Flight wasn't so bad, left slightly late, managed some sleep but not enough. Arriving into Auckland is a bit different to Hong Kong! Arrivals looks like a poor relation of Liverpool airport! But our bags were there on time, there were electronic gates which worked for immigration, no queues and the drugs dog wasn't interested in Fiona, always a bonus. We were met by Alan who has probably seen more of the UK than we have. He was very informative, it turned out he was the ex-owner of the company who Audley use over here but had stayed on to help with airport driving duties, he took a detour to show us the docks cum harbour area which was useful as we want to take a ferry trip across the harbour tomorrow. This whole area was re-developed for the Americas Cup event. NZ has about 4.5m people and a third of them are in Auckland and the surrounding area so Auckland is big but not massive. The Hotel deBrett is right in the centre, only 24 rooms and just the sort of boutique place Fiona likes (and of course me). We were both in desperate need of a shower! After that it was close to 17.00, we have lost another 5 hours due to the time difference with HK and that with an 11 hour flight and the time that goes with checking in etc. means we have effectively lost a day. The hotel is literally around the corner from the main shopping street. I went to the Vodafone shop round the corner to buy a sim card so we can keep in touch. We the walked down to the ferry area and along the harbour and dock side, there are a fair number of bar/restaurants along the dockside, all wth a view of the oil terminus, a bit like Ellesmere Port but without the smell and obviously smaller. It was sunny and the whole place has a relaxed feel, people out enjoying post work drinks and snacks. We stopped at one towards the far end of the row and as it was happy hour all drinks were $7 which is about £3.50, after a couple of drinks we carried on walking to the area where the larger private boats were moored, there were several huge boats there, one with its own helipad. After that we walked back to the main town area and changed my remaining HK dollars into NZ dollars. We had another drink in the hotel bar and then ate in the hotel, piri-piri lamb for me.

Neither of us is over the jet-lag yet, will probably be wide awake at 3 in the morning and falling asleep over breakfast.