Rain Forest, Rimu and the Tasman Sea

Woke up several times in the night, quite hot and stuffy, had to open the windows and door. Started to feel restless about 7, so got up and went for a run to Mount Eden, at 200m the highest point in Auckland with a view right across the city in all directions. It's a real ex-volcano, astonishingly steep crater, steep sides, all that. A few people walked up as I started running back down with the sun starting to get warm - glad I went early!

Daniel and I decided that smoked fish - his catch, his smoking with tea tree chips, yum - and eggs would be an ideal breakfast, so that's what we had. He does have an ulterior motive - he can't really go catch any more fish until it's all gone, so we had to eat it up. Damn.

We drove west to the Waitakere Ranges, crossing the ridges and stopping at a coffee shop on the way when Daniel decided he needed coffee. An amazing view from the back of the coffee shop across Manukau harbour - when D started coming here 15 years ago the trees weren't so tall, so it was more impressive even!

After a huge bucket of double shot latte, we rolled off to Waitakere and an info centre with a ranger and stuff, fun-looking kids' bit and lots of good views across the harbour and so on. Kauri trees are now relatively rare, but they are starting to grow back after getting a pounding - they grow straight up, get above the canopy and everything else, then back off and fatten up to nail everything else with their shade. This process takes about 500 years, so you can see it's a long term play. People rolling up with chainsaws and making them into handy fruit bowls kinda puts a crimp in The Plan. Rimu is another popular timber tree, harder than kauri but rarer here (if I recall correctly) - the NZ climate is highly stratified, being a strongly N/S oriented country, and with Tasman Sea one side and Pacific Ocean the other. Kauri don't go much further south I think.

The centre was pretty interesting, with lots of information on the flora and fauna, including replayable bird cries. This was handy, because we were going to sit an exam shortly… There was also a section on the Hillary Trail - apparently Sir Ed cut his travelling teeth in the Waitakere Ranges, doing anything and hanging around with anyone to get out there - a trekking slut! The trail is a four day trek - bring your own tent!

Bypassing the coach-load of Murkans, men and women, all commenting on the well-endowed Maori sculptures - some of the ladies seemed quite impressed - we zoomed off to the real highlight of the day - the native rain forest preserve. This is astonishingly next to a highly manicured golf course - no doubt one funds the other, which seems fair. 

The easiest way to describe this experience is like being in the Eden Project, but for real! They've obviously done a good job there. It's very very shady, welcomely, given the strong sun. Lots of tree ferns, proper lianas - Daniel said his mum-in-law (from Moscow) thought they were left-over electrical cables, they really are that strong and hard. This is a kauri sanctuary, and I tried to capture the huge majesty of some of these youngsters - only 1000 years old or so. There are also many young ones aspiring to greater things. 

The paths led up and down the hills, we came upon a creek with a cliff behind it, and patches of mud which some types of tree prefer. The rangers have built wooden walkways over the exposed kauri roots - there is a problem like Dutch elm disease with them, and you're not supposed to go near the roots etc. in case your shoes have "it" on them. Two men with Lancashire bull terriers and a blonde passed us at one point - they had been swimming in the creek, not sure if that's really allowed. Dogs are supposed to be leashed too.

The most striking event was the tui singing - this bird has an incredibly mellifluous and sonorous voice, it sounds incredibly exotic and "jungly". They are relatively quiet at this time of year, since it's not mating season, but one was still making great noises. And of course, cicadas whirr away, you eventually don't hear them they are so constant and loud. 

So we left the rain forest, and headed for the beach - Bethells Beach, over on the Tasman coast. Black volcanic sand, holding the heat to the extent that you couldn't walk on it without burning your feet, constant waves (on a low swell day!), and the water relatively warm. Not sure relative to what, probably Hayling right now! Took a swim, splash and dash in the waves, then dried off, ate some fruit and headed back. A good day's outing! Thanks D.

Supper was steak, salad and rice, with a balsamic reduction and mushrooms for a sauce. Nice. Very very hungry! Didn't eat the praying mantis though...