here is rangitoto island (one of) our local dormant volcanoes.

we got there by boat

and everything was very crusty

even the spiders' webs were weird

and the ferns roll themselves up in to kidney shapes to keep cool

here's the hole down the middle of the volcano at the top

it was quite a walk to get to the top but worth it

here's auckland town

and here's the bridge i go across in the bus to get to work

we had a picnic up the top.  our picnic was mostly very nice sandwiches made by mrs funkypancake.  but this lady next to us had a pot with curry and cooked peas which she ate with proper cutlery. we couldn't compete with that.

interestingly the path round the rim of the crater was made of red soil.

this is a cat trap.

and this is a sign about rubbish

we explored some lava caves with torches (mrs funkypancake had read the brochure beforehand and so took her head torch)

we emerged at the end of the lava caves to see this sign

then it was a tramp through the dark forest

and back down the hill and through the lava fields

it wasn't a hugely hot day, but these volcanic stones really absorbed the heat

and it's good to know prisoners built a toilet door

we also saw a flip flop tree

an abandoned concrete thrown

and a geocaching travelbug