The not needed status run to AKL

[bPeteb]

Neither of us have any idea why we booked this weekend away to AKL. Maybe the J fares to AKL were super cheap. Maybe at the time we booked I hadn't enough to requal. No idea. Not even DSC. Doesn't matter, we had a fab weekend in the city of sails.

The airport was super busy. First time that we've bothered to use the express line for security and very glad we did. No body scanner on the express side so no need to introduce another security person to Kevin.

The BNE J lounge was busy but definitely not overcrowded. There seemed to be a lot more food on the small buffet than there had been on our visit a few months back. Maybe it was just the time of day.

One of the staff pointed out that they had a special on offer from the small kitchen upstairs so I went up and ordered two of the salmon with poached eggs on a potato rosti. It was quite nice with our early morning bubbles.



boarded on time and priority line had emptied before they started general boarding



early lunch of and Asian slad, with more slamon, and a pork curry that was very tasty



A couple of weeks out Auckland's weather had a looked a bit iffy but it was just a glorious approach into the city through scattered cloud



All sorts of work around the international terminal and a decent walk out to the rideshare and taxi pickup. I'd ordered an Uber as we walked out of the terminal and it arrived just as we got out there.

We're about three weeks into ownership of a Tesla Model Y so it was was funny to be picked up in one.

Traffic was light and less than 45 minutes to the Travelodge Wynyard Quarter Wynyard Quarter Hotel | Travelodge Hotels. Room 611, king with harbour view and a view of the harbour it had

 

[bPeteb]

Only there for two nights and with no idea how busy AKL is so we'd booked dinner for both nights. Before that we went for a wander around the Viaduct and stopped for a few drinks at one of the bars by the waterfront.



A really gorgeous, still night

First night was at Borocay Gardens Boracay Home for our first ever Filipino meal.

The staff were super lovely and the food was delicious



this last one was like liquid peanut butter. One of the best things I've ever eaten, really!

It was only early so we wandered back around the Viaduct



and ended up at Sixteen Tun Free House where we had some amazing ales (lager, stout, other stuff) 16 Tun - A Craft Beer Bar & New Zealand Free House

 

[bPeteb]

Pulled the curtains back on Sunday morning and it was blue sky forever. Fantastic, as we were off to Waiheke.

A takeaway from the night before that we really shouldn't have bought, or consumed, but it was delicious!



The hotel has no restaurant but there is a cafe next door (Tuck Stop) that can be accessed from the lobby. Excellent breakfast



but the highlight was the amazing cakes. We might have bought a tiramisu lamington and ginger slice for later I forgot to take a picture of the pies, cakes and pastries.

Fullers offer a ferry and hop on hop off package. Pre-bought it was NZD89 each. Hop-On Hop-Off Explorer Bus | Waiheke Island tour

We made it to the ferry terminal as the Waiheke ferry was boarding. No room outside so no photos of the glorious harbour.

The double decker explorer bus pulled up just after we got off the ferry. The driver informed us that they were unfortunately only running a 60 minute timetable due to maintenance on one of the buses. This threw our plans out a little, but in the end made no difference as we did more than we expected.

We caught the bus straight over to Onetangi. The map showed a 25 minute walk along the beach and up the hill to Casita Miro Casita Miro Vineyard | Authentic Spanish Restaurant Waiheke and that's about what it took. I don't know that we've ever sculled a wine flight but that's pretty much what we did as we had to get back for the next bus. Ok wines. Spectacular venue. We will go back to eat, and we will definitely go back, Waiheke is just gorgeous.



excellent old Landie resting in a garden



the beautiful Onetangi Beach



a grand design built into the hillside. Amazing!

 

[bPeteb]

We planned to make the most of the cluster of breweries/wineries between stops nine and 10.

Agree!



First stop, Heke, but the signs outside indictaed that it was open, and closed. We decided to err on the side of caution and turned back to Tantalus Estate.

On the walk back we started talking to a young guy we'd walked past up at Casita Miro. Turns out he wasn't that young (he was to me). He was a United 787 pilot on a 54 hour break. Super nice guy. Was based at SFO. Lives in Jacksonville Florida. What a commute to work!!

He went upstairs to taste wine, we went downstairs to ALibi Brewers Lounge to taste beer and get some lunch Tantalus Estate Vineyard | Waiheke Island, Auckland, New Zealand

Nice beer, nice food, bloody nice view

 

[bPeteb]

As we were leaving we asked a couple we'd seen walking towards Heke if it had been opne. The tasting room was, just not the restaurant. So we went back and had a couple of the best beers we've ever had, a lager and a stout. The HEKE | Restaurant, Brewery and Distillery No pictures again.

Back to the bus stop (I did 20,000 steps on Sunday) to get to our next destination. This time it was for a walk to The Cascades and then wine at Batch Winery. The Cascades were definitely not cascading but it was a good walk.



