Auckland’s weather has been described as having a warm, oceanic climate with distinct sub-tropical influences, which means warm, humid summers and mild, wet winters. Saturday was dipping just above 10 degrees, but after walking about 2 km from Symonds all the way to the viaduct with precise, well-timed stops at a specialist optometrist store, a newly opened Asian bakery and a small snobbish boutique stocking Celine & Loewe, it was hot.

We have small coffees at a Starbucks and loiter at Britomart a bit at the large public square called Te Komitititanga. This is the tourist part of the city which funnels an endless stream of people taking the ferries back and forth to Waiheke, Davenport, Pine Harbour & Great Barrier Island. This is literally the only part of the city where there is a crowd.

Then it was some more walking for a yum cha lunch at Grand Harbour at the corner of Customs Street West and, Pakenham Street East, where we had barely taken off our coats when the roast pork cart came around (two please!).

There’s no time to feel guilty over a hundred dollars worth of dimsum; you just walk it off again until you come to the Britomart weekend market and see the stalls selling donuts. mochi-cheesecake hybrids and vegan pastries.

But then we didn’t really get dessert so….