I (heart) Devonport

Ferry view of Auckland on my way to Devonport...

Ferry view of Devonport on my way to Auckland...

View from the bottom of Church St. in Devonport...

So...thanks to the Garcia crew, I have been staying in Devonport with one of their friends. It's a beautiful home and I feel very comfortable here. I will be here until I can get off the schedule at The Grove; hopefully after this Saturday night! From there I plan on going up to The Bay of Islands (Russell) to visit Carolyn in her temporary 'hood. Meanwhile, the owner of the house, Simon, is taking care of me! He calls me sweetheart, wears women's reading glasses when he is working and wants to make sure I am home for one of his home cooked dinners before I leave.

Colin and Charmaine took me out to breakfast on Sunday. We drove out into the country; our first stop was a great farmer's market in the middle of a bunch of paddocks.

I made sure to sample the homemade buffalo mozzerella cheese, some toasted hazelnuts and a honey fig spread. Yum. Then we went to a place called Log Cabin. I ate a little too much because I had not had food for 17 hours. Some of you know that that doesn't go over well with this kid. Anyway, I had great conversation, great coffee and a full belly after that was all finished.

I called Carolyn to see if she wanted to take a ride to a kauri forest with me and Colin. Charmaine had work to do. :( So on our way to get Carolyn in the city we took a scenic route and stopped here when my camera suddenly leapt from my bag....

It's called Maraetai; I wanted to jump in the water soooooo bad!!

Anyway, from there, Colin and I picked up Carolyn in town. We drove to Matua Winery, bought a couple glasses of wine and a snack. We sat on an old picnic table in a huge field next to a creek and some of the estate's vines. We were the only ones down there; it was quite pleasant!

After our little picnic, Colin took us on a little loop trail through Waitakere Regions Nat'l Park...

So...that is what has happened lately. Oh! And I went to a cool japanese place last night with friends of the Hanafin family; Sander and Bex. They are a really cool couple that live and work in Auckland. Carolyn and I met them last Sunday night and then it was just last night that I hung out with them again. They gave me suggestions for how to spend my New Years Eve when Jill and her friend Martha are here!

Until I go to The Bay of Islands, I am just going to hang out in Devonport and go to work at The Grove.

I'm off...cheers!