R and the Auckland waterfront at high noon just before lunch at a wharfside cafe. Sky Tower on the horizon can be climbed, bungee-jumped and dined in. The tan building on the left is the Ferry Building, where the harbour cruises are launched and innumerable opportunities abound to relieve the tourists from their money. We'll save that for later - maybe a dinner cruise for New Years? Are there fireworks? We just miss Chinese New Year, a pity because the Asian community is so vibrant here.
Laundry is out on the line, hoping it will dry before the clouds turn to rain. Having learned that ibuprofen and sudafed are obtained from the chemists and not the grocery store, and that a supermarket is more like a convenience store, I shall set out shortly to acquire sunscreen - not sure where I'll find it, but I will. There is no pollution here, so it is easier to burn here, and we are having great weather.
Last night we went for a post-supper walk and saw Mars to the NORTH of us, high in the sky. Can't find any stars I know, will consult the star charts when I next log in to find out what were the two bright stars low on the southern horizon. Can't be ones I've seen before - this is the furthest south I've been.
We leave for Queenstown on Saturday to look around and join our South Island safari on Sunday. We will travel by 12 passenger van through Milford Sound, to the southern tip of NZ, back around tot he east side, to Mt. Cook, and end up in Christchurch. Have scheduled 2 days of downtime in Christchurch to get cleaned up and look around, back just in time for R's public lecture on December 5. On the list for the weekend when we return: a gallery show on Pacific Island jewelery, and the Saturday Aotea market. No slop in this schedule.
