hiking Auckland's volcano: Rangitoto Island

while researching things to do while staying in Auckland, we found that we could take ferry boats to several nearby islands. one of which just happened to be a dormant volcano. sunshine, city views, lava caves... a day trip to Rangitoto Island was a no-brainer.

the trail was relatively easy, winding through lava fields half grown over by New Zealand's crazy amazing and diverse plant life. [you guys don't even want to know how many plant photos I took this day that didn't make the cut for this post, trust me.]

we made it to the peak in about an hour, where we were greeted with a stunning 360 view. the city of Auckland is just across the way - apparently some visitors choose to visit Rangitoto via a 2 hour kayak from downtown. [nope, we took the ferry.]

we ate our picnic lunches at the top, though we made a hasty departure once we discovered a swarm of bees was hanging around the area.

on our way back down we detoured to the lava caves. I did not actually go in the caves, as it involved scraping yourself though a narrow and dark passage where there were no lights. people kept emerging from the opening, dirty and wide-eyed, claiming that you couldn't see anything anyway.

we did go through a lava trench or tunnel... maybe not as cool-sounding as a lava cave but less likely to twist an ankle or concuss yourself in the dark.

we reached the ferry dock with a few moments to spare. while the rest of our crew took a break, I ran off to take a few last photos of the trail and coast. I was maybe a little obsessed with New Zealand's blue skies and blue water. and the mountains and... well, everything.

tips for hiking Rangitoto

we took the Fullers ferry to the island from Auckland, a 25 minute ride that departs 3 times per day. keep the boat times in mind or else you'll be waiting a loooong time. I didn't notice anywhere to buy food, so pack a lunch and snacks, and bring plenty of water. and just like anywhere in NZ you will most definitely be wanting sunglasses and sunscreen.

ps: there's still time to ask me your questions about Husband, expat life, Taiwan, etc. use this form or just ask in the comments below!

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Auckland snapshots + a call for your questions

Auckland was our first and last impression of New Zealand. we spent 4 nights total in the city, but most days we were arriving from elsewhere or about to head off. the area by the ferry building seemed to be our main hangout. there's plenty of shops and bars and restaurants to be found, and some city parks for relaxing in the sun. that being said, we didn't really do any in-depth exploring here.

mostly I just wanted to share a few of my favorite shots from the city. you know I'm a sucker for exposed brick, alleyways, and old architecture. Auckland had this very cool, hip vibe and I think we missed a lot of what the city had to offer.

[if you want the details of what we actually saw and did, or where we ate and stayed - check our New Zealand itinerary.]

and last: I'm pretty sure if Husband ever records an album this can be his cover art.

speaking of Husband... we are coming up on the anniversary of the night we met. it will be TWELVE YEARS. holy cow. but in honor of the event I thought it might be fun to do a little Q+A series, starting with questions about our relationship as expats and travelers - and then going on to whatever else you are curious about. I haven't really done Q+A here, so it seemed like a great opportunity to start!

so what do you guys want to know? use this nifty anonymous form, or just write in the comments below. feel free to ask any expat or general questions about Taiwan, our travels, this blog, me, etc. and if you have previously asked a question in comments or email I will do my best to dig them out and answer.

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[you can type multiple questions at once, or submit and then refresh the page to ask again.]

thanks and have a great weekend!

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a short sheep story

while New Zealand is famous for its epic scenery, it is also known for one fuzzy mammal: sheep.

driving through the countryside on our 3 week road trip afforded plenty of opportunity for sheep spotting. catching them on camera, however, proved to be a challenge. my friend and I soon made it a goal to achieve the perfect sheep shot. up close through a fence, or maybe with rolling hills and bales of hay in the background... but the sheep were not cooperative.

time and again we were foiled. they were too far away, the grass was too tall, we couldn't get the right angle. until the day of our Hobbiton tour. as we were pulling out of the lot to make our way up to Whitianga, we encountered a pen of sheep right at the side of the road. we leapt out of the car, cameras in hand, excited to finally have the perfect opportunity.

and the sheep ran away from us.

please take a moment to picture this scenario: me, standing with my camera on the side of a road, stomping my foot and yelling "damn it, come back here!" to a flock of sheep. there may have also been some "here, sheep-y sheep-ies!" uttered to try enticing them over to me. also, with no success.

are you laughing hysterically? because I am.

thankfully I had better luck with the penguins, but there's a reason why most of my New Zealand photos are of mountains and plants: they don't move.

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Hobbiton tour: a journey to The Shire

when embarking on an epic journey through Middle Earth New Zealand, there is one place you must go to indulge your inner nerd: Hobbiton. we made a two-hour drive down from Auckland on route to Whitianga, and it was definitely out of our way. but worth it.

the Hobbiton tour takes you through the actual set from the Hobbit movies. the set was in the same location [and pretty much identical] for filming the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but the entire thing was disassembled and then reconstructed between the two.

the attention to detail here is insane - the props set up outside each home to tell the character's story, synthetic moss added to all the fences to age them just so, plants being brought in and even altered to fit the imaginary world.

I kept my nerd to a "take a million photos" level, but some people go all out - quizzing tour guides on their Tolkien knowledge and sporting full elf regalia. if that's your thing, I say go for it. what better place than Hobbiton?

being immersed in the set - feeling like you were IN the film - was really a fun and unique experience. even if you aren't a diehard LOTR fanatic, you can still enjoy the lush gardens and rolling hills. New Zealand landscapes never seem to disappoint.

we poked our heads in a few hobbit holes, wound our way through the shire and ended up at the Green Dragon - the pub straight out of the films. I had a tasty hard cider while Husband indulged in some meat pie and a cookie with his ale.

if you're planning a visit to New Zealand and would like to visit the Shire, you can book your Hobbiton Tour online. I would definitely recommend it if you find yourself in the area and are familiar with the books or movies. seeing Hobbiton come to life made for quite a magical afternoon.

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