Batch Winery was yet another spectacular wine drinking destination Home | Batch Winery | Waiheke Island where I had a very acceptable sparkling rose

bAlt's S24 doing it's macro thing




looking back to Auckland. Very arty!



we didn't get off at Mudbrick. Want to get married here? You'd better be very sure as you'll be booking two and a half years out! Mudbrick Vineyard & Restaurant | Wine | Food | Ambience



Instead we hopped off at the next winery that arguably has the best view back into the city across the harbour, Cable Bay Cable Bay Vineyards | Waiheke Island Wine Tours | Waiheke Vineyards

They have two tastings. Their Marlborough wines and their Waiheke wines. When at Waiheke, drink Waiheke wines. They were excellent, the Five Hills very much so

 

[bPeteb]

We'd planned to walk down to the ferry terminal but as we came out of the winery



the bus went past on it's way to Mudhouse so we waited for it to come back



The ferry was boarding as we pulled up and they closed the barrier pretty much behind us. It was a beautiful ride back



with a glorious sunset



If we hadn't made that ferry we would have been going to dinner in what we were wearing, not that anyone would have cared.

The city as we came into the city pier

 

[bPeteb]

As I've mentioned, we pre-booked dinner with not knowing how busy the city was. Sunday night was Cinco de Mayo and we love our Cinco de Mayo so booked Mexican of course. I reckon we could have chosen better as Mexican Cafe was just ok Mexican Cafe

We'd booked a week out and found ourselves sat at a table beside a service prodium where the staff were close enough to be brushing aganst my back. Lasted about five minutes before I asked to be moved. Later on another couple were sat there and they lasted a similar short time. Why was that table even there?

Service was indifferent. Drinks ok. Food ok.



I wouldn't recommend, but maybe I'm just used to the amazing Mexican restaurants that we have close to us in Fortitude Valley and Newstead.

The casino was right across the road and being the big gamblers that we are we of course ventured in. Many years ago I won just over $38,000 on a pokie at our local pub on a 50c press. I'm still trying to repeat that. I took out $100 for our $50 each 'only spend what you're prepared to lose' limit. We did our usual 20c to 60c bets and we walked out with $210

Lots of great lighting of buildings in the city

 

[bPeteb]

We had arranged and paid for a 2pm late check out (why when we had to leave before 1?) so after eating a yoghurt each bought at the Woolies Metro next door, and the cakes bought the previous morning, we headed off for the art gallery and another walk. The weather had changed to what we'd expected for the whole weekend - showers - nothing that a brolly couldn't fix.

We loved the art gallery. A terrific small collection. We were most amazed by the collection built around the extraodinary gift from Julian and Josie Robertson The Robertson Gift: Paths through Modernity

Just wow.

No photos, well, apart from this one. You go New Zealand!!



I don't take photos in most art galleries. Everything is online if I want to see it again.

And that folks, is nearly that. Uber back out to the airport, this time in a Rav4 driven by an aging Chinese Stirling Moss. Luckily the rain had cleared as it's a decent walk out in the open from the drop off point.

Got our boarding passes with my Express path but bAlt flatly refused to go through that entry. If he didn;t I didn;t and so we joined the very long and slow security line. What should have taken no more than five minutes tool close to 35. He has now accepted that even if he isn't flying J, he'll join me in the fast lane!

Bought some duty free then up to the teeny tiny First lounge where we had some cheese, crackers, and Lanson.

Boarded everyone together but what does it really matter? My overhead was always going to be free. Just checked TripIt and we left one minute early.



Late lunch of Greek salad and a salmon noodle dish for main. I washed it down with a number of glasses of shiraz, a bottle of which found it's way into my overhead locker before we landed



followed at some point by quite a nice cookie


view from bALt's seat


and from mine


and before we knew it we were on approach over Moreton Bay


through immigration in minutes and into our Uber home, another ev, this time a Polestar 2. Very nice.

We had a most excellent weekend in AKL. Great hotel in a perfect location. Loved our day on Waiheke so much that when we return to AKL we'll stay at least two nights on the island.

Now the very long nearly three month wait until we head west to Southern Africa.

 

[VPS]

Looks like you had a great time. I do like Waiheke

 

[Flyfrequently]

We planned to make the most of the cluster of breweries/wineries between stops nine and 10.

Agree!

View attachment 383977

First stop, Heke, but the signs outside indictaed that it was open, and closed. We decided to err on the side of caution and turned back to Tantalus Estate.

On the walk back we started talking to a young guy we'd walked past up at Casita Miro. Turns out he wasn't that young (he was to me). He was a United 787 pilot on a 54 hour break. Super nice guy. Was based at SFO. Lives in Jacksonville Florida. What a commute to work!!

He went upstairs to taste wine, we went downstairs to ALibi Brewers Lounge to taste beer and get some lunch Tantalus Estate Vineyard | Waiheke Island, Auckland, New Zealand

Nice beer, nice food, bloody nice view

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Love the toast rack @bPeteb !

 

[Flyfrequently]

Thanks for sharing your weekend of NZ F&B @bPeteb looks like you had a wonderful time.

 

[kookaburra75]

Thanks for your trip report - as good as always. You visited a few places that MrsK and I haven't been to yet in Auckland - so a few more on our list of things/places to see

 

[lakeman]

Appreciate the time you took to post this

 

[Lat34]

Thanks so much for posting! Lots of different itinerary ideas for our next visit to Waiheke

 

[Seat0B]

I enjoyed travelling along with you. Thanks for posting.