Day 31 - 32 – February 5-6, 2015

For the last two days we have been in Auckland, New Zealand. A very cosmopolitan city compared to the South Pacific Islands, and they speak English. On the 5^th we got off the ship and took what they call a Hop On, Hop Off bus. This takes you all around the city and you can get off at any of the attractions that you want or just ride around. We had a great day, we got off to see the aquarium and the museum. On the 6^th we just walked around the city and bought some souvenirs. They have a building downtown called the sky tower. It is 328 m and is the tallest man-made structure in New Zealand. And, they sky jump off of the tower. Obviously they are harnessed in, but it looks like they are flying till they are brought up quickly before they hit.

Some of the other thing that we saw on our hopping around was the Bastion Point Lookout, where you get a fantastic view of the Hauraki Gulf and the Waitemata Harbor; Parnell Rose Gardens; Winter Garden (next to the museum); and Mt Eden, the highest volcano on the Auckland isthmus. The 6^th is a holiday in New Zealand called Waitangi Day (where we are going next) where they celebrate the treaty with Britain and the Maori chiefs. So, some places were closed and there were a lot of people everywhere. I wanted to get my hair cut, but the places were either packed or closed. So, I will wait till Australia, too expensive on the ship.

The pictures below are of the sunrise as we came into the Auckland harbor, Bastion Point (monument and gardens), aquarium life, Eden Park (rugby stadium), Sky Tower (one with the spire on it), end on construction sign and the harbor bridge.