McDonalds was just around the corner so we tried their Wifi over breakfast and managed to get some work done. Outside we saw a Skeleton and Alice in Wonderland (with vampire bite) and a wicked fairy and a yeti giving away mini chocolates so we collected more than our fair share over the day.
We made a phone call on the hotel phone (we never do that!) and booked an afternoon tour with Beach and Bush.
Our guide, John, turned up at 12.30 on time and picked up a German couple then drove us to the Waitakere Ranges. He took us to a National Park display centre where we could see the West Coast harbour down below and some young kauri trees.
The circular plaque in front of the tree looks like this:
The Maoris put some of their carved statues here.
The height was 300 metres plus so we got a good view of the city.
From there we drove down to Karekare Beach where a horse race was to be held next weekend. It was isolated and almost deserted, which made it suitable as the place to film "The Piano", which you may have seen. The sand was black and consisted mainly of iron that was exploded from Lake Taupo during a volcanic event.
Lyn put a magnet on the sand and it responded just like iron filings. She asked John why iron is red in Australia and why the black iron does not rust. John could not explain so Lyn hopes it can be a new form of rustless steel.
We also went to a lookout over Piha Beach where surfing competitions are held and "Xena Warrior" and the Narnia films were filmed.
John found we liked bushwalking so he offered to take us on the walk which he leads on the all day trip. So we walked through a pristine subtropical rain forest with kauris up to 1000 years old.
We saw rimu trees old and new as well as silver ferns, beautiful streams and two little swallows. A really great walk.
We made a phone call on the hotel phone (we never do that!) and booked an afternoon tour with Beach and Bush.
Our guide, John, turned up at 12.30 on time and picked up a German couple then drove us to the Waitakere Ranges. He took us to a National Park display centre where we could see the West Coast harbour down below and some young kauri trees.
From there we drove down to Karekare Beach where a horse race was to be held next weekend. It was isolated and almost deserted, which made it suitable as the place to film "The Piano", which you may have seen. The sand was black and consisted mainly of iron that was exploded from Lake Taupo during a volcanic event.
Lyn put a magnet on the sand and it responded just like iron filings. She asked John why iron is red in Australia and why the black iron does not rust. John could not explain so Lyn hopes it can be a new form of rustless steel.
We also went to a lookout over Piha Beach where surfing competitions are held and "Xena Warrior" and the Narnia films were filmed.
John found we liked bushwalking so he offered to take us on the walk which he leads on the all day trip. So we walked through a pristine subtropical rain forest with kauris up to 1000 years old.
We saw rimu trees old and new as well as silver ferns, beautiful streams and two little swallows. A really great walk.
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