Auckland - part 2!

Tired from our night with the Rebels, but not wanting to waste our visit to Auckland, we decided to jump on the Auckland Explorer Bus and see 9 attractions without having to walk to them! We got on the bus at Sky City and headed to the Americas Cup Viaduct Harbour. New Zealand has a long history of involvement with the America's Cup Yachting regatta and was only the 2nd country in 100 years to win it from America. Auckland first hosted it in the year 2000 when they defended the cup but lost it in 2003 to the Swiss challenger Alinghi.

Next stop, the Ferry Building, which is the centrepiece of the harbour in Auckland. Built in 1912, it still serves as an active ferry terminal with ferries departing to Devonport and various Hauraki Gulf islands on a regular basis. The building itself is made of sandstone and brick.

Next was Bastion Point Lookout, with views out over the Hauraki Gulf and Waitemata Harbour. We decided to get off the bus here to see the Michael Joseph Savage Memorial Gardens, dedicated to the Labour Party legend and prime minister of the 1930’s.

From here we walked down to Mission Bay beach, which was beautiful.

We stopped for some lunch and then walked around Tamaki Drive on the waterfront, with great views back to the city, and picked up the bus again at Kelly Tarltons Underwater world.

The bus then took us through Parnell Rose Gardens, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Auckland Museum, Parnell Village, and the Civic Theatre Corner where the Movie King Kong was filmed, and finally back to Sky City - at 328 metres it's the tallest man-made structure in New Zealand.

After a wander around the harbour and shops, we then headed back to the hotel before having dinner at Sky City in the evening.

Easter Sunday was our last day in Auckland, so we decided to brave the Sky Tower. First we went to the main observation level at 186 metres. The lift to this point was scary enough, with a glass bottom and walls so that you can see just how high you are!!! I never like heights, but even Darren found the lift a bit freaky! The views though were awesome - you can see up to 52 miles in each direction.

The glass floors and small viewing areas though made us feel a bit funny! Although some people are crazy enough to jump off it! I think this picture captures the point where someone realized it was not a good idea!

We also had the option to go up to the Sky Deck at 220 metres. Darren felt that he had been high enough at this point so I braved it on my own!

We both agreed that it was a good thing to do, but if you don't like heights it's something you'd only do once!

And all too soon it was time to get back on the plane and head back to Australia! Another time I think it would be nice to see more of New Zealand, but it was a great trip - and because of the long weekend we still had two more days off work to enjoy when we got back!

Surreal and yet so real!

We wanted to go away for Easter and were undecided where to go, so we had a look at where the Melbourne Rebels were playing their away game so that we could tie a trip away with seeing them play - Auckland it was then!

We flew from Melbourne on April 21st, and arrived at our hotel in time to go out for a lovely Thai meal, and then back to the hotel for drinks at the bar. We hadn't planned it, but turned out we were staying in the same hotel as the players! There were a few walking in and out of the hotel reception, but when we saw Greg Somerville I couldn't resist a photo opportunity!  

Greg adds All-Black class and experience to the Rebels front-row. Greg was capped 66 times between 2000-2008, a record for an All-Black prop, and was selected at both sides of the scrum, testament to his technique and versatility in the most technical of positions.  In Super Rugby, Greg was a fixture in the tight-five of the all-conquering Crusaders during their title winning seasons of 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2008. He holds fifteenth place in the all-time Super Rugby appearance standings, with 116 and counting.
But we know him from the English Premiership powerhouse Gloucester, where he had been since 2008.

Me and Greg Somerville!

On the Friday morning we went down to the harbour to do a bit of sight-seeing around the viaduct harbour, and then back to the hotel, which was right by the Sky City Tower before heading off to the game.

Luckily there was a free bus to the ground, so it was no trouble getting to North Harbour Stadium.

We felt a bit out-numbered with the Auckland Blues fans, but I still wore my Rebels top with pride and out-shouted some of them!  Unfortunately though, we lost 40-23.  The Good Friday match started on a solemn note, with both teams taking the field together in an ANZAC tribute. The Rebels also wore black armbands as a sign of respect for Nic Henderson, who was mourning a death in his family.  Once the match started, it looked like a typical Blues encounter. The Auckland side is known for its quick starts, and it didn’t take them long to get on the scoreboard. The clock had barely ticked over two minutes and the Blues had a 5-0 lead.  The Rebels had trouble getting anything going in attack, and ten minutes later, there was a second try and a 10-0 lead.  But the Rebels refused to give in, and were on the attack with the score at 23-17 at half time.  The Blues came out firing in the second half, but the Rebels continued to battle until it was 28-23.  It was anyone's game.  However, the Blues scored a try 6 minutes from time, with another in the last minute.

Despite losing, it was a great game to watch - if only for their mascot!  A blue-beard pirate on a segway with fireworks!

