- Auckland
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New Zealand
There is fantastic food and wine at this well-known vineyard on Waiheke Island, with a spectacular view across to Auckland on the horizon.
Waiheke Island
When you're in NZ, you will come across pretty stamps that are often sold with postcards - they are marked "UNIVERSAL MAIL". Recommend that if you want your postcards to reach their destinations in a timely manner, you do NOT purchase these stamps (which are supposed to be posted in special mailboxes which are few and far between), but use the regular mail stamps.
Accommodation in Piha. It has three choices from budget to the best and all very close to the beach.
The best chips in the world, at least if you're wet and bedraggled.
On the west coast, across the Waitakeres, at Piha surf beach
Karekare is a black sand beach on the west coast of the North Island (about 40 minutes out of Auckland) - The Piano was filmed here.
The beach is wild and rugged, and you walk from the car park across sand dunes and an estuary to get to the seafront. If you're not a strong swimmer you're best to stay within your depth, but the water is lovely and it's a great place for beach cricket.
Mollies is an amazingly affordable (thanks to the fabulous current exchange rate) luxury hotel.
Our suite ($495 per night B&B [£165 approx], doubles same price), had a mezzanine lounge, and whether sitting on the expansive, comfy corner sofa or at the mosaic terrace table, the harbour across to Chelsea Bay and around the North Shore stretches across the vista. It's a sailor's dream.
Alongside period elegance and modern charm, there's unlimited internet access in the guest library, live opera/ musical performances before dinner, and extreme thought, care and attention put into everything.
It's like stepping into someone's comfortable family home, with extra touches. At night, staff come in and turn the bed down for you, put out your nightgown and slippers, leave lights on for you and light the fire if needed, and leave gifts - scented soaps and night moisturisers beautifully wrapped - for your evening comfort. Food is exquisite and the wine cellar world-class.
Mollies, in short, is faultless.
Mollies, 6 Tweed Street, St Mary's Bay, Auckland, 0064 (0)9 376 3489
Forget Atomic Cafe, just a few metres down the road is the uber cool, but totally unpretentious cafe Agnes Curran.
It serves great java and sells art, antiques and homewares making it really classy and very quirky.
There's something really special about Agnes Curran. It is full of character and a real find; not only that but it is renowned for the Kiwi delicacy Lamingtons: a wedge of sponge soaked in dark chocolate, coated in coconut and served with raspberry jam and cream. The staff are lovely too. What's not to love?
181 Ponsonby Road, Auckland. Tel: 464 9 3601551
A tip - be very careful if you choose to drive in NZ. The driving can be akin to a stock car rally!
NZ has a high death toll rate, and a very high crash rate. Seeing cars coming towards you can lose its novelty quickly, and tail gating is common place. Man it can be scary! Cyclists be especially careful, the concept of giving cyclists a little extra space doesn't exist. Don't be alarmed if you see people shaving, reading, drinking coffee, using hand phones or even having their supper with chopsticks, all at over 60kmph!
These are all real examples, and there is worse. Drink driving is common. Despite all that it's a pretty place.
There are many Maori stories about how the country, natural phenomena and fauna were created, and reading up on them before you visit the country can enrich your journey.
Ranging from creation myths to stories of love and loss, these often humorous tales will enhance your understanding of the spirituality invested in the landscape by the Maori.
Maori Myth and Legend" by A.W. Reed is a nice introduction.
The best eggs benedict on Ponsonby Rd, cheap and set in rather odd surroundings at the Freeman's Bay end of the street. A great place to laugh at the Sunday Star Times of an afternoon. Flat whites are excellent too.
Ponsonby Road, Auckland
For NZ$130ish you can help sail one of two former America's Cup yachts around Auckland Harbour for a couple of hours with SailNZ.
It is well worth the money, particularly if there is a decent breeze which will show you the kind of speeds the boats are capable of and give you a taste of the thrill of America's Cup racing. You can help work the grinders and even take the helm.
It's also a good way of seeing the harbour and getting a water-side view of the city. More than anything, I found this a rare highlight in an otherwise dull and disappointing city.
