Hi Sibble and Ghosty!

[farawaytree]

Happy New Year! I hope you both had a good Kiwi Christmas, I was thinking about Christmas in NZ, and how I would miss cold. But then with global warming Christmas' isn't like Christmas here anymore either!! So you are not missing much.
I have been trawling through the net to try and find a holiday house to stay in over Easter. We have decided to book something in Auckland for the entire time and drive to Tauranga for the day or overnight. Basically we would need to be in Auckland due to DH job so that really is decided.
We have decided to book a house so we can do normal things like supermarket shopping and try our best to imagine life in NZ. But the holiday houses appear to be a bit thin on the ground. I am awaiting availability on a house in Mount Eden & Mission Bay as recommended but have drawn a blank on the other areas you suggested. What about Takapuna or is that getting a bit far out?
Or would it be easier to tell me what areas to avoid?
Ghosty - when are you off to OZ?

Happy New Year to you too. Well Auckland weather can be quite psycho so Christmas Day started cold (jeans and jumper weather) then by late afternoon we were in the garden in sun tops. Boxing Day was a scorcher!! But no I still am not used to a warmer Christmas. I still miss the dark nights and cold!!! So much so we lit a fire one night, had the lights on and it felt a bit more festive. DH thinks I'm mad.

Takapuna is fine (nice beach and cafes from memory) but you would need a car I think. I'm not too hot with getting around on the North Shore. I have quite a few friends who live over there and love it. We looked but DH didn't want to commute across teh bridge into the city every day, it can get pretty jampacked.

On the whole if you are looking at central(ish) Auckland or the North Shore I can't think of any areas that are 'dodgy'. It would more be lack of shops, parks etc. If you venture further out there are some areas to avoid but you'd notice a huge drop in the rental prices.

Ghosty is lying low at the moment she's had family staying back to back since mid December but is still on track to leave by the end of Jan. I'm seeing her tomorrow at the Women's Tennis finals. We both have tickets.

Keep us posted with what is going on.

What about staying in an apartment in the city? Then you will get a feel for if you like Auckland per se, rather than a particular suburb. I know you won't live like that - but it is a holiday too.