Devonport

This morning we took a passenger ferry over to Devonport, the trip only takes 10 minutes, pier to pier. It turns out the suburb of Auckland is one of the best places in my world. We stepped off into calm. The architecture is Victorian (I know this from a guidebook) so all of the little houses are very sweet and ornate, made of lace and cookies. The busy front gardens flow over the retaining walls and drip colours and scents.

The view across to Auckland is impressive from sea level, and spectacular from 282 feet above, atop Mt Victoria, a defunct volcano. We could see all around the harbours and bays, full of sailboats and green islands. The steep hike uphill was its own reward, for the first time since we arrived we felt far away from the hustle and bustle of New Zealand’s biggest city. The buzz of cicadas sounds wonderful after the relentless drone of traffic and air conditioning.

Back at sea level we ate a delicious lunch—so far from the normal fare—and set off for the beach. King Edward's Parade leads you down along the waterfront, between houses and the gently lapping sea to a sandy beach. We found a public beach, populated by older couples and families, and had a nice swim. Well, I had a swim, Chris had a frantic dive in and out. The current current (that’s not a typo, just an example of how silly English is, you’ll work it out) was a cold one, but it felt gorgeous.

Mentally I've already bought a little gingerbread house, planted some hibiscus and found a job as a letter carrier.