Auckland

On the day after Waihi, we packed up all our stuff once again and moved from the sea in Raglan to the city of Hamilton. On the way, we made a stop at the Bridal Veil Fall, had a small car accident, and settled in with Nina and Ian. On Sunday, we were off again - to the Waitomo Caves. Alex and I had already been there 7 years ago and wanted to show our kids the Ruakuri Caves. So we set off, but waited at the wrong entrance... Just before the start of our tour, I realized my mistake and we rushed to the correct entrance. Lucky us! Then we went 65 meters underground to the incredible stalactite caves and we also saw many glowworms. We enjoyed the cool temperatures because it was very warm outside once again! We then walked to other caves and drove to the Marokopa Fall - probably the most beautiful waterfall we have seen on our trip! We arrived in Hamilton tired in the evening. I spent Monday at the emergency room, getting an X-ray and seeing the physio - because I fell on my shoulder in Waihi and the pain didn't really go away! Well, the doctor praised my persistence but was initially negative. Fortunately, the images showed no fracture, only that one bone was displaced. With physio and patience, it should get better... On Tuesday, we went to the largest city in New Zealand - Auckland. Everyone warned us about the terrible traffic, but we didn't notice much of it. Our hotel was in the middle of the city and quite easily accessible. We set off on foot and explored the main street. Many things have changed in the last 7 years, and we were surprised by the large presence of Asians! We bought a few things and enjoyed an aperitif in the harbor. Before dinner, we went up the Sky Tower. The view was magnificent and we enjoyed it very much. In a small street, we found a great steak house, so we could go to sleep with full bellies... The next morning, we went straight to the zoo and especially liked the New Zealand animals. We were able to watch three kiwis hopping around. And the elephants took a bath to cool down... In the afternoon, we took the ferry to Devonport, enjoyed a seafood platter, and walked up Mount Victoria. From there, we enjoyed the view of the city skyline. Back in the hustle and bustle, we had dinner near the start of the America's Cup. Then on Thursday, it was Waitangi Day - New Zealand's national holiday. We enjoyed a French breakfast and made a short detour to Mount Eden, where a large crater is visible at the top. On the way back, we stopped at the ice skating rink and the kids could have fun on the ice and slowly acclimate to the cool temperatures. Then we made a stop at Cliff, my oldest host brother. The kids went fishing in Waikato and we sat and enjoyed each other's company...