SailNZ (www.sailnz.co.nz)
They are only a short drive to the west of Auckland, and are staggeringly beautiful forest-clad hills leading down to black sand beaches that stretch for miles.
There are walks from the short nature trail at the Arataki Visitor Centre, to longer tramps. If that's not enough, the market at Titirangi is recommended for arts and crafts and good coffee - as a bonus if you miss the market!
It is a fabulous place on the west coast only about 1 hour from Auckland. It is a place to kick-back, walk on the beach, ride the surf and generally do very little
West of Auckland
Discover multicultural Auckland, avoid the touristy Victoria Park market and head out to Otara (Saturday) or Avondale (Sunday) fleamarkets for a bit of Pasifikan flavour.
Everything from fresh produce, music and goodies from the Pacific Islands, cheap tat from China, unique clothes, secondhand items and pretty much anything else you can think of.
Both have excellent, cheap food stalls too.
Otara is south of downtown and Avondale is west. Can be reached by bus or taxi (or rail if you're game enough).
Tiny sushi bar Bian - not to be confused with the also brilliant Bien restaurant on Shortland St - supplies the local area with lunch every day, pumping out a fantastic selection of donburi, soups, nigiri and maki rolls. Lovely fresh tuna and salmon, along with more unusual fillings such as deep-fried oyster, rare beef, and sesame-fried green beans. The wasabi is fresh, home-made, and free of additives. And it's self-service, so you can pick a mixed selection of your favourites.
The busy, cheery kitchen will make up a roll for you if they run out of anything. Reliable, friendly and surprisingly cheap - and it's also BYO and open at night. You can't really go wrong.
183 Symonds St, Auckland
Phone: 09-309 5609
The 'hippest' bar on Ponsonby Road. Usually with a 30-something crowd but they are joined by a lot of the younger set on the weekends.
It is comprised of small rooms and is dark and comfortable.
Live music most nights - you must hear the Grand Central Band with their take on all types of music. The singer has a fabulous voice; the keyboardist used to bring his Hammond organ along (complete with Lesley) but sticks to his Yamaha these days.
Retire to one of the sofas in the back rooms to escape the crowds.
Ponsonby Road, near Richmond Road.
www.grandcentral.net.nz
For budget travellers, Food Alley at the bottom of Albert Street is a must. It has stalls selling food from almost every country in Asia, from Turkey to Japan and at rock bottom prices.
Try the lamb pasanda from "A Taste of Turkey" (the proprietor is actually Iranian) for NZ$8.50 (that's £2.40 in Brit money).
The food is better than your average food hall.
Lower Albert Street, opposite Stamford Plaza hotel, near the viaduct.
While in Auckland city:
If you'd like to see some beautiful old villas wonder in the suburbs of Herne Bay, Ponsonby, Grey Lynn, Parnell and Mt. Eden. All these places offer a great mix of clothes' shops and cafes especially Ponsonby Road and Jervois Road.
Around Auckland:
If it's a fine day, get on the ferry to Waiheke island [only takes 20 minutes], and visit some of the famous vineyards [Stoneridge is one of my favourites]. Have lunch at spectacular Te Whau restaurant.
On a weekend, head North of Auckland and visit Warkworth, Matakana and Leigh. There is a farmers' market in Matakana on Saturday mornings from 8am - 1pm and plenty of small vineyards producing excellent wine. Stop and eat at the Sawmill Cafe in Leigh and burn it all off afterwards with a long walk on breathtakingly beautiful Pakiri beach.
Useful links:
www.purenz.com
www.cuisine.co.nz
www.sawmillcafe.co.nz/
www.stonyridge.co.nz/
www.tewhau.co.nz
Ponsonby's a great little area with loads of good cafes and funky shops, more character and feel to it than the city, but just a 20 minute (downhill, pretty) walk away - or a 5 minute direct bus trip. It has a range of good accommodation, including 3 funky backpackers and some posher boutique hotels. And it's the main gay friendly area of Auckland.
Ponsonby
Take a ferry from downtown Auckland across to Devonport and head up Victoria St to Mt Victoria. From the top you get a 360-degree view of Auckland and the North Shore. Pure Magic.
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