 |
  |
Yesterday we went to the top of Auckland Tower. We claimed ourselves as seniors and got a
reduced rate. The ride up was quick and
easy and the views were magnificent.
Before going up I highly recommend a viewing of the slide show having to do with the preparation for the
tower which starts with a very nice history of the Maori peoples. There is also a film of the construction of
the tower included, but for me it induced sleep. The tour starts at a main tower viewing area
with maps of the surrounding area which correspond to the view. They also had a few signs saying 'so many kilometers to....' Of interest to me was that Auckland is about equidistant from the North Pole as from New York. These distances correspond to air travel around the globe using the shortest routes possible, i.e. flying over the North Pole in many instances.
We then took a further elevator to the very
top viewing section, which was even more spectacular. The air had been thoroughly cleared by
Cyclone Lusi and we could certainly see past Howick, which is a suburb where we
live.
A guide at the top of the tower said that the tower closed 2
hours early on the day Cyclone Lusi made landfall. The tourists who were brave enough to go the
extra ‘mile’ to the very top heard the rumble of the elevator car scraping the
shaft as it was buffeted by the wind during its ascent and descent.
Not my cup of tea or cup of adventure!
We missed the bus to Half Moon Bay to meet up with the ferry
to the city. Finding an empty space at Half Moon Bay
Ferry parking was impossible. The poor commuters
must have to get there at the break of dawn, or they better not miss the frequent buses We have bus and ferry passes for seniors
which makes it all the more affordable.
I much prefer busing to driving and the ferry was refreshing.
As yesterday was St. Patrick's Day here in New Zealand and points west, we heard the revelry of green haired bar patrons and the lovely crooning of Irish songs. This picture is of an historic building in downtown.
No comments:
Post a Comment