Using the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system, we travel from the City Hall station to the Chinese Garden station - a walk of about 300-yards then gets us to the Chinese/Japanese Garden. Despite the heavy rain, we explore the garden, climbing the 180 steps (above) of a pagoda that provides views over the garden. We also find some 'terracotta  warriors' and some trees decorated with convincing artificial cherry blossom. After sheltering from the rain for some time, we leave the garden without seeing all of its attractions

Our route to the garden is by the East West line of the MRT system. To return to the hotel we use the North South line, which is the 'long-way' round the island. It is still raining heavily as we reach the Conrad, where we have been allowed to stay in our room until the 6pm time that our driver will take us to the airport. At the airport we are able to make use of the very comfortable facilities of the Silver Kris Lounge which includes a wide choice of food. Our Singapore Airlines plane is again a Boeing 747-400 Megatop, and we are again upstairs. Flight SQ 285 to Auckland departs at 9:47pm - travelling the 5,227-miles in just under 9-hours. After dinner, we manage to get a little sleep before breakfast, and our arrival in New Zealand at 11:44am.

It's a sunny 68F when we get the shuttle bus to the Maui Car Rental depot, where lots of people (mostly Germans) are hiring camper-vans. We collect a white Ford Mondeo 2.0XL automatic with 94,811-kilometres on the odometer and some minor bodywork damage. With the aid of a newly-purchased road atlas we find the Off Broadway Newmarket Hotel without too much difficulty, arriving at 2pm. There is no formal reception area and we have to ring to get assistance, when we are told that we have been allocated to their best room. However, this transpires to be a tip, not having been serviced, and we get switched to another room with a promise of a discount. After telephoning Cathryn, we have a nap before she arrives at 5:45pm to drive us to the North Shore where we have a very pleasant meal at the Long Bay Restaurant, at a table overlooking the sea.

The end of another long day, and we are now half-way round the world from home - the farthest south, and the farthest east we have so far travelled, although we have further to go in both directions in the next four weeks. Singapore was a marvellous experience, despite the unkind weather - particularly the British aspects of its history; the Night Safari; and the comforts of the Conrad Hotel. But the comforts of that hotel, and the luxury of travelling Raffles Class, contrast sharply with the basic comforts of our Auckland hotel where we will be staying for three nights.

 

Today's schedule for our first full day in Auckland is to have a 5-hour cruise of the Hauraki Gulf (8:15am); a climb of the Auckland Harbour Bridge (2pm); and a visit to the 328-metre tall Sky Tower. But the day does not begin well when David backs the Mondeo into a concrete wall in the hotel's cramped parking space beneath the rooms

The catamaran Dolphin Explorer arrives for our

dolphin-watching and swimming cruise of the Hauraki Gulf

The area near our departure pier is rather scruffy, with litter being a major problem, which is surprising given that this location is being used for the America's Cup yacht  races

The cruise provides us with some great scenery and we see plenty of common dolphins. We also see small jelly fish, blue penguins, and some gannets

A plan to enable some of the passengers to swim with the dolphins has to be abandoned when juveniles are spotted in the pod. Instead some passengers

swim off the rear of the boat before we return to shore

After a safety briefing, and the donning of boiler suits, at the Nelson Street address (right) we are bussed to the Westhaven area of the city to commence our climb (more of a steady uphill walk) to the top of the Auckland Harbour  Bridge, where a souvenir photograph (left) is taken by our young and enthusiastic group leader.

 

The whole climb is accompanied by an excellent commentary into our radio earpieces. We only pause for the photograph, to take in the Auckland skyline, to exchange waves with drivers crossing the bridge, and to feel the bridge flex from the weight of heavy vehicles.

 

The climb of the bridge is a rewarding and exciting experience, although quite tiring due to the heat, rather than the severity of the climb.

 

We then drive to the Sky Tower where, after watching a 15-minute film on Auckland's history, we go up to the tower's Observation Deck and Sky Deck

Auckland Harbour from the Sky Tower's 220-metre high Sky Deck