Auckland Part 2, Kelly Tarlton's & Sues

Seminar over I was looking forward to a relaxing Sunday. First thing we wanted to do was pop in to see my niece Jacki, Tim and their family but sadly for us, and happily for them J & T were at the airport waiting for their flight to Fiji! Lesson learnt - don't leave communications til the last minute Trish!

So next on the list was a visit to Kelly Tarltons Sea Life Aquarium (where Len has never been and where I haven't been since the children were little) and the Penguin Encounter where neither of us have been. It's a truly great place and we loved every minute of our visit which took over 2 hours without a tea or snack break. The Gentoo and King Penguins which you see both swimming in the water and standing, beaks pointed, on the ice, in the case of the King Penguins or inquisitively coming to look at you through the glass in the case of the smaller Gentoo Penguins, are all amazingly beautiful as you walk through their icy environment, separated just by the glass.

A graceful 250kg stingray!

So many different species of fish and sharks to see ranging from the beautiful colourful little tropical fish to the big and ugly as you walk through the underwater tunnel and we were fascinated to watch the girl at the stingray encounter where in front of the large audience she fed the fish and stingrays in the tank. The stingrays were huge and one in particular kept sliding itself right up her back and over her body. She is obviously very used to it now but she did say to us that it was rather scary when she first went in with them! Rather her then me!
If you haven't yet been to Kelly Tarltons put it on your list of 'must-dos'! It's well worth a visit.

Reminiscing schoolmates!

Next, and last, stop for the day was at my schoolfriend's, Sue's, new apartment in Parnell which she just moved into, from around the corner, 2 weeks ago. It was great to see her lovely new place, admire all the handiwork she has done with such things as fastening all the tools to the wall downstairs and spend the night in one of her big comfortable spare beds after a nice dinner and catch-up. And we came away this morning with some of her delicious home-made muesli (I have the recipe), yummy tomato relish and plum jam which we have yet to taste. We feel very spoilt.