Day 15 Auckland to Russell in the Bay of Islands

Our hotel is next to Sky Tower in Auckland but it was so overcast we never thought of going to the top.  After breakfast in the hotel with members of the Aussie Rugby team, several of who were limping, we got the car and began the NZ adventure. We drove north out of the city on Motorway 1, while most traffic was coming toward us.  Soon the road changed and we were driving thru beach front towns and along emerald green grassy fields that rose to the mountains or sloped to the shore – as green as the Irish country side, but on a larger scale.
 
We stopped several places to see old settlements, have coffee, eat lunch and visit a museum that told the story of a major Scottish settlement.  We arrived at the ferry dock about 3:30 and crossed to Russell to find the B&B called La Veduta.  Spectacular is an understatement, the breathtaking view of the town and harbor is surpassed by the warmth and charm of our hosts, Danielle (from Normandy) and Dino (form Florence).  We sat on the deck looking at the sunset and chatted like old friends. We unpacked, had dinner in the hotel on the waterfront, and then came back for a good night’s sleep.