My host Harvey gave me a number of insider tips for my stroll around Devonport. I took the ferry in the morning, crossing the harbor in less than 15 minutes, and arrived on the opposite site, in Devonport, a small suburb of Auckland, located on the North shore of the harbor, at the southern end of a peninsula.

I walked up the little street with its touristy shops and restaurants, all quiet, as it was still relatively early in the day. My first stop was Mt. Victoria, an old volcanic cone, now mostly used by sheep for grazing, with a great vista on Auckland and the harbor.

Indeed, the view on Auckland is amazing, I’d like to go there in the evening and see the city lights. You also have a great view over to Rangitoto Island. That one is particularly interesting, as is it only a couple of hundred years old, the product of a volcanic eruption some 500-600 years ago.

Its name means Blood sky in Māori, and it is clear that people watched the island rise from the sea, as the area was already settled then. It’s a beautiful sight, a perfectly shaped cone. I will make a trip over to visit soon.

It’s also a bit frightening. Even though experts say that this volcano won’t erupt again, other volcanic action is more than likely in the Auckland area, where you count over 50 volcanos… The city has set up the ‘Auckland Volcanic Field Contingency Plan’, just in case.

I walked down Mt. Victoria and found Harvey’s secret tip, the little convenient store selling Auckland’s biggest ice cream. I got one scoop of Lemon swirl – as lunch more than enough – and strolled on to Cheltenham beach. The water was really warm and clear, but I didn’t bring anything to swim, as I’m still fighting with my cold.

On to the second hill top of Mt. Victoria, the North Head, looming over Torpedo bay, where you can visit the harbor defenses New Zealand has built. Intitially thought as line of defense against the Russian fleet, but then against German (WWI) or Japanese (WWII) attacks. Some of the cannons and artillery are still in place, and you can walk through the tunnels and bunker systems carved into the stone.

A fun day, I cut it a bit short though and took the ferry over back to Auckland again instead of sleeping on the beach… There’s plenty of day trips to be made around Auckland, so I won’t get bored. I ended the day in a bar, with a good Stella Artois greeting from Belgium and reading a bit …