To insanity and beyond ...: 10 seconds isn't long at all!!

I don’t DO crowds and I don’t DO queues ... unless I REALLY REALLY have to.

The ferry that we caught from Auckland to Devonport

Devonport Yacht Club

I’ve never liked having throngs of people around me as I don’t like not being able to see where I’m going or what’s around me ... it makes me claustrophobic. That’s why I DON’T participate in marathons or races or do last-minute shopping at Christmas. Crowds and I just do not gel.

Where I'm heading .... North Head

Some of the gorgeous houses along King Edward Parade

The thought of heading over to North Shore to see the houses that’ve been renovated in “The Block” was enticing. We’ve been avidly watching the transformation of the various houses over the last few weeks and they’re now open to the public before being put up for auction. Having seen on TV the crowds that flocked to the opening of the Melbourne Block last year though put me off.

I do enjoy a ride on the ferry though so joined Gav and Callum on their jaunt across to North Shore but left them to face the crowds. The hound and I enjoyed a ramble to North Head to take in the views.

They had to catch a bus from the Ferry Terminal to Takapuna ... a 25 minute bus ride ... and then walk to Anzac Road where The Block is. It probably took them all of an hour to reach The Block and then they found the crowds

... AND the Q !!

Message from Gav at 12.49:
“We are here. 4 lines of q! Callum says ugh.
Message from Gav at 13.10
“Down the first line. It’s quite a carnival here.”
Message from Gav at 13.32
“Down second line.”

I was SO glad I hadn’t joined them.

They finally finished and caught the bus back to the Wharf at 14.44. In the meantime the hound and I had thoroughly enjoyed our ramble along to North Head and up the cone. The climb up the cone’s quite strenuous but the hound and I are tough .... we take it in our stride ... quite literally!

The cone has sweeping views across to the city and harbour and of Hauraki Gulf. It’s no wonder it was used as a lookout and defense site in the late 1800's.

It’s an awesome spot and we plopped ourselves down on the grass at the top for a well-deserved rest and some mad-cap photo taking.

Taking pics of the hound and myself together isn’t always easy ... she wants to be in on the action. I’ll settle her down and race to set the camera ..... and she’ll race WITH ME!! Settle her down again, race back again and then launch myself into position with her BEFORE the time elapses. 10secs isn’t long at all!!

She thinks when I throw myself down next to her it’s a game so the first few shots are generally of her delightedly giving my face a wash and me desperately trying to ward her off ... NOT a good look. This time though I had the beep sounding on the timer so as to distract her ... the faster the beep got, the more quizzically she looked at the camera.