It’s a fascinating place, Auckland. Built right on top of a volcanic field of about 48 or 50 volcanoes, it’s one of the most undulating places I’ve been – apart from Barry. The – now extinct – volcanoes are obvious as you travel around the city, in the form of islands, hills, lagoons and strange little grassy cones in the middle of parkland. On the whole, I think the volcanoes were small and cute – but with exceptions which caused devastation and wiped out some Maori settlements in the past. 
Out in the bay, the island of Rangitoto spreads its lava arms welcomingly to those who sail by. I think this is the most recent volcano – about 800-1000 years old, a sudden eruption from the ocean bed forming an island which looms blackly as you near it. Even the trees which now grow there are black, unlike their green cousins on the mainland. 
Nearby is another island, green and undulating and once home to those who had some sort of communicable diseases and had to be kept out of the city. The contrast couldn’t be greater, as this island looks like something out of the Teletubbies.
Across the water from Downtown Auckland is Devonport – where I had the best fish lunch ever, outside Alaska. A small town of quaint, and sometimes pricey, shops and boutiques, it was the ideal place to relax for an afternoon after two days of crazy art gallery and museum visits. It has its own volcanoes, of course, some with houses decorating their sides and another, a headland with cannon and sort of ramparts which is now beautiful parkland and a great place for a walk. 
After going online and getting the weather forecasts for the four days I’d be in Auckland, I decided to make boat trips on Wednesday 18th Sept – the only day that promised no rain – and so, wrapping up warmly I did a harbour cruise which took us out to the islands and under the bridge of bungee jumpers and all around the marina area and the wharves. Although not wet, it was very cold and windy but I was determined not to go below to the lounge areas with misted up windows, but to stay up on the top deck and face the blasts of wind. After returning to the wharf, I then took another boat across to Devonport for the afternoon – a wonderful day!
On the rainy days in Auckland, what better to do than explore the art galleries – and there were many – and the renowned Auckland Museum. Situated on another volcano, in acres of parkland, it’s a beautiful building and well worth visiting. I made sure I booked in for the cultural displays and was fascinated by the history of the Maori people which was retold through song and dance. 
This museum really needed two or three days to do it justice, so I concentrated on the Maori section and the geological rooms. There’s a whole area devoted to volcanoes, earthquakes and plate tectonics; the icing on the cake is a room which you enter. Inside, it’s furnished just like a living room, with sofas, a couple of chairs and a large screen on the wall. My knee was acting up, so I welcomed a chance to slob out on a sofa beside a guy in an immaculate dark suit with a briefcase at his feet but before I could get comfortable, the screen started changing. You have to imagine you have a waterfront house or apartment, facing the harbour. The sea began to steam… and then bubble slightly. Then the sofa started shaking and cupboards rattled and the man beside me yelped – and I probably did too. Meantime something was erupting out of the water and suddenly it crashed through the surface causing waves and a tidal surge which raced towards the shore – and the living room! By the time an island had sprung from the depths, amid a crescendo of deafening roars and crashes, we were hanging onto the arms of our sofas and seats as they lurched wildly – and then I guess we were engulfed by water… and that was it. Brilliant. I needed a cuppa after that.
To get around Auckland, I sussed out the buses. A red one took me up and down Queen Street from the ferry building to Karangenape Road, passing the street where my hotel was situated – very handy. The green bus, an inner city link, did a circular route through Ponsonby and Parnell – with their beautiful houses and cafes and quaint shops – and past Auckland Domain where the museum is situated. There were other buses going farther afield, but I ran out of days to explore. 
My hotel was situated on a steep hill in Wyndham Street, just off Queen Street, so I had excellent transport right on the doorstep – and even caught the airport shuttle just about 50m from my hotel. It was a great place to stay – very cheap, clean and with helpful, friendly staff. I’d stay there again as I don’t think you could beat it for being so central to shops, transport and cafes and restaurants. There was even a coffee house next door where I had breakfast daily – eggs florentine or omelette usually, to set me up for the day ahead. I would be off exploring by 9am and normally returned to the hotel about 5pm – exhausted and very lame. The steepness of the streets in central Auckland was a challenge – but great physio for the knee. I was glad of my supply of Cocodamol! Sometimes I ate out in the evening – I had a very mediocre curry one evening – but mostly I slept, then made myself something in the little kitchen area in the room. Perfect.
A week after I landed in Auckland, I was on my way back to the airport for the flight to Melbourne. From this point on, I would be in the bosom of my family, sleeping in the same bed each night and catching buses and trains around the Mornington Peninsula like an old hand.
Patamateria 