I arrived at the 4th of January at Patrick's place to stay for two nights. His house is located in a beautiful and quiet neighbourhood that is a 30 minute busdrive away from the center of Auckland. Patrick is very relaxed and social. He was very helpful to give any advice on which places to visit during my stay in NZ. During my stay, Patrick let me use his kayak to drift across the beautiful river that was right behind his backyard. This place is perfect if you want to relax from a long plane flight before starting your trip through NZ, and if you want to visit the northside of the country.