final call from this hemisphere

This is a final post probably until we get home and put up the photographs and tell you about our sailing with Bob in the Caribbean! We leave this afternoon after a very good and rather restful stay in Auckland where we have caught up with Molly and John Julian, lots of laughter and recounting old shared memories and of course finding out about what each of has been about during the last 30 years! During our time with them we went out by ferry to Waiheke, a small island about 30 minutes by boat from Auckland, and we had lunch in the New Zealand Royal Yacht Squadron, we joined a philosophy group in the very fine Auckland School House near Mount Eden, chatted about Justthisday 2009, we had a jolly evening with Mark and Elisse Broadwith after meeting small Broadwith person, a very fine specimen of mankind called James who was exceptionally good! We went out to dinner with them at a smart restaurant, Oh Calcutta, just round the corner from our apartment where lots of children who had been pupils at the Ficino School whilst he was headmaster, came up and greeted him, very touching, and the owner of the restaurant whose children had been there insisted that we had the very good meal and wine on the house. Now we are all packed up, we have washed and shaken every garment, we have said goodbye to almost everyone and are off for Richard's final bluff oysters, we are having lunch with Barrie and Emilie Preston before we drop off the car, the sat nav, god bless her, and get back in to travel mode. Richard is already thinking about what he can worry about but being so relaxed it is difficult for him to find anything. We thank everybody in Australia, and in New Zealand who has made beds up for us, given us breakfast, dinner, lunch and tea, amused us, shown us around and we will look forward to returning hospitality to anybody who comes our way.