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A week in Auckland

A week in Auckland

Time goes fast when your having fun. We have been a week in Auckland and have been flat out. In the first week we have visited Devonport and explored North Head Reserve, completed the 16km coast to coast walk which begins in Onehunga Harbour and finishes at the Auckland Viaduct and today we went fishing with my brother in his boat and caught 21 snapper in the Hauraki Gulf.

Waitangi Day

Waitangi day is a celebration of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi and the establishment of what was to become New Zealand. We started the day by visiting Barry Curtis Park in Flatbush where we watched some Maori dancing and enjoyed wandering around the different food stalls. Later, we drove over the Auckland Harbour Bridge to Devonport. Here we visited North Head Reserve, a park, where there was once a naval gun emplacement to protect Auckland. It is now a reserve where you can explore the tunnels and gun emplacements. There are also several movies provided by the Department of Conservation at two small theatres. Afterwards we just wandered around the tracks and enjoyed the free views of Rangitoto Island and Auckland’s city skyline. Devonport is easy to get to if you do not have a car with a ferry from downtown Auckland. From the ferry port it would take around half an hour or longer depending on your fitness.The evening finished with a trip to the Auckland Viaduct where we were treated by my brother and his wife to a show in a Spiegel Tent performed by Empire. The show was an amazing 90 minutes of acrobats, balancing and laughter.

Auckland Coast to Coast walk

The next day we decided to do the Auckland coast to coast 16 km walk from Onehunga situated in Manukau Harbour to the Auckland Viaduct. The track takes you across several beautiful parks where you can enjoy the gardens and views of Auckland. We started in Onehunga as this is less steep and the views are going towards Auckland city. The walk took us around 4 and a half hours going past One Tree Hill, Mt Eden and included lunch at the Auckland domain which is Auckland’s oldest park.

Fishing trip

We got up at 5am to drive to Kawakawa Bay where we launched the boat and headed towards Brown Island. It was a lovely morning and the sea was completely calm. After arriving at the chosen fishing spot within a few minutes I had caught my first snapper of the day. The next few hours flew by and in the end the four of us had caught 21 snapper. The quota for snapper caught each day is 7 per person. Within an hour we were home and the fish were filleted and the evening meal was delicious. A great way to finish the week and the upcoming one is another busy one with a visit to Tiritiri Matangi.

So ended a week in Auckland which was very busy and enjoyable.

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Debbie Bridge Auckland, Australasia, New Zealand, North Island, Travel 1 Comment

Auckland Coast to Coast

Auckland Coast to Coast

If you have a bit of time in Auckland one great thing to do is the Auckland coast to coast walk. The Council has developed a coast to coast walk. We had a great day walking from Onehunga to Auckland Viaduct. The 16 km took a leisurely 4 and a half hours including a long lunch. We did the walk on a lovely sunny day with great views of the five volcanic sites you walk past or over.  Along the route is the Auckland Museum and many parks with places to stop and have a picnic or enjoy a meal at a cafe. The route takes you through several parks and also  suburban streets and built up areas it really gives you a feel for Auckland and its many volcano’s. Keep in mind that Auckland is still an active volcanic area and is long overdue for an eruption, the last one being Rangitoto Island.

 

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Day 1 in the City of Sails and booking a trip to Tiritiri Matangi

Back on home soil

We arrived 10pm on Tuesday night at Auckland airport after a very pleasant time at the Qantas business lounge in Sydney.

Having returned to New Zealand many times and been faced with the queues from hell it was a pleasant surprise to get through customs and baggage claim in less than half an hour. If you are ever booking a flight to Auckland then aim to arrive at 10pm as I think the Sydney flight was the only one.

My brother Neil and his wife Yvonne were there to meet us and after a short drive, we were at his place in Conifer Grove. Shortly after, we went to bed and I, finally, got a good nights sleep. My biggest surprise was to see Beaver, his dog, who was still alive. He is 20 years old and still kicking.

20 years and still kicking

20 years and still kicking

Day One Auckland the City of Sails

My brother lives in South Auckland and lives nearby to a train station. We took a train from Takinini to Britomart station in downtown Auckland. Then it was a short walk to the Viaduct. Debbie was expecting a Roman type viaduct and surprised to see that it was a wharf. Auckland viaduct is a work in progress and has some lovely restaurants and a few museums. We visited on a wet day and there was hardly anyone around. We had lunch at a restaurant called Snapdragon. They had a lunch special so I had fish and chips and Debbie a steak sandwich. After lunch we went to nearby New Zealand tourist information office. There also is a Department of Conservation counter here where you can find out more information about the National Parks and the track network throughout New Zealand.

