Auckland New Zealand

Spending 4 days in Auckland. Day 1 is getting adjusted from the jet lag. We took a tour bus and then went up the Sky Tower

2nd day we did a food tour- farmers market, cheese and olive oil place, fish market and ice cream shop- we love food tours as they give a historical talk, a taste of local foods and are not that expensive. We had a small group and a great guide, the owner. These guides are always willing to talk about local issues if you ask- politics, schools, health care, etc. I love it as a way to talk to a local other than the person behind the counter at your place to stay or a cab driver that isn’t normally a local.

3rd day we did a bike tour- 32km with an elevation change of 431 meters- only 3 guests with the host (a corporate attorney that has tired of office work all the time so he does both now). A few glitches with bikes (ok ebikes so we had a little help but the electric part cut out a few times)- the main one being a flat on his fat tired bike that wouldn’t take a patch- we went into a nearby indoor botanical garden while he RAN back to his shop pushing his disabled bike and then biked back- he humped it and we saw some beautiful plants

4th day we did a walking tour, ate a great lunch and then chilled

Off to Taupo New Zealand by car- that damned British influence means I drive on the opposite side of the road again!!!