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We flew to Auckland to be hosted by Mike Thomas at the University of Auckland from Sunday 27th November to Saturday 3rd December.

Mike, David and Sue.
The lodge of old government house where Mike arranged for us to live on our last visit.

The side entrance of old government house where where we stayed on this visit in the top floor flat (the three top windows). Previous guests in the house include Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
Ye Yoon Hong (David’s academic granddaughter as the doctoral student of his student Michael Thomas).

On Tuesday November 29th, an audience of teachers listens as David suggests why some people find mathematics simple while others find it difficult.

The audience break into groups to discuss what they have heard.
After the conference we make our way to dine at the top of the Sky Tower ... the tallest tower in the southern hemisphere ...

Looking up ...
... looking down.

Sue on the observation deck.
Brave souls leaping off the tower.

A relaxing pre-dinner drink overlooking the Harbour.

Dinner in the Orbit restaurant.

Looking north to the university.
Zooming in to the location of Old Government House.
On Wednesday 28th November, we took a trip north to visit the wine-growing areas ...

... to taste the wines ...

... getting a little the worse for wear ...
... and getting lost up a side road with a bunch of turkeys.

Which way do we go ???
up this lane???

Back on track to Wendholm Regional Park.
Orewa Beach and the Whangaparaoa Peninsula.

Returning to Auckland to see the sky-line from the other side of the harbour.

Finishing a splendid day with a sumptuous Italian dinner at the Portofino Restaurant with David, Sue, Ivan Reilly, Mike Thomas, Gregg Oates, and our lovely waitress Carolina from Argentina.
On Thursday November 30th, David gave a seminar in the Maths Department of Auckland University on his view of Linking Procedural and Conceptual Knowledge.
On our last night we were invited by Sepideh Stewart (a PhD student of Mike Thomas) to share a family meal at the house of her parents-in-law, Sam and Jean Stewart. A beautiful family ending to a special time in New Zealand.

Sepideh’s husband Wayne takes the photos with her cousins Mitra and Niloofar looking on.
Sepideh and Wayne’s son Reuben.

David and Sam pose for their pictures while David Godfrey (another PhD student of Mike), sitting next to his wife Ann, points across to his twin daughters, Hannah and Rebecca.
Hannah and Rebecca.

David Godfrey, Sepideh’s aunt Susanne, Wayne’s brother Malcolm, and their mother Jean.
Sepideh feeds Sue her special Persian rice dish. The huge banquet of Persian food was prepared by Sepideh and Susanne.