We started our day at a coffee shop in a downtown high-rise, not dissimilar to the Columbia Tower in Seattle. We sat among tables of working-folk, some having business deal meetings, others interviewing. Similar to driving on the other side of the road, the revolving doors here circle the opposite direction, which was an adjustment.

We celebrated Stephanie’s birthday today with a wine tour on Waiheke (“Why-Heck-Ee”) Island, otherwise known as “The Wine Island” here. After a beautiful 45-minute ferry ride, we had lunch at a restaurant situated right on the Onetangi Beach, allowing us to stick our toes in the New Zealand sand.

We visited three wineries and learned all about the history of the island. Waiheke is home to around 35 boutique wineries that do not regularly export their wines, much smaller than the more commercial wineries on the south island that export their wines world wide (this is where your world-famous New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs come from). Auckland has a laid-back vibe for a larger city, but Waiheke Island takes it to another level. Everyone is truly on island time, happily boasting that they live in absolute paradise. Many residents have come from all over the world, including our tour guide who came here 7 years ago for a 3 week trip and loved it so much he never left.

For dinner we enjoyed a nice Italian meal with a Kiwi flair along the harbor. The restaurant had its own twist on Italian classics such as a Crayfish meatball which Stephanie made sure we tried! Auckland is such a safe city that restaurants do not bring the bill to the table, it is instead the norm to pay at the front desk at you walk out the door. The servers spend long minutes at your table chatting and telling you about the city, never in a rush to get the next patrons in the door.

Tomorrow we start our journey south to Rotorua through Hobbiton (calling all Lord of the Rings fans).