Ward Family Vacations

New Zealand 2005

First Day in New Zealand - August 14, 2005

We were all tired, of course, I had not slept for 24 hours and was exhausted and the kids had to get up early to meet my 5:15 a.m. flight. We all napped for a few hours and then David suggested going to Central City and the Ocean. Auckland is like any other metropolitan city...huge!  Being that it was a Sunday there was a lot of pedestrian traffic and the city was crowded. The weather was around mid 50's and I had to wear a jacket (long way from 95 degrees every day at home!). The first thing you notice, is that the people of New Zealand are very fit... they run, they walk, ride bicycles and roller blade.

We followed the roads that followed the Ocean (Anshaw Street, Quay Street, etc.) and passed through St. Mary's Bay, Freeman's Bay, Westhaven Bar Harbor, Mechanics Bay and followed the Tamaki Road through Hobson Bay and around the Hobson and Takaparawha Points. As you can see the scenery is breathtaking.

Auckland is called the City of Sails and when you see the harbor, the Yacht Clubs and all of the sail boats you understand why.  Rangitoto Island (in background of photos below) is the largest and youngest of the volcanic cones and craters in Auckland. It did not exist 600 years ago and today dominates the local seascape. It erupted from the sea in a series of dramatic explosions around 600 years ago, and is now extinct.  It is famed world-wide as a botanical garden with many native and hybrid plants including the largest Pohutukawa forest.  The Pohutukawa tree is New Zealand's Christmas tree with beautiful red flowers on it.  

Rangitoto Island	Sandy with Rangitoto Island in the background.

Since it was later in the day and the tide was done we were able to pick up some great sea shells, drift wood  as well as volcanic rock that has been washed in from Rangitoto.  As soon as Jessica gets me some black sand I am going to make a terarium with all of my New Zealand goodies.