West Auckland, Final Day

Today was our final day in Auckland. We decided to visit the countryside so we took the excursion, “A Place at our Table”. We drove through Kumeu, and Wailuhu, stopping at Bostic Farms, which has been around since 1942. We had coffee/tea and the most delicious ginger honey cake at this wonderful, one-of-a-kind country market.

On the trip, we stopped to view stunning coastal views; one vista included a beautiful black beach. George, our Māori driver, sang to us Māori songs and prayers throughout our bus ride. We arrived in Waikoloa Valley, where Ellie, owner of Vineyard Cottages, met our group of 24. Her dogs greeted us, and we toured one of the charming cottages that she rents. We sat down to a lovely lunch of fresh meats, fish, and vegetables. We had some very rare blue cheese from a local farm. It’s called KIKO. Wow – very delicious. We also learned about Manuka honey and it’s medicinal properties.

A great day!Read more