Not exactly hard labour...

H. enjoys a tea party with her friends.

It was our first long weekend here in Auckland, with Monday a holiday for Labour Day.

With rain forecast for most of the weekend, we decided to stay indoors. A couple of swims and spas, plenty of reading, and a few DVDs were just what the doctor ordered.

Friends came by for Sunday lunch, which was a good excuse to further my education on the NZ wine industry.

This Riverstone Pinot Gris was deliciously fun and fruity, with a hint of green apple and pear.
It went down far too easily!

Monday dawned bright and sunny, so we took a walk into the city via the Viaduct. The Viaduct is basically a collection of trendy restaurants, cafes and shops along the harbour.

The kids were entranced by the yachts, ships and catamarans, though couldn't understand why they weren't allowed to board and explore all the boats!

All that walking and fresh air gave them an appetite, but luckily, as in Australia, a McDonalds is never too far away here. After a pasta zoo meal each, they were still hungry. C. tucked in to a hot chocolate and raspberry-apple pie, while H. made short work of an ice-cream.

If only weekends could last all week ...