Yesterday was “Queen’s Birthday” , an holiday. Apparently her actual birthday is in April, but it’s too close to Easter to celebrate in that month. NZ celebrates by closing some business (banks I think) and paying time and half for those that stay open. The UK celebrates by closing nothing and paying regular. Odd?
Luckily the ferry schedule was not affected by this holiday. I took Saturday off from maiding so that I could do the Maori planting, but Sunday was my last day altogether. To celebrate not making any more beds, I took a 25 minute ferry ride from downtown Auckland to a little old volcano in the sea, called Rangitoto (ron-g-ee-toe-toe). While the ferry drops people on the island twice a day, I was very glad to have the entire day to explore, 3 hours would not have been long enough. I still didn’t see the entire place in 5.5 hours. I’d say I spent 4 – 4.5 of those hours just walking.
I woke up at 2:30am to the sound of rain. I stay in the basement of the hostel - if I can hear the rain, it’s really raining. So, at 2:30, half awake, I start thinking if I can switch my Tuesday schedule (sitting in a wifi café uploading pics and posting blogs) with my Monday schedule (tramping up Rangitoto). I decide it’s impossible – Tuesday afternoon I definitely want to see La Boheme, an opera in town for a short time, and I should have a car to pick up too. I go back to sleep having decided that rain or shine, I’m summiting the volcano.
As luck would have it, there was definitely more sun than rain. My walk to the ferry terminal was cool and dry, but as soon as I arrived a nice drizzle started. Obviously, I had packed my raincoat. By the time we reached the island, the rain had stopped and the sun was warm (though the rain would briefly return another 3-4 times throughout the day). I watched most people head straight towards the summit, via the direct track. So I took one of the side paths, choosing the one that looked like it would be in the sun – since I was still a bit chilled by the boat ride and rain. I’m glad I choose the “coastal track”. I put my hands in the NZ Pacific Ocean for the first time!
The whole island reminded me a lot of Hawai’i – the lava of course, but some of the plants are similar too. The coastal track began by following the beach of a’a (sharp, rocky) lava, but then moved inland and into trees. The tide was low, but there weren’t any good tide pools or
anything of much interest on the beach and a lot of it was covered in mud (there was a WHOLE TON of garbage lining the high tide mark though). I used my camera to video tape 4 water birds talking to each other on a rock. I think mom and dad will like it. I found a few flowers to photograph when the track turned inland, but everything is pretty much done, as it’s turning into later fall here. Funny though, I found some lichen that reminded me of Chilkoot trail trip in Alaska! I also saw a few super tiny lizards run out of my path. They were so small and so fast that I couldn’t even begin to describe them. They were brown. I think.
I completed the coastal track in half the time they listed and was a bit surprised to hear voices at the end in front of me. Then I the trail opened up and I realized I was hearing people on their boats anchored in the bay. Everybody was enjoying Queens’ Birthday. I followed a path that led to an old controlled mine base – where, during WWII, underwater mines were set to blow up if given a command from shore. There’s not much left there though.
I had a few other options at that point. I could walk across a bridge and check out Motutapo island (which is super green and clear of trees, I assume people farm or raise cattle on it – the exact opposite as the vegetation gone wild on Rangitoto), but I didn’t have a map of trails for that island and I wanted to see the summit. So I started walking the road (yes, this little place has a road – most of it is unpaved though - they have small bus/carts for tourists to get rides and listen to a guide). I was going to forgo the lava caves because I had forgotten to bring a torch (flashlight), but then I remembered that my cell phone has a light in it – and I don’t mean the light from the screen; it has an actual function that lets you turn on a flashlight!!! The light is definitely dim, but was fairly useful for the 5 feet I needed to traverse in absolute darkness. After that I could see the light at the other end! It wasn’t much of a cave, but it was plenty for me. There were some small openings in other areas, but there was no way I was exploring those – I’m way too claustrophobic. There was also a big hole I could have gone down and explored, but I was a bit worried that I wouldn’t be able to haul myself out again. (I later climbed into a tree on the way down from the summit, so I probably could have managed.) However, I also didn’t like thinking about all the spiders that live in those openings near the front of caves were all the vegetation and air is located.
Luckily the ferry schedule was not affected by this holiday. I took Saturday off from maiding so that I could do the Maori planting, but Sunday was my last day altogether. To celebrate not making any more beds, I took a 25 minute ferry ride from downtown Auckland to a little old volcano in the sea, called Rangitoto (ron-g-ee-toe-toe). While the ferry drops people on the island twice a day, I was very glad to have the entire day to explore, 3 hours would not have been long enough. I still didn’t see the entire place in 5.5 hours. I’d say I spent 4 – 4.5 of those hours just walking.
I woke up at 2:30am to the sound of rain. I stay in the basement of the hostel - if I can hear the rain, it’s really raining. So, at 2:30, half awake, I start thinking if I can switch my Tuesday schedule (sitting in a wifi café uploading pics and posting blogs) with my Monday schedule (tramping up Rangitoto). I decide it’s impossible – Tuesday afternoon I definitely want to see La Boheme, an opera in town for a short time, and I should have a car to pick up too. I go back to sleep having decided that rain or shine, I’m summiting the volcano.
As luck would have it, there was definitely more sun than rain. My walk to the ferry terminal was cool and dry, but as soon as I arrived a nice drizzle started. Obviously, I had packed my raincoat. By the time we reached the island, the rain had stopped and the sun was warm (though the rain would briefly return another 3-4 times throughout the day). I watched most people head straight towards the summit, via the direct track. So I took one of the side paths, choosing the one that looked like it would be in the sun – since I was still a bit chilled by the boat ride and rain. I’m glad I choose the “coastal track”. I put my hands in the NZ Pacific Ocean for the first time!
