Day 2 - Waiheke Island Try #1
View from our Glam Camping site at Castaway Resort
I have to start today’s blog by saying that the Glam Camping was a fantastic experience. If you ever find yourself in Auckland, we highly recommend it!! It was actually really nice to be off-grid for 24 hours with no cell service and away from all other human beings. We arrived at Castaway Resort at about 2:00pm, a little early for check-in so the receptionist gave a two for one drink coupon and we headed over to the restaurant across the street. Fifty minutes later we were all checked in and on our way to our Glam Camping site in our golf cart. We did not know what to expect when they gave us our little map and showed us where our site was, but we didn’t expect it to be so off the beaten path. We really should have had a four wheeler instead of a golf cart 😂 ! We had to stop and unlock a swing open gate at one point like you see in westerns. When we finally arrived, the first thing we were struck by was the view. It was simply breathtaking. Then we started scoping out our amenities. The tent (if you can call it that) was so cozy with a huge king size bed, a small kitchen area, sitting area and a bathroom in the back. Our instructions provided said to open our bottle of wine and turn on the music, which we did. The playlist they provided in a car stereo built into the wall was so fun and nostalgic. Lots of our favorites and great hits we hadn’t heard in a long time. We grabbed our drinks and headed out to sit in the Adirondack chairs and take in the view of the Karioitahi Beach, which is a black sand beach. The location reminded us so much of Hawaii and it was so peaceful.
As part of the glamping experience we were provided all of the ingredients for a gourmet meal. It included soup, mediterranean salad, salmon, steak, potatoes, garlic bread, and yummy brownie dessert. We prepared everything on the BBQ grill and enjoyed our meal while watching the sun set. We really wished we would have planned a two night stay. We never got a chance to swing in the hammocks or sit in the in-ground tub at the site as it quickly got dark after we finished our meal. In the morning, we enjoyed our coffee while listening to the waves and watching the sun come up. After coffee, we prepared our full breakfast with all of the fixings. I wish I would have taken a picture of the small refrigerator with all of the containers specially marked and shelved according to which meal they were to be used: dinner, dessert and breakfast. The whole experience was top notch and we were so happy I found this little gem when researching for this trip. We had to quickly pack up and head out by 9:00 AM to get to our second excursion which was wine tasting on Waiheke Island. Unfortunately, today was one of those days that we all deal with when the trips we have planned don’t go according to plan 😕.
Jimm’s driving has improved, so that is a plus as he is getting used to left side road driving. The plan was to drive back to Devonport where we are staying, drop off our bags and then take a ferry from Devonport to Downtown Auckland. We decided it would be better to just head straight downtown and parked in a ramp close to the port. We quickly found our ferry to Waiheke Island and we were thinking…so far, so good! Sadly, when we got to the island we found out that almost all of the wineries are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and the “Hop On Hop Off” Bus we were suppose to take around the island also does not operate on Tuesdays!! So, when you find yourself in a situation like this, you “pivot”. We found one winery that was open and headed there for lunch and wine tasting. We met Emily, our server, who was from the U.S. Her parents own a condo in Siesta Key in Florida. So it was fun to chat with her while enjoying our wines and the great view. Over wine, we decided we needed a “do over” and would come back to the island tomorrow. So we walked back to the ferry, drove back to Devonport and are now relaxing before heading out to an Italian restaurant for dinner.
When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade! 🍋 or a cocktail 🍹