New Zealand With Kids - Day Two, Auckland

Not a great night’s sleep but woke to a stunning sunny day. After breakfast we walked down to the harbour via coffee at Starbucks (the chain is all over NZ) where we caught the ferry to Devonport – a quaint suburb on the opposite side of the city’s wharves.

the view from Devonport back into Auckland city

Here we clambered up Victoria Hill (about a 10 minute steep walk or 20 minute leisurely walk, depending on your route) for an incredible view across the harbour to the city.


kids on the ferry to Devonport

 

Riley leaps for joy on Victoria Hill

Creme Brulee enjoys the view

the Michael King Writer's Centre on the walk up Victoria Hill

After a coffee and gelato in Devonport, we meandered through a few bookshops before catching the ferry back to town. There are some gorgeous second hand bookstores and also a fabulous toy store – plus loads of coffee stops. New Zealand coffee is great, PS, and I just love the post boxes.

While husband took Riley to the park to kick the footy (via the Rugby World Cup countdown), Ella and I visited the wonderful (but small!) Haere Mai - Auckland Art Gallery - where she made her own silhouette portrait and where I ogled the amazing artwork – really incredible modern art on the top floor and then a series of incredibly powerful Maori elder portraits downstairs.

We then raided the $3 Japanese shop for some cute and kitsch goodies (including a diablo and cup and ball toy)...

...and met the boys for a walk to Sky Tower.

At $66 per family just to catch a lift to the observation deck, we happily passed up the opportunity and instead checked out the massive souvenir shop, plucking out two adorable kiwi finger puppets and some kiwi wee (milk bottles) and kiwi rock candy.

Outside, we watched several daredevils take part in the Sky Jump. Not a bungy jump, this is instead a fully-harnessed, upright leap from the sky tower deck to the ground below, with a well-paced and very smooth drop. Although I would never bungy, I’d happily do this. After the $66 lift ride scare, however, we didn’t even bother checking out the sky jump prices.

We finished the day with dinner at the sushi bar ('Korean Restaurant' on the corner of Queen and Mayoral Drive) downstairs and a movie at the cinema – Tangled (just wonderful and Ella claims she read somewhere it’s the last Disney princess movie to be made – don’t know whether to cheer or cry about this news).

New Zealand with Kids - Day One, Auckland
New Zealand with Kids - Day Three, Auckland
New Zealand with Kids - Day Four, Rotorua

New Zealand with Kids - Day Five, Rotorua

New Zealand with Kids - Day Six, Lake Taupo, Palmerston North, Wellington
New Zealand with Kids - Day Seven, Wellington
New Zealand with Kids - Day Eight, Wellington
New Zealand with Kids - Day Nine, Inter Islander ferry, Picton, Blenheim, Christchurch
New Zealand with Kids - Day Ten, Christchurch
New Zealand with Kids - Day Eleven, Christchurch
New Zealand with Kids - Day Twelve, Queenstown
New Zealand with Kids - Day Thirteen, Queenstown
New Zealand with Kids - Day Fourteen, Queenstown, Glenorchy, Arrowtown, Wanaka