The order of these pictures is a bit messed up. Thats a very hazy view from the highest point in the ranges.(Where we had to work one day)
Hunua Falls, just down the road from where I was staying
A bit of a fairly typical track, this one is in Waihete I think
The Falls again
A river with forest type area
View from the "Cafe" lookout, it was the midway point on the mountain
I loved this picture so much I put it in twice(I don't know how to delete it)
One Tree HillIt seems ever since I left home all I have been doing is walking up hills. When I got to San Francisco I spent half my time traipsing up and down hills, when I was in search of a hostel. In L.A I had a brief break from hills.
Then I got here.
For the first few days I went sightseeing, all their sights are either on hills or are hills. I walked up three different mountains in my first days and also all around an island called Waihete which is, shockingly, very hilly. Now I didn't really mind at the time this was because I didn't realize what volunteer work here consisted of.
For the past five days I've been working in the Hunua Ranges, its basically a vast mountainous rain forest area.( Made up mostly of gigantic ferns, that can grow up to 20 meters high I am informed). The first day was quite boring we spent it putting plants into pots. The second day we had a 4km hike up steep slopes before we even got to where we were working. It was great fun. And then we had the awesome job of spreading gravel on steps. So up and down the mountain with big buckets of gravel. Even more fun.
The next two days we spent cutting tracks for bait lines. On near vertical slopes in the forest, I spent bout 50 % of the time falling, 25% getting tangled in the things and just about the other 25% cutting. Most of you will know how naturally clumsy I am so just try and imagine me trying to work my way down steep rain forest hills in the rain. With a clippers. Amazingly neither me or my fellow volunteers have sustained any injuries yet.
Oh yeah it might sound like I'm a bit bitter bout the whole but I'm not at all. Having a great time, and the ranges were amazing. The few times I managed to keep my balance long enough to look anyway. Also the volunteers are grand, a good laugh most of them. And the Germans are cool. I know it's mental, who'd have thought it. Fun Germans. One of them even sings Irish rebel songs. There's also two Koreans who don't speak very much English* and generally just clean things up and smile. Not quite sure what I'm going to do for the weekend now.
*eg. I was elected to explain to them that we wouldn't have to leave til half past. The conversation went as follows.
Me: Hey girls just to let ye know we don't have to leave til half past eight.
Girls:*stare in silence*
Me: We don't have to go *makes "going" gesture with hand* til half eight. *points at time on phone*
Girls: What is halfe?
Me: 8 30, we don't have to leave til 8 30
Girls: *Nod and smile, clearly not understanding anything I've just said*
Me: E-I-G-H-T T-H-I-R-T-Y
Girls: *Giggling* Ah a turkey. Yes we understand.
Some while later I did manage to explain to them using both my phone and watch, at this point it was time to go though.
