Goldie Winery, Waiheke Island

Every now and then, if you are lucky, you stumble across something quite out of the ordinary and well above expectation. This shady spot is one of those places that has almost everything to make a holiday memory more memorable.
Imagine a sleepy but beautiful island 30 minutes ferry ride from the centre of busy thriving Auckland. A generation ago it was the preserve of hippie dropouts and artists who wanted to get away from the bustle of city life. It has transformed itself in to a quiet but well organised retreat for millionaires and Auckland's business elite. Money isn't in short supply here so million dollar holiday homes are common and in the past 30 years or so, several boutique vineyards have opened up. Not much wine is produced but it tends to sell at a premium and is much sought after locally. The wineries love to cater for corporate events and private functions such as weddings and many have excellent restaurants. This particular winery provided picnics to order which could be enjoyed under the shade of this lovely tree whilst enjoying the views over the winery and out to see - if you weren't flat on your back after the wine that is. It all seems too idyllic but these places do exist and can be found, even by lucky accident. 

So try to get lucky and keep practicing.