Day 2: Auckland, Waiheke Island

After a full night’s sleep the jetlag was finally gone and we set out to Waiheke island at noon. While we were waiting for the ferry I took the opportunity to test the icecream at Valentino’s (in the Ferry Building) and I can recommend it to you wholeheartedly. Excellent! Waiheke island was excellent as well. It’s only a cheap 30 minutes ferry ride from AKL and offer’s nice & easy walkways for airplane-damaged legs. Beautiful landscape and coastline, we were almost alone on the tracks although it was saturday in the holiday season. In the afternoon even the weather played along, the clouds vanished and that’s why I have to get some after-sun lotion for my burning neck right now. And some food of course. I mean lots of food since New Zealand will practically be closed for three days now with Sunday plus two public holidays coming up.

Talking of food: Burger Fuel in Parnell Rd still exists and still serves excellent burgers. The Chocolate Boutique is also still very much alive and kicking which is good news since it is the only reason I came back to New Zealand anyway. 😉

Tomorrow it’s off to the North, Paihia, to celebrate New Years Eve in the Bay of Islands. Luckily, my lovely companion has decided to accompany me there as well so I will be in good company, which is a good thing. Happy new year to all of you.