New Zealand XII: Rangitoto Island & Kicking It With Kiwis

Jan 14, 2011

This morning I rose and hopped on a ferry to Rangitoto Island. Rangitoto Island is the largest and youngest volcanic cone in the Auckland volcanic field. It erupted over 600 years ago. Today it is an extinct volcano that is open to the public for hikes and such. The Island was covered in hard, black molten lava. There were no paved roads, only pebbly paths that were difficult to walk on. I hiked up the 260 meter high summit where I witnessed an awesome 360 view of Auckland and the Hauraki Bay. It was stunning. But the hike up was a workout, let me tell you. Getting to the top was no easy feat. I was panting and sweating like I'd just ran a marathon by the time I reached the top. But the view was well worth the workout- it was stunning.

The ferry ride over to the island

Rangitoto Island

The cooled lava from 600 years ago

The lava goes on and on and on...

View from the summit

I found a cave too

The walk down the mountain was much more enjoyable. But once at the bottom I was faced with the dilemma of what to do next. The problem with being on the island was that I was stranded on it temporarily. That's because the ferry only came once every 3-4 hours. So I had to figure out a way to entertain me, myself and I for a while. I ended up exploring the island, roaming by the baches that lined the water's edge. These were little cottages that families owned or rented and used as summer homes. They were cute, ranging in shape, size and colors. At one point I thought the homes were deserted, and thus gave myself the greenlight to hop on a tire swing hanging in a yard. Then, upon closer examination of the yard I noticed that there were clothes hanging out to dry in the backyard. Oops. Unsure whether or not my swinging constituted as trespassing, I slyly disembarked and snuck off to down the road.

The Baches

Eventually the ferry came back to claim me and the other passengers. I returned to the city where I used my networking skills to make evening plans with some local Kiwis. See, my dear friend from New Haven, Heather, studied abroad in Auckland when she was in college. During that time she befriended numerous local Kiwis. When I told her I was going to Auckland, she kindly put me in contact with one of her Kiwi pals,  Alex. I conversed back and forth with Alex while in Sydney, asking him for advice about where to go in New Zealand and what to do. Picking the brain of a local is the absolute best way to make your experience at a new place an exceptional one! Alex was beyond helpful, offering great insight about what Laura and I could and should do when we arrived. He also offered to show us around Auckland when there.

Since I was now alone, I decided to give Alex a call. He invited me to join him and his friends at a barbecue that a pal of his was having. I was touched by his willingness to invite me, a stranger, to hang out with him and his friends.  Spending the evening with a bunch of Kiwi locals was an offer I couldn't turn down. So I hopped on another ferry, this time taking me across the bay to Devonport, a harbourside suburb of Auckland, where Alex picked me up. After swinging by the supermarket to pick up some goods for the barbecue, we made our way to the party. I must admit that at first things were a bit awkward because let's face it, we were strangers just bordering on acquaintances due to our brief facebook messaging. But after a few minutes of "getting to know you" chit chat, the awkwardness disappeared. Alex introduced me to all of his friends as "my friend Sarah" and they in turn introduced me to other guests as "Alex's American friend Sarah." Which was humorous because really we had known each other for 10 minutes. I just chuckled when everyone asked me how I knew Alex, and explained that we had a mutual friend. Everyone at the barbecue was so friendly and welcoming to me. I really enjoyed the evening, chatting, joking and laughing with everyone about this and that. Alex especially went above and beyond to make sure I was comfortable and having a good time. I was overwhelmed by his generosity and willingness to welcome me so warmly into his circle of friends, all because we shared a mutual friend. I told Heather that he must have really liked her to invite her random friend to hang out with him and his pals. I owe her a big one.