Devonport

A cute tugboat we saw when we stopped for ice cream near Mission Bay

I love trees and the scenery was so beautiful

Auckland City at sunset!

A cannon!

I noticed these cave markings while we were exploring inside one of the barracks-so I had to take a picture! I don't think they are from the time of WWII when these caves were built, but it was still cool to see the markings.

Part of our group that went to Devonport-Kara, Nancy, Hannah, Me, Nick, and Jess and Christine in the back

We were the typical American tourists-anytime we saw a cave opening we had to take a picture :)

Nick, Kara, and Nancy inside one of the caves/barracks

Me and Kara climbing up one of the New Zealand Christmas trees-a pohutukawa

Beautiful sea!

Yesterday several of us were very lucky to be taken to see Devonport-a city that hosts the barracks/caves of the military that hid during WWII from the Americans that they feared were going to bomb them (of course we didn't, but as Nick, one of the locals told me, New Zealanders didn't know what was flying overhead, so caves were made for the militia to hide in and set up a surprise attack). There were so many cannons, some even secretly made from the ground up, and lots of caves that we were able to walk around in. It was so cool! All of us loved it. I think the main reason why I enjoyed it so much is because I was in my history heaven and among nature, so life couldn't have been better. The sunset was gorgeous, the path we walked was hilly and somewhat treacherous, and the caves were amazing! I kept thinking to myself, "Wow, people actually hid here and made weapons for a defense!" It was an incredible feeling, and I can't really describe it.

All of us girls loved our time there and we made the boys who brought us take our pictures-they were very obliging and fun. We kept laughing about how we were being typical American tourists and making the guys do all the picture taking, but we all agreed it was worth it. Just looking at the history and gazing across the meadow to the rolling sea, striking purple-pink sunset, into the eyes of the glowing Auckland city with a great group of people made everything worth it. It is so beautiful here, and I am so glad that I am able to experience so much of this wonderful land. Enjoy life to the fullest!