I wake up early and get laundry done.  I’m in a great mood and ready to tackle Auckland after having a shower and getting laundry done.  I work with Joelle at City Lodge about taking a couple tours.  One of my plans was to visit Waiheke Island.  She calls Fullers Waiheke Wine Hopper but the only operate Saturday and Sunday plus the buses are not accessible.  She calls NZ Winepro who does tours on Waiheke with mini buses that I’ve been able to get on and off.  She also calls Flexi Tours for a tour to Rotorua.  Neither company can answer her accessibility questions right now so I head out for the day and will hopefully book the tours when I get back.  I find a coffee place to make a few phone calls back to the States.  I have a lead on a bike shop to see if they can put on my new brake that’s due in tomorrow.  After explaining my problem to Jason at Giant Bikes he has no problem putting my brake on.  With tours in the works and brake problem organized I start wheeling around Auckland.  I find two hostels that may be accessible in the city where it’s flat that I have to check out, Nomads and X-Base.  I wheel through two small parks Mahuhu Ki Te Rangi and Te Taou to the old Railway Station.

I wheel back down to the bay and wheel around Queens Wharf, Princes Wharf, Te Wero Bridge, North Wharf and Silo Park.  All the wharf areas are very flat and easy to wheel around which makes me very happy and gives my arms rest.  There is a slight grade to get over the bridge but nothing too difficult and Silo Park has an accessible bathroom.

On the way I stop by Jake Tar Bar and Grill for a beer on North Wharf over looking the bay.  They are accessible off the pedestrian walkway with a slight lip through the entrance and have an accessible bathroom.  I found a place earlier wheeling around Princes Wharf for dinner, Mexicali Fresh, similar to Chipotle.  It’s accessible off the wharf with a nice deck for dinner overlooking the water.  The entrance has a slight lip and they have no accessible bathroom.  I go by QC Lounge for a beer and to use the free wifi to pay some bills and check emails.  QC Lounge does have an accessible bathroom.  I receive an email survey from Trek Global in Wellington asking about my stay, can’t wait to fill this out.  After taking the red inner-city bus to Pitt St., I head up the hill to check out the area around Karangahape Road.   There are are a bunch of shops, a few restaurants and bars.  I stop in the Family Bar for a drink and talk with Brett, who’s been in Auckland for about 20 years.  The bar is accessible off Karangahape Road but the bathroom is not accessible.  We talk about my travels and how I’m sick of wheeling up and down hills.  I’m told Melbourne is flat so I’m looking forward to having having a break from hills.  I head back to City Lodge and reception has answers on my tours.  Both tours run mini buses and have no problem taking me.  I book the NZ Winepro tour for Tuesday morning, pick up time 10:35am.  I upload the days photos and head to bed.