After the game, we got the free bus back to the hotel, and then had a drink in the bar - hoping to catch a glimpse of the players when their team bus brought them back.  While we were sat there, a group of men in suits and ties, with their wives dressed just as smart, came into the bar and came to join us.  They saw that I was wearing a Rebels top and Darren was wearing his Gloucester Rubgy top, and came to ask us what we thought of the game.  After they'd made themselves at home with us and the conversation wore on, we realised that they must be something to do with the club - turns out that one was Alan Winney, who's on the board, and another was Steven Boland, the Chief Operating Officer!

We saw Rod Macqueen, the director of Rugby and Head Coach arrive at the hotel, and before we knew it he, the two assistant coaches and the team manager were also joining us for drinks!  For a bit of background, Rod Macqueen is one of Australia’s most successful rugby union coaches. During his time as Wallabies coach, the team won 34 of their 43 matches and held the Bledisloe Cup, Tri-Nations Trophy and World Cup.  

While we were talking to the big-wigs, the players arrived so I had to run off and get a picture with Gareth Delve.  Gareth arrived in Melbourne after captaining Gloucester in the English Premiership. He is also a Welsh international and his eleven caps include two in last year’s Six-Nations tournament.  Gareth’s career began at Bath, where he was coached by Rebels Assistant Coach, Mark Bakewell.  Gareth is the first Welsh international to compete in Super Rugby.

Me and Gareth Delve!

And back to the bar!  It was getting late, and Steven said that he was going up to the team room in the hotel and that we should join him.  I don't think we really knew if he was joking or not, so we stayed with the assistant coach (Damien Hill) and team manager (Scott Harrison) to finish our drinks.  When the bar manager came to tell us that the bar was closing if we wanted last orders, Damien said that he was going to the team room and asked what we were doing - to which I replied that we were also going to the team room!  He hadn't heard Steven invite us up so he was a bit wary of letting us in so told us to be prepared to be turned away!

We got out of the lift on the 6th floor, and were greeted by a couple of players playing table tennis and the team medic clearing away a physio table.  We waited there while Damien went into the Victoria Room to check that it was ok for us to go in.  While we were waiting, Darren introduced me as the Table Tennis Champion of the Dominican Replublic 2001!  Thank goodness Richard Kingi wasn't interested otherwise I could have looked a bit silly when I lost!

And yes we were allowed in, and to be honest I was a bit scared going in the door!  But Rod was lovely and pulled up chairs for us at his table with Steven Boland and the skills coach Nathan Grey.  Nathan played 35 Tests over 7 years for the Wallabies, appearing in the 1999 and 2003 World Cup squads.  Nathan started his career with the Queensland Reds and holds the record as the most capped centre with the NSW Waratahs. Upon finishing the 2004 season with the NSW Waratahs, Nathan played in Japan with Kyushu Electric Power Company’s team, Kyuden.

So anyway, I could tell you all their histories, and all we talked about, but I'm sure it's not really of interest to anyone but us!  But I will share the photos of what was the most surreal few hours ever!  If it wasn't for the photos I don't think I'd believe that we were in there having a drink with the players while they were playing cards just a few hours before they had to check out to fly back to Melbourne!  Before he left, Steven Boland gave Darren his email address and promised us a seat in the Weary Dunlop box at the next home game - we'll see.....

Richard Kingi, me and Nathan Grey

Rodney Blake, Darren, Stirling Mortlock (Captain), me, Hoani Macdonald, Jarrod Saffy

Same table as above, but the one with the nasty black eye is Julian Huxley

Danny Cipriani, James Hilgendorf, Heath Tessmann, me, Laurie Weeks, Nick Phipps, Hugh Pyle

Me and Danny Cipriani

Australian Grand Prix 2011

Can't believe that it's a year ago that we took mum and dad to the Grand Prix - the past year has flown!  Last year we had general admission tickets, but this year we went posh and had Grandstand tickets for the Webber stand.

We met Mark and Kieran at our seats - and Kieran had already worn himself out with all the excitement!

With ear muffs on - he looked the business!

It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day - perfect for bubbles in between races!

We were treated to a pre-race ariel display, which really was impressive!

Black Hawk

Qantas plane - no 380s available apparently!

And then the excitement built just before the big race........

........and Kieran slept through most of it on daddy's lap!  He did wake up at one point though to ask 'Did a car just take over Roary (the race car)?!)

As with most of these sporting events, I go for the atmosphere rather than the sport, but here's a summary of the results:

World champion Sebastian Vettel driving a Red Bull won the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on Sunday.
Vettel beat Lewis Hamilton in a McLaren by 22.2 seconds with Russian Vitaly Petrov in a Lotus Renault third.
It was Vettel's 11th win in his 63rd GP after he became the youngest F1 world driver's champion last year.
Ferrari's Fernando Alonso missed out on the podium in fourth place, while Vettel's Australian team-mate Mark Webber finished fifth for the third time in his home GP.

So the race all over we headed to St Kilda for dinner, and an amazing sunset!