After all this time we've finally started our trip. I'm in our hostel in Mt Eden, Auckland, New Zealand which is apparently 18,339km from London,UK.
For the first time in my life I declared something at customs: Walking boots and out tent. They're biosecurity risks! NZ is an island and they do everything they can to keep out plants/grasses/seeds. The tent was taken away for further investigation. We speculated how they would kill off any bio-matter they found - x-waves; infra-red? It seems the process is a little more hand on. NZ customs unpack then tent; turn it inside out and give it a good shake; they leave us to repack it in the arrivals lounge.
If we judge a destination by how many photos Phil takes Auckland isn't doing too well. Yesterdays photo count was a big fat 0! The city was shrouded in clouds and dreary. Today started out the same but by mid-afternoon it was a gorgeous blue sky day. We've both caught a bit of sun...we're going to keep it in a bottle for when we need it later in the holiday!
We caught the ferry out to Rangitoto Island today - about 10km in the Auckland harbour. The island was formed by a volcanic eruption only 600 years ago. We climbed up to the crater; walked round the crater and walked back the long way to catch the last ferry home (there's only 3 ferries a day). We also did a short detour to some lava caves which were actually lava tunnels left from the fast molten lava flowing under the hardened slower outer crust. Sounds good - but the reality is a tunnel with wonky and sharp floor, roof and walls. My ankles hurt after walking on the lava fields of lumps of basalt. Phils photo count for today: 24 (after editing!)
Sydney is a lot closer to the equator than the UK so day lengths don't vary so much. However in New Zealand its light until 8pm. This evening we walked up Mt Eden which is another volcanic cone. It looms over the hostel so it would be rude not too. Great views of the city and the harbour in the evening light and the greatest rope swing I've come across for a few years!!
Tomorrow we're heading up the east coast to the Bay of Islands. Forget hostels we'll be in the tent.
x