We wanted to visit Tiritiri Matangi Island in the Hauraki Gulf. The island is a sanctuary where several endangered native bird species have been successfully reintroduced. The Department of Conservation has 30 places for sleeping overnight on the island. I thought we would have to just do a day trip but amazingly they had two bunk spots left for the following week so, I booked and paid for them and the 75 minute ferry ride out to the island (just a tip, you can find a 10% discount for the ferry when you look through the pamphlet on Auckland – sadly, we found this out after we had booked it). We are book looking forward to hearing the dawn chorus of birds and hopefully the weather will be kind to us. The ferry across costs $150 with a guided walk on the island and the accommodation was $60. YOu need to bring your own food and a sleeping bag.

The weather was not kind to us so, we went for a walk around the viaduct and some window shopping before catching a return train back to Manurewa. We then went out to dinner at my brother’s members only local club the Manurewa Cosmopolitan Club. I, also, met up with an old friend from my tramping with a club called the Manukau Tramping Club where we the caught up over a few beers on the last 25 years. It was a lovely day and great to catch up with Jeff and book an overnight visit to Tiritiri Matangi wildlife sanctuary.

Useful tips

Do not arrive at Auckland airport in the morning the queues are long and slow.
Check tourist information first before booking any tours as there are discounts for some attractions or ferry rides.
Check for cancellations or places free to stay overnight on Tiritiri Matangi, if you have not booked it in advance.

Costs for Day One

Accommodation: 0
Train to Auckland: $32.00
Lunch at Snapdragon: $35.70
Coffee and tea: $7.00
Drinks at viaduct: $21.00
Tiritiri Matangi ferr& Volunteer Tour of island: $150.00
Bunkhouse accommodation: $60.00
Drinks and dinner meal: $71.00
Groceries:$12.49

Total: NZ$389.19 = US$287

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Exploring Quebec the Maritimes and Virginia

Exploring Quebec the Maritimes and Virginia

This post is about the highlights of our next month in Canada and the USA. We spent a lovely thanksgiving in Canada with Debbie’s family. I ate a delicious turkey dinner.We also had time to visit Point Pelee National Park and Niagara Falls.

From there we drove to Quebec City. Quebec was brilliant although crowded as a couple of cruise ships were in town. After spending a couple of days exploring the city we then drove around the Gaspe Peninsula. The weather was not kind to us though and it was wet and cold. The peninsula is the same size as Belgium and part of it is alongside the Lawrence River with some great coastal scenery.

We then spent a few weeks in the Maritime covering New Brunswick, Prince Edward island and Nova Scotia. We had a great time exploring the area even though the weather was a bit cold and wet. Seeing the tidal bore in Moncton, Magnetic hill where you drive your car to the bottom of a hill and take your foot off the break and magically get pulled up hill. Confederation Bridge over to PEI and the scenery around Nova Scotia were also all highlights.

After Canada we drove quickly down the East coast via Calais in Maine to Boston. Debbie and I then took the car and visited Boston, Salem and Mystic in Connecticut. We also visited the Manassas civil war battlefield near Washington before heading to Virginia. In both the battles that took place at Manassas the Confederate’s won.

We were in Virginia for a couple of weeks due to a mechanical problem with the RV. Happily, there was plenty to see in the area and we visited Jamestown, Yorktown and Williamsburg.

Our next part of the route took us down to Florida through the Carolina’s and Georgia.

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Crossing Continents – California to Australia

‘Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles, it empties today of its strength.’ – Corrie Ten Boom

Air Mattress

Our air mattress for the last 5 months which has been our bed – will NOT be missed!

This was our last few days in the U.S.A. and our first few in Austral-Asia.  We lost one day this week, due to time changes, which has made this letter seem like it’s come too soon!

We started this week having a lovely meal, with my parents, at the Jackalope – the horned jackrabbit

Jackalope

Jackalope

or, in our case, a really lovely restaurant.

Jackalope Restaurant

The Family at the Jackalope Restaurant

Later, that same evening, I saw my only pink flamingos on this trip.  Normally, they are in Florida, but I had to see them in Palm Springs, California.

Pink Flamingos

Pink Flamingos

Just before we flew out, my Dad, John and I did a hike my Father has spoken of often – Ladder Canyon.  This really was a hike that requires all fours at times, but it was worth it for the experience of viewing this beautiful and, at times, very narrow canyon.

Ladder Canyon

Ladder Canyon

Just before our flight, we made it to Santa Monica Beach, L.A. – the end of the Route 66.  I tried Bubba Gump’s Restaurant for the first time

Bubba Gump

Bubba Gump

and toasted a glass of sparkling wine to North America and to Austral-Asia.

Air Lounge

Toasting to endings and new beginnings in Qantas Air Lounge

14 hours later, we reached Sydney, Australia – a very green and livable city.  After a friends suggestion, we decided to spend a day walking from Bondi Beach to Coogee Beach.

Bondi Beach

Bondi Beach

Coogee Beach

Coogee Beach

It takes about 3 hours to walk there and back with spectacular views of the coast,

Rugged Coast Line

Rugged Coast Line

Waverly Cemetery

Waverley Cemetery

Waverley Cemetery

and coved beaches.  What is your favourite spot in Australia?

