Verandas and an Essex Girl!

Thursday 27th October
Well at least Air New Zealand didn’t lose our luggage! The immigration and passport clearance at Auckland airport was very smooth, well that is apart from the drug dog liking my camera bag and my having to open it up for inspection in the baggage hall; I did explain I had had some digestive biscuits in there and that seemed to explain it.

We got a taxi to our first B&B, Eden Park, 20 Bellwood Ave, Mount Eden, Auckland. It is a lovely house situated down a quiet residential road in Eden Park with about 4 rooms, all very sumptuously decorated, a real little gem of a place. What a find!! They have a gorgeous dog, Darcey, who is a 6½ yr old cockerpoo. He is very friendly and has a silky soft wavy honey coloured coat. We lost no time in putting on a brew and having a welcome shower. Feeling much refreshed we went into town to do our laundry and whilst it was washing we went to a super little tea shop we had spotted earlier where Janet and I had toasted buttered home cooked banana cake and Peter had a huge sausage roll. Delicious! Eden Park is a suburb on the outskirts of Auckland. It is full of tree clad avenues of pastel coloured, timber clad bungalows most with wide verandas that wrap around the front and sides of the buildings. Bistro tables with a couple of chairs sit invitingly on the verandas, some with couples sitting there sipping a cool beer or a cuppa. It is a lovely time of year to be here, spring is in full flow. Blossom is everywhere as are the early spring flowers. There is an extinct volcano on the edge of Eden Park that now has grass growing over it and a winding road up to the summit where you can enjoy commanding views of the surrounding area. The high street is wide and long with a good variety of shops. There are few large chain stores but sadly there is a McDonalds! They seem to get everywhere! Much to our delight there is no shortage of coffee shops, all looking very inviting with very scrummy cakes on display.

Dinner tonight at an Irish pub, The Clare Inn at the top of the road, it was highly recommended by our hosts. A delicious meal beautifully presented, more like some gastronomic restaurant at a very reasonable cost. Our waitress was a girl from Essex who is travelling around but needs to earn a bit of dosh to keep going, she has been in NZ for 3 months but hopes to go onto South America next. Janet was exhausted and nearly falling asleep in her food, Peter was also tired but oddly I feel more awake now. Hopefully by the time I curl up to sleep I will be tired as well and won’t lie awake for ages.Read more