After an exciting week at camp, the rest of my mates that I came here with went to Queenstown, but since I am traveling the week after everyone goes home for christmas through the south island, I stayed behind and did some solo adventuring. On saturday, I woke up and went into the city and explored and walked the streets of Auckland. Then I took a ferry to Rangitoto island and hiked the volcano that erupted about 600 years ago that formed the island that I went on. I went through lava caves, walked around the beach and enjoyed the beautiful blue water. I summited the volcano and on the top I could see a 360 degree view of Auckland and the water surrounding the island.
After I enjoyed the island and hiked around for a couple of hours, I took a bus to the Auckland Zoo because I have been wanting to see a kiwi bird since coming to New Zealand. Kiwi birds are nocturnal and after researching them after the previous weekend of Bobbi and I searching everywhere for the birds, I had to laugh at us knowing we spent a lot of time and driving to try and find a bird that only comes out at night.
I also got to see a lot of native Australian and New Zealand animals that I had never seen before in my life.
On sunday, I went down to the city and rented a car and just drove to go exploring around the north island. This weekend was a long weekend since the teachers were going on strike against the ministry (the government). So I was able to explore and drive for two days, much like I love to do in the summer time in the states. I drove out to Egmont National Park in New Plymouth and along the way I stopped at waterfalls, a place where part of the Hobbit was filmed, and sometimes just to stop on the side of the road and just take in all of the scenery. Every time i turned a new bend on the roads a new oasis awaited me, I cannot begin to explain the beauty that this country holds, so Ill let the pictures do the honors...