Bronte Beach

Bronte Beach

Time to rest before we head off to New Zealand.

Debx

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A trip to Manly Beach and what it cost

A trip to Manly Beach and what it cost

We awoke to another glorious sunny day in Sydney. I have the proof with some sunburn. We purchased a daily metro pass for A$24 each which includes ferry rides. Our first stop was Circular Quay after leaving Bardwell Park at 9am. We were lucky to catch the 9.30am Manly ferry. The ferry ride gives you the opportunity to see Sydney from the sea with views of the bridge, Sydney Opera house and coastline. The ferry also bizarrely goes backwards for 30 minutes all the way to Manly. It is a short walk from the ferry terminal to Manly beach where we had brunch at The Pantry which has a great view of the beach.

Manly Scenic Walkway

We decided to do a shortened version of the Manly Scenic Walkway. We walked to Shelly Beach and then up a hill towards North Head. Because we were meeting someone in Sydney later that day we could not walk up to North Head and instead cut back to Little Manly Beach and the ferry terminal. North Head looked like it had some lovely tracks and I only wished we had more time to do the track. The track we took up from Shelley beach eventually becomes unpaved and there were a few puddles along the way. There also were some occasional nice views back towards Manly beach. If we did the walk again it would be with a bathing suit. There were several sandy beaches along the way that looked very inviting. We arrived at Manly at 10am and got a ferry back to Sydney around 2pm.

Food Glorious Food

On arrival at Manly we visited Tourist Information near the ferry terminal building. They recommended the Pantry which is one of the few restaurants on the beach. It is a bit pricey, however, the views along the beach are brilliant and the breakfast was delicious. I also had the best flat white coffee since our arrival in Australia.

Later in the day after a strenuous time shoe shopping for Debbie we decided to go to a food court for dinner just off Pitt Street. I had steamed dumplings and she had a chicken salad. The shoes she bought are called Fit Flops and are hard to find. She was a very happy bunny when she found the exact pair she wanted for the grand sum of A$120. I have excluded this from our daily cost in Sydney as they are a one-off.

Useful tips

An all day metro card includes all ferry rides. If you are staying longer than a day there are other options. I tried a new ginger beer today called Cascade and it was delicious. If you go to Manly beach take a bathing suit if the weather is hot. Although Manly is a surfing beach there are other beaches along the coast that are ideal for swimming.

Tomorrow is our last day in Sydney.

What did the day cost?

Metro tickets A$ 48.00
Accommodation Airbnb A$ 75.00
Brunch A$ 58.00
Dinner A$ 29.10
Drinks during the day A$ 16.00
Razors A$9.95
Total: A$ 236.05 = US$ 184.00

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Debbie Bridge Australasia, Australia, Travel 3 Comments

Coastal walk from Bondi Beach to Coogee Beach and back

Coastal walk from Bondi Beach to Coogee Beach and back

We awoke to a cloudy but fine day in Sydney. Yesterday, we decided to go to Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach. It is a famous surf beach and the start of arguably Sydney’s best coastal walk along cliff tops. Our first challenge was to find the railway bus to take us to the nearest working train station. The train station five minutes from us was closed due to weekend maintenance. In the end it was no great drama and we got a replacement bus to Sydenham and train to Bondi Junction and connecting bus to Bondi Beach. By 9.50 am we were on the coastal walk to Coogee beach via Bronte Beach.

The Coastal Walk

The Bondi to Coogee coastal walk is around six kilometres along cliff tops overlooking the sea and several beaches. We did not walk quickly and stopped many times for photos and brunch at Bronte Beach. There are some stunning views and the path is paved all the way. There are several staircases and steep parts along the track but nothing to difficult. To give you an idea of the time it took us, we left at 9.50am and were back at Bondi Beach at 14.50 or five hours later. This included a leisurely brunch at Bronte Beach and later a nice Japanese dinner at Bondi Beach.

Our meals

We had brunch at a lovely cafe called Bronte Bello a Brazilian restaurant. Instead of Brazilian fare we had corn fritters with bacon and avocado as well as acai berry cereal and a couple of beverages. It was a busy cafe on a lovely Sunday morning. Service was good and our meal came to A$ 41.00.

Bondi Beach caught by the sun

Bondi Beach caught by the sun

On our return to Bondi Beach we decided to have an early dinner at a Japanese restaurant called Soy. I had sushi and sashimi, Debbie had a vegetarian roll. Both meals were delicious. We opted for soft drinks and our total bill was A$ 40.00.

My dinner

My dinner

If you ever visit Sydney I would highly recommend you take the time to walk from Bondi Beach to either Bronte Beach or Coogee Beach. The views are truly wonderful.

What did the day cost?

Metro tickets $A 28.80
Accommodation Airbnb $A 75.00
Brunch $A 41.00
Dinner $A 40.00
Bundaberg Ginger beer $A2.00
Total: $A 186.80 = US$ 145.00

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Debbie Bridge Australia, Travel No Comments