last night in Auckland

I had exchanged ideas about meeting up in the evening with Jane and Bob in Auckland as part of our New Zealand finale. We spent Tuesday morning walking around some of the major sights in the city. We’d walked to the Victoria Park Market as it was one of the ‘must do’ recommendations provided. Unfortunately it was not living up to expectations as the main chimney landmark was under some reconstruction work and many of the allocated stall/shop areas were empty. We walked around a few shops then went off in search of the wealth of Auckland at the harbour. This did not disappoint in both respects of the grandeur affluence of the presenting boats moored up along the quayside but also the weather, with gradually turned into a blue sky experience.
We took a leisurely walk around the waterfront area, passing the maritime museum, bars, restaurants and other noticeable landmarks and artefacts.
After returning to the hotel for a short rest, we decided to take the lift to the top of the Auckland Sky Tower. A significant landmark which had turned into, like so many communication towers, a main tourist attraction where so much of the area could be observed from the highest vantage point.

The views, as expected, were magnificent and the vista of extinct volcanoes could be seen in every direction. We’d been informed that you could see somewhere in the region of 25 disguised volcanoes. In fact there was the notion that if you were going uphill or downhill anywhere in Auckland it was probably at some point of other, a volcano.
The plan was to be met at our hotel at 5 by Jane and then meet up on the waterfront with Bob. Like all our plans, everything worked as predicted and by 6pm we were all sitting in a sun-soaked bar on the waterfront enjoying some fine samples of New Zealand wine and beer. We found an entertaining Italian restaurant a little later with waiter who will be remembered for all his smart ‘one liners’ and helpful photography skills when thrown my camera to record the event.
A final wander around the waterfront and Britomart (train station) and we exchanged our farewells and thanks for Jane and Bob to have shared NZ with us.

Tomorrow was going to be a far different day least alone with the fact we were flying out of NZ, but also in that it would be the longest day, due to us crossing the international date line and having most of Wednesday the 8th all over again in San Fransisco, CA.