Glacial formations are everywhere in New Zealand. Mountains jut everywhere. You can even go to a island and they give you gas masks and you see an active volcano.

Mount Maunganui is another volcanic formation just begging to be climbed. There are great paths with stone stairs going up. It's kind of like a Grouse Grind but not as hard.

When I got to the top I met a couple who lived at 10th and Pine in Vancouver, about 5 blocks from me. She took that photo of me to the right..see the sweat dripping off my forehead? They were in Mount Maunganui until March and he described is as being like "Florida in the 20's"

Pictured to your right: clockwise:

• a view north from Mount Manganui of great stretches of white sand beach
• this is Mount Manganui itself
• me sweating at the top. that is the beach town below
• another view of another perfect beach..this one was on the inside of the harbour of Tauranga taken from the Mount