Sunday morning started with a great breakfast the Hendersons cooked for us before our trek to the Max line. Walked down the driveway away from the magical kingdom atop Powell Butte into the belly of Portland's transportation system. Observed a fight almost erupt by a drunken who just wanted a 'Forty'. Followed by incredibly unhelpful and grumpy airline personnel.
Damn Americans.
So after an interesting tramp around San Francisco's ghetto looking for a bite to eat away from the airport, we hopped aboard our 12 hour flight.
Arrived yesterday morning, and was greeted by the most friendly beagle at the airport. He decide he wanted our jerky and the customs official gave it to him. Darn beagle.
12 hour flight, and all we wanted was jerky. Jerky...
Took the shuttle taxi to my friend Suzy's and was welcomed with open arms. Great home base for the day while we we walked around Westmere in Auckland.
3 cups of 'Flat White'
A nap on the beach
2 Meat pies
3 double ice cream cones
An attempted nap at Suzy's
And dinner at the 'Food Hole'
All is well.
Up this morning early and our clocks are reset. After breakfast Suzy's motobike friend Chris gave us a ride to the motorbike hire. We were off North to the Bay of Islands after Dennis figured out how to drive on the wrong side of road. After every intersection, every light, every stop, every bridge...."Left". Left side of the road!
Our first stop was at a gourmet roach coach out in the middle of nowhere, where a chef made his own bread (best bread we've ever had) from scratch baked right in the coach. We had a "buttie" BLT and a homemade beef pasty. Mmm! Once we got off the highway we drove along some of the most beautiful roads we had seen. Big, green rolling hills as far as the eye could see. Cows. Thick forest of broccoli looking trees and fern-like palms. An interesting blend of tropical and Oregon coastal foliage.
Turns turns turns over 100 miles of turns. What a ride, puts anything in oregon to shame. Costant state of awe as the ocean opened up before us and more turns greeted our wheels.
Timer is running out, more later, and more pictures to come.
