AUCKLAND TOWNHOUSE NOTES FOR VISITORS
Our sunny north facing Townhouse (New Zealanders might also call it a “unit” or a “flat”) is 850 sq feet on one level and part of a small complex of six properties surrounding a courtyard of private car parks. It is semi-detached, with private car parks on one side and it’s own beautiful shady courtyard on the other, and the front door is off a shared entry courtyard between the car park and Parnell Road.
ABOUT PARNELL VILLAGE
The position of the house is what really sets it apart- Parnell Village
is the oldest, most historic and certainly the prettiest tree lined inner city area with many historic buildings, several a short stroll away. (and definitely not to be confused with lower Parnell near the container port where many apartment blocks were built in the industrial area in recent years)
Aucklands oldest, prettiest and biggest park containing the Auckland museum is a few minutes walk away, as are many excellent shops and restaurants up and down Parnell Road. In one direction you can walk along to nearby Newmarket, past the brick public library (free internet access) Newmarket is Auckland’s premier shopping district, complete with many restaurants, bars and a huge cinema complex and you can do your morning workout in the gym at the Olympic size public swimming pool.
Past the cathedral in the other (northerly) direction, you will find Parnell village with it’s ornate and historic wooden colonial style buildings leading gently down Parnell Road towards the harbour, the street lined with restaurants and bars. Look out for Starbucks, as anywhere down hill from here has the free Parnell internet access.
Most importantly, you dont need to use a car, as Aucklands cheap green "Link" bus service http://www.linkbus.co.nz/ which circles the central city in two directions every ten minutes, stops a few steps away from the house by the cathedral, both sides of the road, providing only a few minutes ride to the harbour waterfront or to Newmarket shopping district. $1.70 a ride or a day pass costs $7.50. For help with other buses, ring 3666400 or 0800-103080- they will tell you which buses to catch for where you are going.
By Auckland cathedral close by you can also catch the Auckland Explorer hop on/hop off guided tour bus which covers all the major visitor destinations in the city.
If you don’t feel like cooking or eating out, for takeaways, try Al & Pete’s- three minutes away to the left just over the intersection where the convenience store is. Try the snapper and chips.
Takeaway menus for ordering by phone, and also all visitor information, are in the mobile unit in the kitchen.
ABOUT AUCKLAND.
Auckland is sunny and semi sub-tropical (you can grow oranges but not coconuts) and never gets snow (just three or four mild frosts each winter) .Heaps of sunshine, as rain generally falls in short heavy bursts. In summer, (mid December to mid March) down to 15c at night, and up to maximum of 30c in the day, and a little humid for a few weeks each February. Less sun and more rain in winter (June, July, August) and temperatures go down to perhaps 5c overnight, and up to 15c during the day.
Its New Zealands biggest city (1.4 million), and is situated on a narrow isthmus between two lovely harbours with regular boat trips to many islands close by. (the link bus will take you to the Ferry terminal)
A beautiful safe clean city which has everything and is very cosmopolitan. It abounds with art galleries, museums, and good shopping, and is very much a pavement cafe society. Most overseas visitors find shopping, eating and living here a real bargain.
The city is full of green, tree covered parks, many on extinct volcano cones, and is surrounded by close to a hundred beautifully unspoilt bays and beaches.
Within an hours drive there is so much stunning scenery that to explore it all would take weeks. And further away, under 3 hours north is the beautiful Bay of islands, and under three hours south is the central North island Rotorua area, a premier destination for visitors, with trophy trout lakes, forests and mountains, hot mineral pools, geysers and the centre of Maori culture.
Auckland ranked 4th best city in the world to live in with the 2009 Mercer Quality of Living Survey of 215 cities worldwide, ahead of Wellington (13) Sydney (10th) Melbourne (17) Perth (21) and Adelaide (29) The cities were compared on the basis of personal safety, education, climate, schools, political stability, and personal freedom. Famous Travel Guide Lonely Planet also loves Auckland “It’s hard to imagine a more geographically blessed city”
Aucklands premier shopping area Newmarket is two minutes on the Link bus or a 15 minute walk to the left.