Waiheke Island is accessible by ferry from Aucklands main port and is usually done as a day trip. You pass an small volcanic cone and green little islands. On the island I walked to the Hekerua Lodge, which is run by really cool guys in their forties. They where sipping the first bottle of home grown wine at 11 AM when I arrived. You live in the living room and get to know all the people who live there really fast. A melting pot of travellers - it's the kind of place everybody stays a few nights longer than planned. I used their hot, outdoor spa bath a few times and cooked only once, but then I had enough food for the 4 days I stayed. Beautiful hikes are possible all around the island, where you can see sharp cliffs, expensive mansions, vineyards, heaps of sheeps and so on. Once I went fishing - again without catching something. And one day I cycled the whole island with the pushbike. This pretty much brought me to the physical abilities I have. But the lonely creeks were reward enough for the battered ass I had the next days. In the evening everybody was walking around with his wine bottle not to far away. Cool place...Afterwards it was about taking the last ferry to Auckland and the last bus to the airport to spent the night there.
