The skies were unfortunately still grey the following morning, and I had a trip booked to take me further out to some of Auckland’s finest places like the harbour bridge and Mt Eden. The trip was due to last for about four hours, but my guide did point out that I may as well be out and about on his trip rather than wasting the day wondering what to do in the rain! Anyway, Michael was a cheery sort and brightened the day up with his wit and charm, and he did promise the weather would brighten up for our visit up to Mt Eden, and he was right!
There were just six of us on the tour, so it was nice and personal and great to meet the others from Mexico and Melbourne. It was a great tour that I would recommend and it took you to all the main points of interest around Auckland so that you could appreciate everything from gardens and city highlights to volcanoes and beaches. Michael also told us a lot of interesting facts about the history and Geography of the area. He was telling us how all the houses were once built with a set amount of land with them, but now many people have sold off some of their land and had another house built in front or behind their own.
The tour started with a stop by Westhaven Marina that gave great views across to the bridge – unfortunately there was a lot of mist due to all the rain which did somewhat mar the perfect view. It was then across to Northcote Point to get a good view over the city – again, more mist, unfortunately. We then moved onto the coastline where we viewed some of Auckland’s finest beaches that would have looked so much better on a beautiful sunny day. We then all took a short coffee break and had the opportunity to sample one of Auckland’s many famous pies that have been a part of New Zealand’s cuisine since 1863. The pie fillings included traditional NZ mince and cheese, lamb, chicken Katsu, and other cheese variations. It is also worth mentioning here that something else you must try whilst in New Zealand is Whittaker's chocolate that has been around since 1896 and comes in a variety of tasty options, including fruit and nut, caramel, and coconut in both plain and milk chocolate.
About a 30-minute ferry crossing from Auckland will take you across to Rangitoto Island that can be seen from Auckland and is the city’s largest and youngest volcano. The weather was starting to clear a bit and blue sky was emerging. The views started to become clearer and so vantage points were more inviting and memorable. Auckland’s tallest volcano, Mt Eden (Maungawhau), was one of our stops and is completely covered in grass. On a clear day it offers 360-degree views across Auckland and is 196 m tall.
I looked up at the sky again and the cloud had almost completely gone leaving a beautiful blue sky that started to bring those fantastic views into focus at last. Michael had saved the Mt Eden trip until later in the trip in the hope of better weather, and it certainly paid off. I then managed to get a fantastic walk up and around the crater of Mt Eden and enjoy the superb views across to the city from above. There are a LOT of steps on this volcano route, and they were all uphill on the way there. It takes about an hour to do the walk, but there are other trails that lead to the top, too.
At the end of the trip, Michael kindly dropped us off at the bridge, as my daughter had a bungee jump booked for later that day. The sun was still shining, so it looked promising for the bungee jump. The Auckland Bridge is technically a landmark with a bit of adventure attached, as you can also climb the bridge fully guided and equipped with your hard hat and harness while safely clipped to the side of the bridge. You can then, of course, also experience the breath-taking views by taking a chilling jump from the top, where you will plunge 40m down and then bounce back up again. I really enjoyed the bridge climb, and I am not a lover of heights! I felt secure on the climb to the top but, I have to say, that I was glad that I wasn’t doing a bungee jump even though the guys tried to persuade me to do one. My daughter absolutely loved the bungee experience, though; it was safe and well organised, and I would recommend it to anyone who fancies taking the plunge!
After the jump, it was time for some light refreshments by the harbour before walking onto the Sky Tower to try and finish where we left off on the stormy night. The Tower offered some amazing views, and we just timed it right so that we could experience the daylight of the afternoon transforming into a beautiful sunset over the city.
The day was nicely finished off by a great meal at White and Wong’s by the harbour that offers some wonderful street food inspired dishes from the Far East. So, this is a good place to put on your list if you visit Auckland and are looking for some fabulous dishes to try!
