Feb 1-2: Mangawhai Head costal Walk and adventures in Auckland

Stopped at this little Scottish town of interest because it was formed during the 
clearings in the early 1800's by immigrants that went to Nova Scotia (Cape Breton) 
and then to Australia and finally settled here. Lots of Scottish names in this little town.


Main adventure for the day started with this beach hike to the....

Mangawhai Heads coastal cliff walk. Could not do the whole thing because the
 tides were too high to walk back along the beach from the point. This good 
fortune enabled us very hot hikers to spend 30 minutes body surfing at the 
warm and amiable beach, along with lots of New Zealanders enjoying the weekend.




Very hot after the steep uphill.

Dixie and guide, Braden, along the trail.



Why it was called a coastal cliff walk.


We arrived back in Auckland in time to hit the Chinese New Year festival, with its 
many food trucks, at the base of the Sky Tower. After dinner of very bland 
Chinese food we headed for the Latino festival where there was great music 
and a lot of excellent salsa dancers enjoying it. We did our best at random 
dancing with some of our fun group.



On our free day in Auckland we slept late and skipped the robot who will deliver 
room service breakfast and ate our own store bought food. Then headed
 down to the waterfront to catch the Fullers360 boat to Rangitoto island.


A side benefit was a harbor cruise with this view. of the city and Sky Tower.


After 30 minutes or so we landed on this undeveloped island preserve---site of a 
volcano that erupted in 1400ish.  It is seen to the right as a not very impressive hill.


The hike was well marked as this is a major tourist attraction.


A kiosk in the midst of the lava flows explains how the eruption, lava tubes, and crater evolved.


The trail leading through the lava flows. Fortunately, most of the trail was partly
 shaded as it passed through "islands" of trees that have taken hold in the lava beds.


At the summit one looks into the crater. I was surprised that it was completely 
forested and barely looked like a volcanic crater. 


From the summit we could look in 360 degrees and see the complex 
water ways around Auckland harbor....Hauraki Gulf??


Hot and sweaty with Auckland in the background.


Unimpeded view of the city from the summit.


Had time to take a 15 minute detour to a system of three lava tubes. 
One short, one medium, and one longer and big enough to stand up in.


Crawling into the short one.




Roots dangling down into the medium one.


Walking through the biggest one.


The exit.


After returning to Auckland, we headed back to the Latin festival at the cultural square for the arepas 
we were too full to eat the night before; then indulged in a half pineapple filled 
with fruit chunks and topped with overflowing vanilla ice cream while 
we listened to live music.  Our feet were pretty worn out from the long
 walk and rough trail so we put our feet up in hotel for the rest of 
the evening, indulging in a hotel movie:  One Love about Bob Marley.






























 

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