We started the day with McDonald's "Big Kiwi Breakfast". It's a lot like the American version, except it substitutes two bland sausage links instead of spicy patties, and an English muffin instead of a biscuit.
A few miles offshore in the Hauraki Gulf lies Rangitoto Island. It was formed by a volcano about 600 years ago. Today we will climb it.
It was very windy and a little cold on the ferry. I was happy I'd bought this jacket in Cairns.
The island is shaped liked a fried egg, sunny side up. It's a gentle climb up to a point, and then it gets increasingly steep.
Here's the easy part. The grade is smooth and the slope is manageable.
It wasn't easy for long. Rocks, roots, and eroded spots all contributed to the uneven footing. Ma did very well, though.
There were spray painted markings every so often which indicated that they were going to smooth it out. This one was my favorite. Can you read it? Sounds like they weren't afraid to use explosives.
There are still areas of the island which are nothing more than a lava field. The volcano has been dormant for centuries, but you never know when it will blow again.
The island has some unusual plant life thanks to the absence of most animal life. But the delicate plants were nearly wiped out by the introduction of the opossum by the Europeans. In the 1990s, the Department of Conservation succeeded in eradicating most of the destructive forces on the island. The native plant species have returned, such as this white fern.
...and this fern tree.
This is where the "yolk" of the fried egg started. It proved to be a bit too steep for Ma, so I continued to the summit alone.
At the summit. See the spire in the distance? This is the Sky Tower, about a block from our hotel.
