Auckland in Winter

It has been a number of years since I lived in a cold weather climate. I forgot what it is like to have on loads of layers to keep warm and the minute you get back inside you are hot, hot, hot. So you start removing layers and hanging things on chairs.

Problem is that you then feel all hot and sticky.

It is so different from the hot and sticky in a hot Queensland humid day. At least then you can wear shorts and a suitable sunny weather top.

A nice spot to visit is the small shopping area in Devonport on the north shore. It has a load of coffee shop choices and plenty of small boutique type shops. One I liked had a large collection of hanging light fittings. Not the crystal candle style chandeliers that are very trendy currently but a number of unique hanging collections of metal and different coloured glass and crystals.

If you are staying in downtown Auckland you can visit the historic seaside village on of Devonport on Auckland’s North Shore by the quick 12 minute ferry trip. They are quiet regular so the wait is not too long. We visited by car going over the harbour bridge.

You really need a car to travel to many places around Auckland. We drove around the bay to St Heliers. Hard to believe we actually ran in around the bays years ago. The park where the race ended looked so small compared to what I remember. I wondered if they still run this race and see from Google that “An estimated 70,000 walkers, runners and wheelchair athletes took part in the 39th annual Round the Bays run in Auckland today.” – that was 13 March 2011. How did they cope with the 70,000 I wonder. The first woman across the line in 34 minutes, 17 seconds was Rachel Penney, a triathlete also of the Pakuranga Athletics Club. Gosh my 3 km run at the Hyatt on the Sunshine Coast recently with Goal Power Beat the Bunnies nearly took this long.

Tomorrow we may go to MOTAT, the museum of Transport and Technology or the War Memorial Museum.

Safe and happy travels!