The whole island reminded me a lot of Hawai’i – the lava of course, but some of the plants are similar too. The coastal track began by following the beach of a’a (sharp, rocky) lava, but then moved inland and into trees. The tide was low, but there weren’t any good tide pools or
anything of much interest on the beach and a lot of it was covered in mud (there was a WHOLE TON of garbage lining the high tide mark though). I used my camera to video tape 4 water birds talking to each other on a rock. I think mom and dad will like it. I found a few flowers to photograph when the track turned inland, but everything is pretty much done, as it’s turning into later fall here. Funny though, I found some lichen that reminded me of Chilkoot trail trip in Alaska! I also saw a few super tiny lizards run out of my path. They were so small and so fast that I couldn’t even begin to describe them. They were brown. I think.
I completed the coastal track in half the time they listed and was a bit surprised to hear voices at the end in front of me. Then I the trail opened up and I realized I was hearing people on their boats anchored in the bay. Everybody was enjoying Queens’ Birthday. I followed a path that led to an old controlled mine base – where, during WWII, underwater mines were set to blow up if given a command from shore. There’s not much left there though.
I had a few other options at that point. I could walk across a bridge and check out Motutapo island (which is super green and clear of trees, I assume people farm or raise cattle on it – the exact opposite as the vegetation gone wild on Rangitoto), but I didn’t have a map of trails for that island and I wanted to see the summit. So I started walking the road (yes, this little place has a road – most of it is unpaved though - they have small bus/carts for tourists to get rides and listen to a guide). I was going to forgo the lava caves because I had forgotten to bring a torch (flashlight), but then I remembered that my cell phone has a light in it – and I don’t mean the light from the screen; it has an actual function that lets you turn on a flashlight!!! The light is definitely dim, but was fairly useful for the 5 feet I needed to traverse in absolute darkness. After that I could see the light at the other end! It wasn’t much of a cave, but it was plenty for me. There were some small openings in other areas, but there was no way I was exploring those – I’m way too claustrophobic. There was also a big hole I could have gone down and explored, but I was a bit worried that I wouldn’t be able to haul myself out again. (I later climbed into a tree on the way down from the summit, so I probably could have managed.) However, I also didn’t like thinking about all the spiders that live in those openings near the front of caves were all the vegetation and air is located.
After that quick tour of the caves (and a slight detour of bushwacking when a side trail ran out) I finally headed for the summit. When I came out onto the “summit track” I was met with people. Lots and lots of people. My entire walk on the coastal track was empty, then I saw the boaters and I passed a few people on the road to the caves, and then I ran into more people at the caves. I knew the holiday was going to be busy, but NZ is small, so busy to me couldn’t be the same as busy in NZ, right? Wow. I think if I had headed to the summit when I had first arrived I 
would have missed t
he crowd, but I didn’t. So, when I came to the summit track, I headed right up it. I wanted to get in front of the people that were standing around (waiting for what, I have no idea) and I wanted to get some distance between me and the people coming up the track. But no matter how far the people were behind me or how many of them, I was not prepared for the throng of people at the summit itself. 
Wow, every railing on the deck seemed full of people. Okay, that’s a slight exaggeration – it wasn’t sardines up there – but you get the idea. Lots of people. So, instead of eating my lunch overlooking Auckland or the ocean, I ate lunch behind a building looking into the forest. I was rewarded for my anti-social efforts though. I saw some funny little green birds flitting around – I think they were called white-eyed juncos in Hawai’i, but I’m not sure what they call them here (or even if that’s the proper Hawaiian name). Got a good photo or two, but they don’t ever sit still very long.
would have missed t
he crowd, but I didn’t. So, when I came to the summit track, I headed right up it. I wanted to get in front of the people that were standing around (waiting for what, I have no idea) and I wanted to get some distance between me and the people coming up the track. But no matter how far the people were behind me or how many of them, I was not prepared for the throng of people at the summit itself. 
Wow, every railing on the deck seemed full of people. Okay, that’s a slight exaggeration – it wasn’t sardines up there – but you get the idea. Lots of people. So, instead of eating my lunch overlooking Auckland or the ocean, I ate lunch behind a building looking into the forest. I was rewarded for my anti-social efforts though. I saw some funny little green birds flitting around – I think they were called white-eyed juncos in Hawai’i, but I’m not sure what they call them here (or even if that’s the proper Hawaiian name). Got a good photo or two, but they don’t ever sit still very long.When I came out of hiding after lunch, I was surprised to find the decks even more full than before. I quickly took pictures from each of the corners and then headed back down the mountain. I took some scenic detours when they were offered, but I was mostly walking behind people – passing them when room allowed or getting off the trail for a short break so I could fall behind. When I arrived at the ferry dock I headed to the toilet (they don’t call them
restrooms or bathrooms or facilities here)and was surprised see a lot of people already milling around. When I came out of the toilet the ferry had arrived and people were already queuing (that’s what they call a line here and in the UK – pronounced cue (weird spelling – I had to ask my UK roommates)). If I thought there were a lot of people at the top of the summit, imagine my surprise when I saw the queue! I didn’t think we would all fit on the ferry! But we did. When I got back to the mainland, I was pretty tired of walking – I caught a bus to the hostel, took a shower, ate some leftovers, and wrote this long-winded (er, long-worded) blog. And even now, I find things I could blather on about! It really was a fun day. I’m glad I finally got “out” of Auckland and saw some nature.
1 comment:
All I can say is WOW!! I wonderful for you to get to see all that up close and personal and how wonderful for us that you're able to share it. Love the last pic, Superstar!! First time I have ever left a msg. for a blog!!
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