Auckland - my home town

That's Auckland in the photo - taken at night obviously. The Sky Tower is the tall thing in the middle - of the photo - and of Auckland. Auckland AKA "The City of Sails" because of its two harbours and yachting-crazy inhabitants.

The Sky Tower was built by Ron Brierley - a  permanently miserable looking, millionaire businessman - in the 1990s.  I hated it when it was being built. I hated the idea that a fat-cat with a big ego could use his ill-gotten millions to build a rich man's folly on my skyline. I hated that he made sure it was higher than Mt Eden - our beautiful iconic volcanic cone. What arrogance! As it grew we all thought it looked like a hypodermic syringe - and loathed the imagery.

BUT..... I have to admit now - and I dislike doing so - I think I actually like it! The junkie needle and big business connotations have faded from my mind and it is a focal point - pun intended - for the CBD. It also helps me when I get lost - a navigational aid that can be seen for hundreds of miles - okay tens!

The only thing I hold against it now is that it sits atop the casino - a misery-making place if ever there was! But don't get me started on that one!

Auckland is the largest city in NZ - a million plus souls - so not large by world standards. However it is one of the largest geographically - about the same size as Los Angeles. It is a great starting point for tourists and has heaps of great things to do. You could bungy off the above Sky Tower for instance. More sedate activities - like eating and drinking - are also on offer.