Our Mountain down the road

People of all ages flocked to the top of Mt. Eden recently to show their love for their Mountain, in lieu of

Mt. Eden is a cinder cone volcano that stands 196m above sea level, with a spectacular bowl-like crater that is 50m deep.  As the highest natural point in all of Auckland, Mt. Eden offers stunning 360 degree views of the city.  With its last erruption being over 15, 000 years ago, Mt. Eden is currently in a dormant state.  Thankfully, because of the type of volcanoes in the Auckland volcanic field, it is unlikely that Mt. Eden, nor any of the other existing volcanoes in the area, will erupt again.

Mt. Eden, or Maungawhau, is a site that is significant to Maori history within the Auckland area.  In Maori, its name means “Mountain of the Whau tree,” and in English, the name pays tribute to George Eden, the first Earl of Auckland.From about 800 years ago, the Maori people built a pa (fortified village site) on the Mt. which was eventually abandoned in the 1700’s.  With its historical significance, Mt. Eden’s cone and crater are protected by law.  Signs ask people to show respect for the sacredness and geological signficance of the area by NOT climbing down into the crater.

While we are fairly well acquainted with our mountain and visit it regularly, a new experience for us was a visit to the Garden of Eden.  I had seen a photoshoot done there on NZ’s Next Top Model and was very excited to finally snap some pictures in there myself.

Tucked away on the side of Mt. Eden, Eden Garden is one of Auckland’s hidden treasures.  While the Garden was not as extensive as I thought it might be, it did have some lovely koi-filled ponds, along with a stunning waterfall.

We admired the lush vegetation and vibrant fleurs.

Eden’s Garden is home to some lovely birds, including the most majestic pigeons,

and a chicken.

There is a cute cafe amidst the garden’s lush vegetation that would make the perfect setting for a mid-afternoon tea.

A nude statue amidst bushes satisfies the biblical imagery of the garden’s name.

Quiet, peaceful, and full of rare and exotic sights… Eden’s Garden is the kind of place that I know our grandmothers would appreciate, and would be neat to explore together. Luckily, Brendon’s grandmother and mother will soon be on there way here, so we will have the chance to stroll through and enjoy these lovely gardens with both of them.

We have enjoyed many a picnic atop Mt. Eden, taken many a photo, caught many a sunset, and done many a trek up and down this dormant volcano.

We do love our Mountain.

Weekend at the family bach

Upon completion of the first week at a new job and a 10,000 word paper, a trip out to the “family bach” is what the doctor ordered.  Just over a month ago, our friends, Mark and Laurel, moved out to Tauranga, a beautiful city at the base of Mt. Maunganui and along the Bay of Plenty, about 2.5 hours from Auckland.  Mark and Laurel are set up in a gorgeous condo here, which is affectionately referred to as “Hotel Koslowski” or the “family bach.”

Mark and Laurel were incredibly gracious hosts; they made us a delicious array of food, including Mark’s legendary fajitas, kept cold drinks in our hands, and even let us do our laundry at their place.  It was wonderfully comforting to be in the company of our friends again.

As soon as we set foot in the hot tub, all of the week’s stresses began to melt away.

On Saturday, we made a day trip out to Rotorua, a popular tourist destination about an hour south of Tauranga.  One way to be sure you’re in Rotorua is, undoubtedly, its smell.  Rotorua’s abundant geothermal activity (hot pools, geysers, mud pools, etc.) results in large amounts of sulphur compounds being released, resulting in the sometimes overwhelmingly strong smell of rotten eggs.   The scent of Rotorua wasn’t enough to send us away too soon, though, as there was much to explore within this geothermal hotspot.

A relaxing hike through the Whakareware Forest filled with stunning Redwood trees you can’t even attempt to wrap your arms around was first on the agenda.

Next on our list:  Bubbling mud pools.

Bubbling mud is surprisingly quite pricy to view, but we were directed by the local tourist centre to a nearby park, where we could see bubbling mud for free.  The easiest way to track down some bubbling mud is to follow your nose.  The pungent smell of rotten eggs is particularly strong near pools of bubbling mud.  Bubbling mud of all consistencies was viewed. Personally, I enjoyed the more viscous mud, which made louder noises as the steaming, sulfurous gasses bubbled out of the thick, grey goo.

Rotorua also has lots to offer as far as extreme sporting and thrill-seeking activities go.  We were treated by our friends to the ultimate Rotorua luge experience.

After a scenic ride up the gondola, we suited up in our helmets, hopped onto go-karts, and went cruising down the Rotorua hillside.

It was pretty much like a real-life Mario-Kart experience, without the ability to throw shells or the worry of slipping on banana peels.

Three paved tracks wind through the hillside of Redwood trees, giving you the option to choose a beginner, intermediate, or advanced track.  Mel stuck to intermediate route, but Brendon, Mark, and Laurel tackled the advanced.

Laughter, minor scrapes, and great memories resulted.  Mark took his camera down with him, and you can view the footage from the final lap here.

A hike up “The Mount”, otherwise known as Mt. Maunganui, on Sunday was refreshing and breathtaking.  The climb took just just under a half hour, and yielded views that were absolutely incredible. 

The city of Tauranga encompasses the picturesque beach town of Mt. Maunganui, which lies just at the base of The Mount.  With a lush strip of white beach fading endlessly into the distance, and Pacific waters to provide excellent surf on most occasions, tourists flock to it in the summertime. 

The gorgeous stretch of beach located right next to the towering Mount is truly a sight to behold, and gives Mt. Maunganui our vote for the most stunning NZ beach town we have yet to visit. 

We left the family bach feeling rejuvinated and with our spirits lifted.  A weekend of good friends, beautiful sights, luging, and soothing waters was exactly what we needed.

Six people, four shovels, one fine hot tub, and a random German guy

Our last weekend with Alli took us out to the Coromandel Peninsula, where we paid a visit to the legendary Hot Water Beach.

It was a fairly odd sight when we first got there: A bunch of people gathered on the beach, standing around with shovels.  What we were waiting for was perfect timing.  As soon as our boys started digging, everyone started digging, and within 20 minutes or so (and with the help of a random German guy who decided to join our party), Brendon, Brandon, and Mark had dug us a nice hot pool to sit in.

It’s a weird phenomenon, Hot Water Beach.  This hot water bubbles up from beneath the sand due to volcanic activity below the earth’s surface.

Water reaches up to 75ºC, so it is HOT.  Sometimes a wave of hot water would come that would send you screaming from your seat.  When the hot water mixed with the cool water from the ocean, though, it was real nice, let me tell you.

We soaked in our natural hot pool, along with 40 other people, some which had dug their own pools, and others who came and mooched off the hard work of the rest of us, for about an hour and a half until a combination of the falling rain and the tide taking down our restraining walls sent us in to seek a warm and dry refuge.

Going to the hot water beach was a pretty awesome and unique experience, and one we would definitely recommend for anyone planning to visit NZ.  There’s just nothing quite like digging a hole, and sitting around in it with friends and a bunch of other strangers until the lapping ocean waves crash your fun.

You have to time it just right so that you hit it up during the crucial 2-hour window, beginning one hour before and ending one hour after low tide.  A soak in the hot mineral water has health benefits too; natural minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, fluorine, bromine, silica, and mineral salt help soothe aching muscles and joints, improve circulation and breathing and reduce stress.  Where else can you go to a beach, dig a hole, and enjoy a steaming hot spa pool?  Why, Hot Water Beach, of course.