Our third day in the country was our first experience with the New Zealand you see in the travel guides. I'm talking the full-on postcard gallery of stunning mountain ranges, crashing waterfalls and a shiny black-sand beach.
We found it all in the Waitakere Ranges, about a 30-minute drive from our house.
This city-maintained park makes up about 60 square miles of forests and beaches, including the famous and photogenic Piha Beach. We decided to explore nearby Karekare Beach.
We arrived early in the day, one of the few cars in the parking lot that would be overflowing by the time we left. We started with a short uphill walk to get to the waterfall trail, which wound through lush green forest and giant trees. The kids ran ahead, yelling back to report on what they found. "A stream! A waterfall!"
About half way down the trail was a mini waterfall that would make a perfect swimming hole in the summer months. Another five minutes along the path brought us to the main event: a 100-foot waterfall crashing down the side of the mountain. I think I repeated a half dozen times, "Holy Moly! I can't believe this!"
We trekked back up the trail to the main road and took a path in the opposite direction, this one promising a beach at the end. The landscape on this side of the park was completely different from the lush forest across the road -- all short, scrubby bushes and black sand dunes. Tall, picturesque cliffs rose up on either side of us.
The kids ran ahead again, anxious to get to the water. When the trail finally broke out onto the beach, we were all blown away.
The huge hills bordering us on two sides perfectly framed the shimmery black-sand beach, which seemed to stretch a quarter mile out to the surf. The kids had their shoes off in a clip and made a dash to the sea. Moses was right behind them, running full speed into the ocean.
The kids chased the waves while Shane and I marveled at the scenery. This will do, I thought. This will do.
