Dateline January 26, 2015 – Panorama Heights -Western Auckland

Upon leaving Gulf Harbour Golf, we made our way, about a 1 hour drive, to Panorama Heights, our bed and breakfast for the evening in west Auckland high in the Waitakere Range.  We arrived a little after 6:30 and met our hosts Allison and Paul.  They have run the Panorama Heights home for the last 16 years as their primary business.  They had purchased a large lot just in front of the B&B a number of years ago and Paul built the majority of their home himself taking in the hill side lots beauty.  An English couple lived in the house above them, which they built in the 1950’s and when it became available Paul and Allison purchased it and converted into a guest home for family and friends. As Paul reconfigured the house it became the Panoramic Heights B&B. While it can sleep 8, since we were the only ones there the entire house was ours!

The view from the porch is as good as it gets.  You look out over downtown Auckland with the bay and the Auckland bridge in the view.  As the sun goes down and the city lights come up, the view just changes and is wonderful.

Allison and Paul got us settled.  We had no plans for dinner, so John and Pete went into town and bought some simple things back to the house for dinner.  We were not aware of it, but if you had called 24 hours in advance, Allison and Paul would have made dinner for us.  Good to know if you ever stay with them. 

We had a wonderful evening a few drinks and chatted away for a while and then off to sleep for the night.  With morning, Allison and Paul fixed a breakfast with Allison’s home backed rolls and bread along with eggs, bacon, fresh fruit and so much more.
This was a country breakfast that will be remembered for some time.  What we enjoyed, was that they spent the breakfast time with us, eating as well.  Sharing all our backgrounds and family stories, those you can tell !

Paul then gave us a history of the surrounding area, mostly preserve owned by the City of Auckland.  The area as you can see in the pictures is basically the top of a very steep cliff.  Back in the mid 1800’s immigrants were offered land for free if they helped clear the Kauri Trees that populated the land.  After the land was granted, the immigrants approached the government because they could not farm the land and felt they had been cheated.  The Auckland government then purchased the land back and created the preserve, which is now in a native state and can not be developed.

Paul asked us at breakfast if we knew what a panel beater was.  It was a funny guessing game which we finally, with his hints, figured it is an auto body repair person.  Paul had his own auto body repair business for years that he sold when they opened the B & B.  He showed his new Jaguar model F, bright red,  WOW! He also had a 1967 Jaguar E Type that has been totally restored by the resident panel beater.

Time to head out for our next golf adventure at Wairakei, We bid a fond farewell to Paul and Allison.