Waiheke

After departing the ferry, we were hit with the constant din of cicadas. Is is easy to imagine you are in Hawaii or another tropical island. Lush landscapes are everywhere, broken up with expanses of grass hillsides. The land reminds us of so many places. The Gulf can be reminiscent of the Puget Sound, vegetation is similar to many places in Southern Calif. and the Bay Area. The island itself reminds you of rural Marin County (north of SF) in spring. There are even redwood trees! I understand why my brother lives here.
But Waiheke also has about 30 vineyards and a number of olive orchards. And the occasional tree fern or Norfolk Island pine reminds you that you're in the Southern Hemisphere.
It is kind of a wild ride to Mike's house in Rocky Bay and we stop at various points to look out at Auckland ( I guess you can't call it the Mainland since you are looking at an island!) Mike seems to know a great number of the 8,000 residents and we are introduced to a number of Kiwis and other people who have come here from various places around the world.
Mike lives in a very small house with a large deck overlooking the bush. It is on a narrow road right up from the beach at Rocky Bay. We are still marveling at all the lush greenery and the raucous cicadas. The property is on a slope and has 3 buildings: the main house, a small office and another one-room house that a tenant lives in. Rural, rugged and rough!