Nov. 13, 2017 — From Margaret
Auckland is in the northern part of the North Island (see #14 on the map)
Auckland has a different feeling from other places we’ve been. It is a large city, heavily populated (1.5 million), with heavy traffic. But it does have parks close to downtown with some elevation climb (Albert Park and Auckland Domain)! So I do find places to run, just as I have everywhere. On our first full day there, we took a guided tour of the area – mostly in the area surrounding the city proper, with Time Unlimited (their Maori tour). We were a small group of three couples, and our guide facilitated social interaction, which added to the experience. We made stops at beaches, waterfalls, tops of mountains, taking in spectacular views, including the Waitakere Ranges. Auckland borders the Tasman Sea on the west and the Pacific Ocean on the east. The water felt rather warm!
Kelp on the beach that look like discarded belts.
The Polynesians settled on these islands between 1250 and 1300 CE. Our guide, Sofia, is intimately connected to the flora and fauna of Auckland, the cultural origins and diversity, and the surrounding mountainous areas. Her passion, enthusiasm, and knowledge made for a great full day tour. Sofia shared stories and folktales about the Maori people, the birds, and the healing properties of some plants. We couldn’t help but fall in love with the Auckland area after the time we spent with her!
During one of our snack breaks, we tasted Marmite (we had already tasted the similar Vegemite in Australia). It is a thick black food spread made from leftover brewers’ yeast with vegetable and spice additives – it tastes salty, bitter, and malty. On some of our short walks in the woods, Sofia asked us to disinfect our shoes – we sprayed a chemical solution on the bottom of our shoes so as not to contaminate the soil and vegetation of the region. Protecting the native flora is of paramount importance to New Zealanders. Sofia points out the fern (Maori koru) that is in the logo for Air New Zealand.
An unknown lizard blends in with the foliage.
Sofia also points out the similarity between a plant and woodsprites in the movie, Avatar. So many movies have been filmed in both the North and South Islands of New Zealand. It is no wonder to me. Our journey nears its end on Mount Eden, with a great view of the Sky Tower and downtown, as well as the cone of a dormant volcano behind us.
feldmanlarry 
Dec 01, 2017 @ 16:35:32
Just can’t say how lush and beautiful it all looks there., love the pictures of you all, I guess we will include ourselves a bit more when we travel.. but I do like just the environment also. That Marimite looks dangerous.. did you like it? Good they try to preserve the habitat.