One of the daytrips we took out of Auckland was an excursion into the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park and the beaches west of the city. Led by guides from Bush and Beach, an eco-tour company that has been operating since 1984, our first stop was at the Arataki Centre, a visitor center and park headquarters. Located on a ridge commanding 360-degree views over the area, we were able to get a clear picture of Auckland’s geography and its strategic location on the North Island. Situated on an isthmus that at one point narrows to just a few miles across, the city is bound on the east by Waitemata Harbour, which connects to the Hauraki Gulf and thence to the Pacific. To the west the Manukau Harbour leads to the Tasman Sea. No wonder both the Maori and later Western settlers valued this area. The center also provided views out over second-growth forest (bush) that had once been cleared farmlands. Several species of tree ferns (which can grow to 20 feet tall or more) punctuated with pohutukawa trees made an interesting pattern over the valleys spread below us. Had we visited during December, the height of New Zealand summer, we would have seen the brilliant red flowers of the pohutakawa, the country’s “Christmas tree” in full bloom. The lush green was nevertheless lovely (nearly all of New Zealand’s native vegetation is evergreen), and we spent some time examining displays featuring other flora and fauna as well as Maori art and history and culture before heading further west to Karekare. The black-sand beaches of the west coast are stunning. A magnet passed over the surface quickly becomes furred with fine iron grains, and on a sunny day the dark surface gleams with minute particles of titanium. One’s eye follows the wide expanse from the dunes and coastal bush to the surf of the Tasman Sea. Those desolate, gloomy scenes from The Piano were shot here, and while on this autumn day the beach is nearly as deserted, the bright sun chases away any dark mood. I take the chance to dabble my feet in the waves — definitely warmer (relatively; it’s still chilly) than the cold Pacific of my Oregon beaches — and pick up a few shells scattered along the tide line.  Our guides provided excellent narration about all that we were seeing, from Maori myths explaining the features of the land to the regeneration of the forest and the incursion of invasive, non-native species. Later in the day we enjoyed vistas over the famous surfing beach of Piha and stopped by a tract of virgin forest for the chance to see some ancient kauri trees. Found only in the northern third of this island, the trees were nearly wiped out by the early part of the 20th century. Prized for its straight, knot-free trunk and hard wood, the kauri can live for over 2,000 years and was intensively logged until some forward-thinking individuals saw the value and importance of preserving stands of these slow-growing giants. As I stood beneath the enormous spreading canopy of one such specimen, I was reminded of the giant redwoods growing not so far from my home; both inspire awe and fill one with a peaceful sense of wonder. All of the sights we visited that day were within an hour’s drive or so of downtown Auckland, yet standing on that beach or within that forest, one felt a world apart. Clearly, this area offers a wide range of activities and geography contained within a reasonable drive of a major metropolis. Surfing, sailing, fishing, hiking, biking, golfing (we were told there are 45 golf courses within an hour of Auckland) are all here for those seeking a little active adventure. And, just as easily, one can just sit back and drink it all in at a more relaxed pace. Check it out! — Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader