Week One has just been incredible.  So much to work out and so many new people.  Just doing a laundry is a kick and timing laundry day to coincide with a sunny outside drying time.  David has now put the living room/dining room heater on a timer so the place is a bit warmer upon rising.

I love my almost daily walks into town and the beautiful view of Howick Beach.  I have had my very first ever Zumba class and am now enrolled for 2 times a week. We have bought a car through a bidding process on trade me.co.nz and met wonderful people through the process.  Everyday is a new adventure.

This weekend we drove to Half Moon Bay and took the ferry to Auckland.

On the ferry we met a wonderful couple who bought us a cup of coffee and tea in Auckland while we waited for our next ferry to Rangitoto Island.  Rangitoto (yes same name as our street) is a volcanic island with rugged lava crops, lush native bush and sandy coves.  It erupted from the sea around 600 years ago.  It is the last and largest volcano to be formed in the Auckland volcanic field.  We reached the summit and had a wonderful view of Auckland, the Hauraki Gulf Islands, and beautiful sailing boats.  Here are a few pictures.

Those little white specks are actually sailboats.  Check out this walkway.  These are all over the place and make tramping quite pleasant!

David is truly becoming a kiwi.  He is leaning beside a little structure that I had to pull him away from to get back on the ferry for our return trip.  He was determined to make that his new island home.

On returning to Auckland we had a wonderful dinner by the harbor and hopped on the ferry back to Half Moon Bay.

I will end with a photo of David and myself in front of the Tiaho Mai wharenui (Mauri meeting house) on the Middlemore Hospital campus where he along with all the new people working in Manukau counties Mental Health System were welcomed in a beautiful ceremony Monday morning.