeth.
Round the rugged rocks; lots of good looking shells.
What a great holiday! I got lost on Rangitoto Island and nearly missed the last ferry of the day - scarey. A bit of volcanic action would have been too much. Jude
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