Waiheke -eat your heart out!

Auckland has been  very sweet to me. First a Chinese lady in the street suggested I change my car park as it was illegal - than you ! And then I catch the bus to the quay to find the ferry, buy some Salmon from Bluff to take for dinner, and Norma meets me after 35  minutes of a beautiful ferry ride across the waves to Waiheke Island. 

And it is indeed a paradise. I cannot believe so many wonderful baches, intermingled with million dollar homes in spectacular positions. It is a place for the super rich or super lucky. Norma's house is no different being a beautiful modern residence with a large terrace overlooking a lush green valley of fantastic wealth. She takes me on a short drive of all the beaches with yellow sand and soft lovely waves. All in all, it is a dream. Tomorrow back to reality!

Bed at Waiheke

Outside her downstairs flat

Kitchen.

Living room..

Wonderful ferry return to Auckland

Cyclist...

After a nice coffee with Norma in one of the excellent cafes in Waiheke I take the eleven o'clock ferry back to Auckland after an interesting catch-up with N. Told her I can come back and cat-sit her home when she goes on one of her many overseas trips. Waikeke is an experience not to be forgotten...a veritable paradise. Norma just doesn't seem to realise what a lucky person she is. We spoke of spiritual matters as she has just lost her husband, but she laughs them off, she is not interested, death being the end of everything for her. I rang Jenny W, Jennifer's very good friend and once- bridesmaid, in Waiheke. She is an Aussie of fifty years residence there, and she told me that Jennifer had told her that Jean Watson had an aneurism this morning... and when I get to Auckland Jennifer texts me that Jean has translated at 5 am this morning. Baraka Bashad. At Christmas lunch I had told her about the HU and the very next day, apparently getting out of a train carriage, she had this final call. It was very fitting departure for an India-loving person. 

Have returned to a sunny Auckland and eaten a felafel at the Little Turkish Caff on K. May catch a movie with Robyn as news from Pam tells me she is at hospital with Phillip, he is quite ill. There is something going on at present and I wonder what it is.