L0p3z and Neno's Upside-Down Adventure: Happy New Year!!

First of all happy New Year to everyone around the world. We hope 2013 brings everything you hope and more.

Taken from Mount Victoria looking over to Rangitoto Island

A few days before new years we headed off to the west coast again this time to Piha beach. Like Bethells Beach its a black sand beach, although this is a little more developed, well a little. It was also much busier as the weather was fantastic. We walked along the whole beach, climbed Te Piha rock and explored the rock pools (Lloyd got caught by an unexpected wave).

A Maori ancestress - Te Piha

Piha Beach

Caught out by a wave - brilliant

Hiding in the bushes

Amazing black sand

On New Years Eve we took the ferry to Rangitoto island. You can see this volcanic island from most parts of Devonport. Its the newest island in Auckland being only 600 years old although it feels like its much older, almost something out of Jurassic park. There are loads of walks on the island, the main one taking about an hour up to the summit. From there you get amazing views of the Hauraki Gulf and Auckland harbour. We had a great day exploring with great weather.

We live here-ish

Entering a lava cave

Getting in the New Year spirit early

For the evening we decided to take a few drinks up to Mount Victoria as it has an amazing view over the city, a perfect spot to enjoy the fireworks. We headed up early to get the sunset (we had to run as we were a little late). Shortly after the sun went down we realised it would get quite cold in the wind. So we had to go home and pick up warmer clothes. This worked out well as we could grab more drinks for Lloyd and chocolate for Janine. By the time we got back there was still an hour and half 'till midnight but there were many people around and lots of fireworks to watch around the city. Lloyd somehow managed to not bring enough clothes again, so for once he was the cold one as Janine sat in her massive snowboarding hoody. At midnight there was a massive firework display from the top of the Sky Tower and around the city. It was pretty cool to see in the new year in the first major city in the world to get it.