And here we have landed in the country where they have iggs for breakfast.     With beacon.

Our apartment holds the moniker of Quest Parnell – though we had a lot more success when we asked for directions to Kissed Parnell .

Early days yet, but New Zealand people steal the show.     Never have we had people go so far out of their way to smooth and enrich our outings.     From directions to advice, they almost come along with you.      My glasses experienced a mishap on the plane and with help from a gaggle of Kiwis, the lenses sat in new frames before the end of our first day.   

Auckland marks our first stop, where we are taking a couple extra days to get organized for the road trip to come.    A car has been rented for later pickup (albeit an old car, which comes equipped with dents and scratches), we’ve sourced fishing gear as we want to throw a line over the side of the road here and there, and have started travel planning in earnest.  

Our explorations of the city are close to the ground, using the very able transit system to motor around.     Using my parents’ technique, we jumped on some of the main bus routes and road them full-circle to get the lay of the city and some of the outer areas .   Augmented by a self-directed walking tour, we covered some good ground.    No strip malls, no major high rises outside the core, and every neighbourhood seems to have a main street made up of vintage homes converted to restaurants, boutiques and markets.    Charming.

A TV series films outside our apartment building - Step Dave sounds like a Trailer Park Boys competitor.   No one fusses much.
 
A guy in a shop close by has adopted us, offering suggestions each time we pass.     One of his gems is the weekend French Market, offering a European flair to produce, pastries, cheeses, and elegant eats, just down the hill from us.      Auckland has 48 dormant volcanoes (on an active field, whose lava level continues to rise closer to the surface) so up and down are more relevant directions than east and west.     Returned to our apartment with the sweetest tangerines, peppers, avocado and fresh paella for lunch.   

The waterfront hops with tourists, America’s Cup races for hire, cruises, ferries and commerce .    A buoyant and energetic place to be.      

The national museum introduces us to two likely major themes of our adventure:    Volcanoes/seismic hotspots and the Maori people, Polynesians who share some traditions with other South Pacific indigenous peoples.    The museum presented a live show of Maori people sharing the dance, their history, some traditions – a good primer for us.

The volcano exhibit blew away anything we saw in Chile, Hawaii or Italy.      And makes my feet feel the earth a little less abstractly.     The centrepiece is a simulation in a windowless living room that seats maybe eight of us, to watch the nightly news – a bulletin reports early volcanic activity in Auckland Harbour and we live through the cycle of evacuation, an interview with an expert, complaints of over-reacting, the early signs of the volcano erupting, and ultimately the room shaking with the explosion, and lights out.     In the dull silence after the room goes dark, a helpful spokesmen comes on screen to remind us all of the importance of preparedness….and to take a brochure.  

I did.   The ominous bottom line, if you are in the Red Zone, no need for action.   Not sure if that's pragmatism or fatalism....but this quote rings true:    Civilization exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice.    [Will Durant – in Auckland Museum]