Auckland: Exploring the Waitakere Ranges

We flew from Melbourne to Auckland with Air New Zealand, picked up a rental car (got a free upgrade to an SUV!), and drove to our Airbnb in the suburbs, in "North Auckland". After spending time in Melbourne, we decided we had enough of walking around big cities, so we didn’t venture into Auckland itself, but spent our time on the outskirts of town. 

Our first full day in New Zealand was a Saturday, and Saturday’s mean farmers markets! There were a few going on nearby that day, so we picked one at random, the Takapuna market, and made our way there. As soon as we walked into the market, a glorious smell wafted our way: Mini Donuts. In a matter of moments, Hannah sniffed out the mini donut stand like a bloodhound. It was going to be a good day. 

After the farmers market, we headed to Waitakere Ranged Regional Park. We came to New Zealand to hike and get into nature, and that’s exactly what we got on our first day in the country! It sprinkled for most of the day, but the hike was well worth it! A low cloud clung to the rainforest as we made our way to the base of a gorgeous waterfall. We found a rock there to eat our packed lunch and watch the water pour down the rocks, and even saw an eel in the pool next to us! The rain subsided a little bit, and we made our way back out of the forest. The hike included crossing unabridged streams and some towering 100+ year old trees. One thing about hiking in NZ, it is very important to keep your shoes clean. There are stations along the trail to wash your boots with a soapy solution, because a deadly fungus can be spread by hikers and kill endangered native trees. 

After hiking in the forest, we drove to Piha to climb Lion Rock. The rain picked up again as we parked near the black sand beach. The climb up Lion Rock was steep, but not very far. However, it offered an impressive and commanding view of the beaches surrounding us. I would have liked to see that sight on a clear day! The tide was out when we started the climb, but on the way back it had come in a bit. That, coupled with the increasing rain, created a stream we had to cross on the way back to our car that we didn’t encounter before. We found a spot where the stream was narrow, and attempted to jump. Peter made it. Hannah did not. In fact she basically stomped about a foot short of the bank, sending water flying up and soaking her. In addition, we had an audience. Whatever, at least she had mini donuts in the morning.