Day 97 - The Viaduct's Te Wero Bridge

I've always found something hypnotic about those bridges that slowly open, lift and drop to let through passing vessels and this one in the Auckland Viaduct's Wynyard precinct is no exception.

Day 96 - Gibbs Farm

The very definition of a 'hidden gem', Gibbs Farm in the Kaipara Harbour to the north west of Auckland is almost totally unknown to the average Kiwi on the street and is criminally overlooked by the guidebooks. And yet I've just spent one of my most inspiring days out ever at this giant sculpture park, where world-class works of supersized art, stunning views of the surrounding natural landscape and free-roaming imported animals (emus, buffalo, zebra) combine to provide a mesmeric experience for kids and adults alike.

Day 95 - Auckland's Asian Food Courts

Asian food is never in a short supply in Auckland and you don't need to pay through the nose to get the good stuff. The food courts off Ponsonby Road and Queen Street are favourite spots for a quick, cheap and always tasty feed, and the portions are almost embarrassingly generous.

Day 94 - Kumeu country walks

I had the good fortune to be able to live in the countryside when I first moved to New Zealand and long walks through the rolling fields and gentle hills of Kumeu to the west of Auckland were a real highlight of my time there. So when a free weekend presents the opportunity to revisit the area and get back to nature, I don't need much convincing.

Day 93 - Random old stuff on Trade Me

Trade Me - the online market where 'Kiwis by and sell' - has become a favourite online destination while I've been living here. Whether you're looking for a rare book or a second-hand piece of furniture, Trade Me usually delivers, but browsing its many thousands of items is at its most entertaining when it throws up random antiques like this mounted wall clock and barometer.

Day 92 - Stormy skies

We get some wild weather events in Auckland from time to time, which can be as exciting as they are unnerving. Yesterday's incredible split sky over the CBD was a case in point.

Day 91 - The Cav

There aren't many truly great pubs in New Zealand but I'd argue that College Hill's Cavalier Tavern - affectionately known as 'The Cav' - is definitely in with a shout. A great selection of tap beers, an outdoor deck with stunning views out across the city, sport of the TV, hearty burgers and fruit machines - it has all the trappings of a first class watering hole. The only thing missing is crisps behind the bar, but I guess you can't have everything...

Day 90 - Albert Park

Albert Park has a claim to be Auckland's most urban green space. Bordered by the University on one side, and the Art Gallery and CBD on the other, it lacks the escapism of the city's finest parks, but as a destination for live music (the annual BFM student radio concert series) and spectacular installations (the Chinese New Year lantern festival), it has a cultural significance the other struggle to match. 

Day 89 - The Auckland Art Gallery

A fine art gallery both for the quality of its works and the architecture behind its recent renovation, Auckland's cultural centrepiece is a destination to be returned to throughout the year. Recent exhibitions of rock 'n' roll photography and the European masters have shown the breadth of its offering, with modern and classical art sitting side by side in a way that never feels unnatural.

Day 88 - Al Brown's new bagel joint

Celebrity (and actually very good) chef Al Brown has recently opened a specialist bagel outlet in the formal industrial site of Rhubarb Lane in Auckland. While hardly the most inspiring development on paper, the proof is very much in the pudding and his simple but flavour-packed bagels are some of the best I've ever tasted.

Day 87 - School

Today I had the fortune of visiting an Auckland primary school on Dominion Road - in all likelihood the first time I have set foot inside a primary school since I last walked out of the gates of my own some 19 years ago. And what a great school it was too, with friendly staff, polite children, art-filled classrooms and acres of green playing space. If this one is in any way representative of New Zealand schools in general then Kiwi parents are very lucky indeed.

Day 86 - Hilltop picnics

Auckland's abundance of green spaces means it's never hard to find a suitable spot for a picnic on a sunny afternoon. And for those willing, a trudge uphill on one of its many volcanic mounds means you can eat your ham and cheese sandwiches against the backdrop of a stunning cityscape.

Day 85 - No more church weddings

If, like me, you've always baulked at the thought of a stuffy church wedding, you could do worse than get yourself on the invite list of a New Zealand one, which will almost certainly take place outdoors against some spectacular backdrop or other under blue and sunny skies. Ahhh.

Day 84 - The Domain's Wintergarden

Somewhere most native Aucklanders would probably never think to venture, the Wintergarden - a Classical statue filled courtyard book-ended by two vast greenhouses brimming with exotic flowers and plant life - is a serene escape from the city hubbub in the heart of the Domain parkland.

Day 82 - The turning of leaves in autumn

The NZ autumn isn't quite as spectacular as the North American fall, but it's still capable of producing some pretty special sights, not least when the clouds give away to a clear blue sky and red and brown leaves come alive in the sunlight.

Day 82 - Easy recycling

Recycling was not always that easy in London, not least because the recycling 'basket' that the council provided you with was barely large enough for the weekend's newspapers. Thankfully New Zealand, while still not doing as much as it should for the environment, does at least have an efficient domestic recycling system with Auckland's huge dedicated wheelie bins meaning there's no excuse not to sort your cardboard and plastic from your common household muck.

Day 81 - Inside on a rainy day

Kiwi culture is fundamentally an outdoorsy one and not really made for cold rainy days. As winter draws closer, the tendency is a kind of hibernation, as people retreat into the relative warmth of their homes (I say 'relative' because the lack of central heating in most houses means it can get extremely cold indoors.) Personally, I find something comforting in this, especially when looking down on a wet and windy garden from the cosy haven of an upstairs bedroom.

Day 80 - Car parking

Actually, street car parking in Auckland can be a pain in the ass but there are lots of car parks with lots of spaces if you're prepared to pay for the privilege - which is a minor upgrade on London at least.