New Zealand: Auckland

Auckland, population 1.5 million, a true metropolis at long last, a good place for museums and restaurants. On my birthday we had an excursion to the Coast to Coast Track, which crosses the isthmus between the Tasman Sea and the Pacific. It is exactly the kind of panoramic walks we love to do to get to know a city. The trail took us to all manners of places, from volcanos to neighborhoods to parks to universities. Auckland is very cosmopolitan, compared to the rest of New Zealand.

John says: The Coast to Coast walk could also be called the Auckland Volcanic Activity walk as there are 50+ volcanoes in the area and the walk goes to the top of several with views to others.

Wikipedia says: The Auckland volcanic field is an area of monogenetic volcanoes covered by much of the metropolitan area of Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, located in the North Island. The approximately 53 volcanoes in the field have produced a diverse array of maars (explosion craters), tuff rings, scoria cones, and lava flows. With the exception of Rangitoto, no volcano has erupted more than once

Auckland is said to have the most boats per capita of any city in the world. Checkout this view from the bus window as we roll into town.


The view of the 1076 foot tall Sky Tower from our hotel room.


We walked the 16 km Coast to Coast path across Auckland, from Manukau on the Tasman Sea in the south to Waitematā Harbour in the city center. From our hotel in the CBD we rode the suburban train from Waitemata (Britomart) Train Station (below) to NewMarket to Onehunga.




At the start of the walk we looked across the water to Māngere Mountain Volcano. Sporting two craters, it's 106 meters high and was the site of a Maori fortified settlement.


However we were not headed south to Mangere, but north towards the craters and one monument at One Tree Hill Volcanic Peak (182-meters), passing through some older neighborhoods. On the top of One Tree Hill, in addition to the monument to the Maori people, there are 360 panoramic views including a view to Rangitoto Island Volcano (3rd below) which last erupted 600 years ago.










From here, we walked through the One Tree Hill neighborhood, with a spiffy modernist Greenlane Clinical Centre (1st below), towards Mount Eden, the most famous volcano in Auckland. On the way, the walking route took us through the very green Melville Park, built on top of a lava field as a public works project during the Great Depression. The perfect lunch spot!








The boardwalk around the rim of the Mount Eden crater was more than awesome!




The Mount Eden Lookout was a very popular photo op.






From Mount Eden we deviated off the prescribed route, crossing the busiest road in New Zealand IMO, to Newmarket Central to see a Modernist building.




Back on route to the Auckland War Memorial Museum (1st below) and nearby Domain Wintergardens (2nd and 3rd below).






Not quite finished with the walk, we stopped for dinner at Khu Khu Vegan Thai to celebrate Sun-Ling's birthday. Followed by takeout dessert from a French bakery.




Resuming the walk the next day, we stopped by the former Railway Station (1st below), and Ferry Terminal (2nd(, on route to the end of the walk at Viaduct Yacht Basin (3rd).






And always a great sunset view from our hotel window.


Finally, the Threads of Time: Travel, Trade and Textiles exhibit at the Auckland Art Gallery was a refreshing survey of European art from the 15th to the 18th centuries.

New Zealand: Urupukapuka Island

On the second day in the Far North in Paihia, we took the ferry to Urupukapuka Island. First settled by the Maori, European settlers cleared the land for pasture. Today much of the island is a recreation reserve in the process of nature regeneration and restoration. We circumnavigated the island as much as we could on the high path - a super scenic walk.

A good start to the day seeing a pair of kingfishers at the ferry jetty in Paihia.


On the way to Urupukapuka Island we passed below Tapeka Point, the turnaround point of yesterday's hike in Russell.


The water was clear and blue and green. Our ferry was a sight-seeing boat, and continued on to several "top sights" after dropping us off at Otehei Bay on Urupukapuka. Check out the bleacher seats on the bow of the catamaran.




Urupukapuka is small. We circumnavigate the island on the interconnected coastal tracks in about 6 hours with many breaks to enjoy the views. There are pastures for sheep on many parts of the hilly island, and walking on the wide green meadows, punctuated by large trees, was lots of fun.






It seemed that there was always a beach in sight, beautiful anchorages with sailboats, as well as nearby islands.








Often, the way across a meadow would be a simple mowed path.


We ate our picnic lunch a bit early as the view was awesome.




On several high points, there were ruins of Maori food storage pits (1st below) and fortifications.


The west side of the island had coves with steep rocky walls and no sandy beach.




The last part of the walk there were more meadows (with sheep) and a grove of super big trees, one with a rope swing.












Urupukapuka Beach, close to the jetty and set up for beachgoers, was particularly nice.


Back at the Paihia jetty.


Bonus Short 360 Degree Video.