Kia Ora ! (Greetings, oh beings of Light)

Our flight from LA was uneventful and we spent the night as best as one possibly can in an airline
seat. We landed in AUckland as the sun was coming up over islands in the Hauraki Gulf. NZ is rather particular about any food or plants substances one brings in. So after a passport check we passed through biohazard control. A we picked up our baggage a number of leashed beagles sniffed our bags before we exited. Mike was a few minutes late meeting us, but soon we were off to explore Auckland.
Auckland is a city built on a number of extinct volcano cones. The one that catches your eye is the island of Rangitoto, Auckland's icon. (think Eiffel Tower Paris, Big Ben, London) We stopped at one volcano called One Tree Hill. ( Attn music buffs: U2 wrote a song called One Tree Hill) We then made our way to the Domain where the Auckland Museum sits atop the hill flanked by a beautiful Conservatory called a Wintergarden. The Maori exhibit at the museum was exceptional.
We dropped our large bags at Mike's office - a lovely shared space in an old southern looking building across the street from the clock tower at the University of Auckland. With just overnight bags we headed to the Waiheke ferry, stopping for a quick lunch in Devonport, a small peninsula overlooking the gulf. From here we could see where the America's Cup race took place and have a unobstructed view of the two Barrier Islands.
The 35 minute ferry ride gave us a great view of Auckland and the islands. The island is one of the larger ones in gulf. Landing gave us the feeling of being transported to a very different, slower world.