Mount Rangitoto

Mount Rangitoto is an imposing volcanic island that sprang up from the ground about 600years ago, covering a good few villages in burning soot in the process - at the very least preventing them from hanging their whites out on the washing line for a good few months. Fortunately it is now dormant, so Aucklanders don't need to worry that they'll have to dig their cars out from a pile of volcanic ash every morning and it provides them with a nice viewing platform from which to look over the city and the surrounding bays and harbours.

We got the ferry over from Devonport and climbed to the top. Apparently it's only 260 metres high. That's quite a disappointing statistic when you've put in the effort to walk all the way up there and are feeling quite pleased with yourself, but the views certainly made it worthwhile. I have photographic evidence of myself at the top looking like Sir Edmund Hillary did when he first ascended Everest, only I suspect if you zoom out you wouldn't find that Sir Edmund was wearing sandals.