Dunedin to Auckland and a concert

This is a late posting.

We set off from our hotel around 7:30am to find somewhere for breakfast, but none of the cafés opened until 8am, so we had a wander around the area while we waited.  It was a lovely morning and we saw some interesting buildings and shops. The Corner Store Café was the first to open, so we went in and both of us ordered their Walnut, Fig and Almond Granola, served with Greek yoghurt, seasonal fruit compote and banana, which was absolutely delicious.  I’m planning on trying to re-create it at home it was so good.  After breakfast we walked back to the hotel to pick up our bags and checkout. We were travelling light so we put our bags on our backs and went for a little walk while we waited for our shuttle out to Dunedin airport. Eventually we arrived at the airport. We had an hour’s wait at the airport for our flight to Auckland, so had time for a coffee.  The plane was full, but the flight was comfortable and soon we were landing at Auckland airport. The train stopped one station short of our station, so we caught a bus then another bus and were soon home.  We had time for a quick supper and then set off for the Bruce Mason Centre over the bridge in Takapuna, to attend a concert celebrating 50 years of the Roger Fox Big Band, called “The Big Drum Off - RFBB 50th Anniversary.  The three drummers from the US who provided the “big drum off”, with their drum sets in front of the band, were Dennis Chambers, Gregg Bissonette and Peter Erskine.  It was a fabulous jazz concert and the audience came out smiling.  It meant we had a late night, but at least we could sleep in our own bed.

I am still way behind responding to comments and dipping into journals.  There’s just been no spare time, so I will catch up when I can.

The main blip shows the First Church of Otago on the left, the Gone Potty gift shop top right, a building Bacchus Wine Bar and Restaurant middle right, and a very classy recycling hub. The extra is of the Leviathan Hotel