Friday, April 12 - Last day

    

Our last breakfast, with Bill, Sarah, and Geoff

   Friday morning we spent sorting everything out, throwing out or giving away the stuff we didn't want to bring home, and packing up the rest.  Then we took showers and said our goodbyes.

We say goodbye to Bill

      At around 3 pm we took a bus into Auckland.  After changing our New Zealand dollars to US, we walked around the harbor.

We've enjoyed walking around the ports in Australia and New Zealand.
Auckland has the largest in NZ, not surprisingly.

There's also a huge pleasure craft marina.  Maybe this is the way we should
do our next trip!

What the heck, at least I've got the beard of an old sailor.  I think it would be
pretty cool sailing around the oceans on this attractive sailboat

Don had offered to take us to the airport.  He drove to the harbor and
joined us for dinner at an outdoor market with food stalls.

     After dinner we strolled around the harbor for awhile, then decided it was time to go.  We thought our plane was leaving at 11:45 pm, and since it was only around 8 thought we had plenty of time.  But when Diana checked our flight info, she announced in a shocked voice that our departure was at 9:30.  Eyow!  We only had an hour and a half, and it was a half hour drive to the airport!
     But Don got us there in time, and after rushing through check-in and security, we made it to the gate with minutes to spare!  Nothing like milking every second of your trip.  I don't recommend it for those with weak hearts or fragile psyches.
     We settled into our seats, leaned back, and had a comfortable flight to LA, with movies and meals generously provided by New Zealand Air.