First, stay awake

Here we are! We left Washington at about 6 on Saturday evening, flew to L.A., then on to Auckland. I started reading The Bone People by Keri Hulme, watched Juno, Angel at My Table, various New Zealand travel shows, crossed many time zones and the international dateline and somehow arrived at 6:30 am on Monday morning, April 28.

"Every flyer who ventures across oceans to distant lands
is a potential explorer; in his or her breast
burns the same fire
that urged adventurers of old
to set forth their sailing-ships
for McDonalds."

I start working early tomorrow, so can't afford to stay on Eastern Standard Time. That means set my watch to NZ time and keep busy. We unpacked, checked out the hotel restaurant for lunch, and then spent the afternoon in Cornwall Park.



We're staying a few blocks from the conference location which is in Greenlane/Ellerslie, not downtown Auckland. But we may not have seen Cornwall Park and One Tree Hill otherwise. It was just a few blocks away and a perfect first afternoon.

After wandering through fantastic trees, we decided to walk up to the obelisk. Sure. We can walk up there.

We followed the paved path winding up the hill. Cornwall Park is a public "domain" and a working farm. Look, sheep! I just love sheep. Don't really know why.

No domain is really complete without an archery range.

Back to the obelisk, we're getting much closer.

We made it!

This is a monument to the Maori people, built on what was once a volcano and later an ancient Maori settlement. The park was a gift from Sir John Logan Campbell. Sir Campbell was mayor of Auckland and gifted the park to the people of New Zealand in 1901 or so. The park is named after his guests, the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall. The story sort of skips the bit where ancient Maori land becomes British property to give away.


Time to start back down the hill. Here is a view of stiles, turnstiles that mark the way for hikers or "trampers." Notice the terraces on the hill. These are ancient Maori works that were used both for farming and for defense.

Okay. That's enough tramping for us. Time for afternoon tea.

Well, I had tea. Robb had mineral water.
But we both had savory scones with chutney.

I saw kauri trees, sheep and tui birds on my first day here! And I had afternoon tea. Check, check, check and check. Tourist list completed, from now on I can do whatever I want. Well, I do need to see a kiwi bird. Plenty of time for that.