Waiheke Island - part 1 ferry ride

I had a full day off in the Auckland area and I decided to take the ferry over to Waiheke island. I love the sense of journey when you are on a ferry. You don't really have to DO anything for the entire ride, and yet somehow I always feel like I am accomplishing something great while ride. A mix of purposeful to-do list compleation mixed with meditation and dreaming.

This ride was full of such things from the activities on the water (dredging, fishing), views, and destinations:

Waiheke Island - part 2: the island

The island was lovely. I took the bus down to this lovely beach. I even tried to take a nice nap, but the construction crew seemed to start packing the dirt on the shoreline road where ever I tried to sleep. Even though my bed of sand was a ways from it, the pounding and vibration was intense. I began to wonder about the impact on any sand life forms..... when I notice that sand fleas were biting me all over. I guess I was nicer than the trama of the sand vibrations.
Here is a friendly sign reminding drivers "cement splashes, wash car today"
I just loved this wall... but fear that my mother will try to create one if I show it to her:)

This is the second beach I went to and had a very lovely coffee on that very bench. Ah, it was a nice moment.
I ended up walking back to the ferry from town through the Atawhai Whenua Reserve. It is slowly regenerating. It was quiet though and not too hard on my weak ankles.

I did find this sign amusing... Perhaps this bridge is unsafe, but the small creak was very leapable.

Regardless I made my way down the path to the 'safer' bridge, which turned out to be a sticked laid across the stream!But my very favourite part was getting off the ferry and watching this man roll his semi-portable heater down the city streets... I can only wonder where he was planning to take it!
And my favourite accidental shot of the day while I was out exploring the city streets of Auckland!