2/8/2012 Today we explored the Auckland area with Robyn and Hugh. We made an afternoon trip to the Waitakeri Mtns. located on the west side of the city. The State Park had some great vantage points overlooking the city, the Manukau Bay, and the Hauraki Gulf. The Bush is subtropical and quite lush. 2/9/2012 Today we took a day trip to Tiritiri Matangi, an open sanctuary in the Hauraki Gulf. We took a ferry (from Auckland city center) to the island. It was established in 1984 to ensure the survival of native plant and bird life. It was replanted with thousands of trees, rodents were eradicated, and bird life was slowly reintroduced. It was a beautiful summer day with a nice breeze. The visibility on the Gulf was exceptional and the water was smooth.
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