I slept relatively late - 8.30 - and woke to find the same sort of weather that Auckland had had the day before; sunshine and showers with temps in the low 20s C. I decided to go up the Sky Tower first and then do a harbour cruise. I arrived at the Sky Tower quite early and there was hardly anybody there. I found that as I went up to the first observation deck I got a touch of vertigo in the lift. There is a glass panel in the floor which enables you to see the ground receding below and at each level there is a glass widow giving you a view across the city from the lift. I studied the lift control buttons on the wall of the lift very closely!!
As the lift doors opened onto the first observation deck I got the most stunning, panoramic view across the whole city. 
The whole of the harbour was laid out in front of me with ferry boats and yachts leaving white wakes across the water which looked blue in the sun.
To my right there was the dark cloud of an approaching rain storm. Initially I felt very nervous of the height and tended to inch my way around sticking near the interior wall. The deck was cantilevered out and it was possible to walk out onto it and stand on a glass floor which gave a view of the ground beneath your feet. After a while I became more accustomed to it and was able to walk around and looks at the 360 degree views of the city and the constantly changing weather brought by the arrival and departure of the showers but I stayed away from the glass floor.
Eventually I worked up the nerve to go up to the Sky Deck which was another 37 m higher. For some strange reason this was not as unnerving and the view was more spectacular as it was less interrupted by window bars. After that I went back down to the observation deck cafe and sat there for some time with cup of tea and muffin watching the changing scene outside. I could see the north south route of Highway 1. It seemed a lifetime ago since I had set off on my drive to the Bay of Islands.
On coming back down to earth I went browsing in the shops and found a Whitcoulls, NZ's bookshop chain. There was a very good selection of NZ literature and I chose a book which is historical non-fiction but written like a novel. It is called 'Strangerland' by Helena Drysdale and deals with the experiences of an Englishwoman and her family who migrate to NZ in the 1850s. so far a good read.
After that I headed to Hobson's wharf for a cruise around the harbour. There is a bewildering choice and I decided to go for the shorter one and half-hour cruise around the main islands. It was fascinating and just about enough time on a boat. The views of the city and surrounding islands were great and we went up close to the harbour bridge which was impressive.
I then went for a nice meal. On the cruise they had mentioned that Prince William had recently eaten at the 'Waterfront' restaurant on the newly developed keyside area. I went to have a look at it and could not see what the attraction was. The menu was not very interesting and the place looked a bit scruffy. I decided against and went back to the old ferry building to eat at the Harbourside Restaurant. It was a good choice. I had a delicious meal of John Dory with a lovely glass of very interesting Waikeke viognier. Yum, yum!!
And then for my disaster of the day. I had been chatting to Liz and Tina about the idea of buying some possum/merino knitwear before going home. It is available in most tourist/souvenir shops but at inflated prices. They advised me to go to an out of town outlet called Dress Smart at Onehunga. I got on the bus no problem but then got stuck in traffic. Friday night out of town rush I would think. I arrived at 5.00 pm to find it had just shut!! Nothing for it but to take the bus back to town in equally dense evening traffic. This was extra frustrating as all the shops in town were open til 8.00pm.
I did my washing and some blogging and then off to bed to read my new book.
