Sabrina was going to go on a boat tour also so she joined us and we were the only three on the train for the guided tour, usually it takes 4 hours to hike all the paths and get up to the summit but we had also planned on meeting up with the other girls on Waiheke island around 2:30 and i'm running out of weekends to fit in all my plans! The train was still fun and we got to see a lot of the island as well.
Volcanic rock!
Heading up to the summit!
pretty colors.
Once we got near the summit we climbed a very long set of stairs and each step led me to another breathtaking view from that height of the entire gulf, I could see the city where i've been living and the lighthouse, sailboats and other islands, it was amazing!
This was the crater!!!! very deep!
Auckland :)
Me at the top of the summit of Rangitoto Island!
It was very peaceful, i wish i could have stayed longer and had lunch admiring the view even longer.
Kathryn and I tried and tried for a decent picture but the windddd would not let us! haha
An old military base was at the top of the Island!
My feet on a volcano!
Volcanic rocks everywhere! I might grab some!
haha i did grab some! shhhh don't tell!
the lighthouse
Rangitoto Island was really pretty and made me even more fascinated by nature than i already always am! I couldn't wait to meet up with the others back in Auckland to go to Waiheke!Once Kathryn and I got back we saw Lara, Sara, Brandie and Natalee right away and had 20 minutes before our next ferry ride to Waiheke which was a little further away about 40 minutes, i know that because that is the island i am doing my research around!!!! Its beautiful from the boat but i had never been on it yet so i was excited to see it up close! It's one of the larger islands here and has 3 villages on it! We only visited for the evening but seeing some is better than none at all!
The shuttle driver took us to Vino Vino she said we would love it and we sure did! The view from our patio table was gorgeous!!!! and back towards the right is where we anchor the boat for work to eat our lunch! Lara and I recognised it! The pasta was deliscious but so was the wine! Waiheke is known for their vineyards and do wine tours daily so we each tried a glass and were not disappointed! Lara and I even shared the BEST chocolate mud cake ever, it was gone in a minute i'm not even kidding! The chef goes, i can see you didn't like! haha This is the life!
Brandie and I, cheers to being in NEW ZEALAND with great FRIENDS! <3
We found a path that led down to the beach and it was sooooo pretty! I miss seeing the beaches back home so this was very lovely!
The color of the water here is perfect!
peaceful and relaxing again <3
It had been a long day and was getting late so we took an earlier ferry back, i wish i could have had more time to explore but we had a little taste of Waiheke, now i know why people rave about it all the time! I love this Maori carving! I got one at a souvenir shop a few weeks ago because it means happiness for the whole family <3
Goodbye Waiheke Island!
I had a great time today Island hopping around Auckland, It's amasing how different the scenery is from the inner city where i live to a 15 minute walk down to the harbour! Its definitely a perfect little get away when the city becomes too much. Then again i always was a beach and water person, i have to be near it!
The shuttle driver took us to Vino Vino she said we would love it and we sure did! The view from our patio table was gorgeous!!!! and back towards the right is where we anchor the boat for work to eat our lunch! Lara and I recognised it! The pasta was deliscious but so was the wine! Waiheke is known for their vineyards and do wine tours daily so we each tried a glass and were not disappointed! Lara and I even shared the BEST chocolate mud cake ever, it was gone in a minute i'm not even kidding! The chef goes, i can see you didn't like! haha This is the life!
Brandie and I, cheers to being in NEW ZEALAND with great FRIENDS! <3
We found a path that led down to the beach and it was sooooo pretty! I miss seeing the beaches back home so this was very lovely!
The color of the water here is perfect!
peaceful and relaxing again <3
It had been a long day and was getting late so we took an earlier ferry back, i wish i could have had more time to explore but we had a little taste of Waiheke, now i know why people rave about it all the time! I love this Maori carving! I got one at a souvenir shop a few weeks ago because it means happiness for the whole family <3
Goodbye Waiheke Island!
I had a great time today Island hopping around Auckland, It's amasing how different the scenery is from the inner city where i live to a 15 minute walk down to the harbour! Its definitely a perfect little get away when the city becomes too much. Then again i always was a beach and water person, i have to be near it! I honestly can't get enough of New Zealand, It is becoming such a favorite of mine, each thing i do and see and experience i love so much, i can't even pick favorites anymore because its just about everything! I will definitely come back to New Zealand next chance i get, there is so much more to do and see, I wonder how NZ's summers are!
Today is tuesday and i had the last couple of days off from work, It was really nice to hang around get things done around the place like laundry, grocery shopping and journaling, but we only have a few weeks left to do research, i'm hoping we can work fast and accomplish our goals. Yesterday they said the weather was too bad to go on the boat, we already sorted all of our first set of samples so we need to go on the boat to get more, Hannah went on the boat today and got sediment samples so tomorrow it's back to sorting for all of us. That's just the thing about scientific research though, some weeks you have a lot to do and others there isn't much you can do, especially when its all weather dependant. Steve seems so happy with how its all going though so i have no worries! I can't believe i have been here for 55 DAYS! The time is flying by so fast! I'm glad you all are enjoying my blog! I miss you all so much! Oh and in a couple weeks i'm going to be going to AUSTRALIA!!!! To the gold coast, surfers paradise!!!!!! I can't wait!!!!!!! Australia is another country at the top of my list and it won't be my first visit there that's for sure! Don't worry Kimmy i'll say hi to a Kangaroo for you!
