A Final Walk in St. Heliers

Our final NZ days were spent at a friend's house in St. Heliers, a residential area to the east of downtown Auckland (about 20 minutes by car), close to Kohimarama Beach, an excellent spot for swimming located between Mission Bay and St. Heliers. Before our departure to the airport and lengthy journey home, I took a final walk along the seafront. Leaving the house, with its impregnable security system fully armed, and walking towards the sea, we passed some very fancy houses (or is it one house?)

We reach Tamaki Drive which winds its way around the bays right into the harbour area of central Auckland. Tamaki Drive is the scene of much physical activity each morning--runners, cyclists, walkers, and a few yards away on the beaches, the swimmers--seemingly whatever the weather. Joan sets off to run in the direction of Auckland. I walk in the opposite direction, appreciating the trees.

The one above--and there are at least two of these enormous trees--is, I believe, a Moreton Bay Fig Tree, although I expect to be jumped on by New Zealanders who will undoubtedly correct me. They are huge. But not all that old--trees grow quickly in New Zealand: the St. Heliers information leaflet says they were planted in 1923.

I keep walking along the beach front and up the hill at the end, to discover a completed 'reserve' that wasn't there when we did the same walk in early December. There was some construction going on at that time, but it looked like roadwork. But what was completed was this beautiful overlook platform, jutting out over the edge of the cliff, complete with painted carvings.

The overlook is called Achilles Point and the picture below tells you why.

The previous day we had seen video interviews in the War Memorial Museum with men who had served in the Achilles. The Museum is excellent--better, we thought, than Te Papa in Wellington--with interesting historical presentations as well as a wonderful collection of natural history exhibits, by the way.

Walking back down the hill, retracing my steps, there were great views right into the centre of Auckland, but the haze was sufficient to block the city out from my photo. This is what the skyline looks like from the ferry to Waiheke Island (just imagine yourself jumping off the platform below the pinnacle of the Sky Tower and having paid large sums of money to do so):

As always, I was struck by the contrasts in houses here in St. Heliers and in many of the places we visited. You pass one modern house like the above and fifty yards later something traditional, like the one below, which is on your left walking back to the main commercial strip of stores and restaurants. (I am sure G. and D. will recognize it)

Not far past that house, we come to the "cheaper" end of St. Heliers, where a succession of rather modest eateries is situated. We can recommend the Indian restaurant. But don't order the set price dinner featuring a bit of 'everything.' It's just way too much food.

So back along past the more upscale cafes--La Vista and Annabelles--past the large green 'reserve' (The Vellenoweth Green, which was reclaimed from swamp) on which we saw Sunday soccer--small goals, tennis shoes, older males--being played. Cross over to the bike and running path by the sea, and who do I meet at the end of her run...but the ever energetic Ms. Powers.

So back to the house that was so kindly placed at our disposal. Finish our packing. One last walk down to Moreton's, a cafe, to have some lunch after spending 1/2 hour watching the exciting sport of lawn bowling at the local club. Crowded with silver-haired players of both genders, elegantly dressed in white. Call the discount cab. Assemble outside beside the road, to be picked up by the same cab driver who took us in December to the rental car agency at the start of our visit. The trip had come full circle. The adventure was ending, and we were driven to the airport to catch our plane to Los Angeles.

And here we are, less than a week later, back in Washington, cross-country skiing along the C&O Canal tow-path following a huge snowstorm (and now we're in the grip of a second blizzard). I suppose, regretfully, we must declare our NZ adventure officially over.

(Posted by David on Feb. 10)