Mount Eden

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These photos were taken during my visit to Mount Eden. Being at the peak was absolutely breathtaking, and seeing the entirety of Auckland City from up there only amplified that feeling. Big is how I’d describe the landscape — from the mountain itself and its crater to the city, suburbs, and ocean. It’s hard to fully explain what it feels like to be there unless you’ve experienced it yourself, which is why I love the photo of the person sitting and looking toward the city. You don’t need words to understand how they — or I — must’ve felt in that moment. However, if I were to go with a less dramatic option, I’d choose the photo of the black cat. I met the cat — who I call Naz — as I was leaving Mount Eden. I’m not sure if Naz was a stray or someone’s pet, but what I do know is that they’re one of the friendliest cats I’ve ever met (second only to Milo). That surprised me, because most stray cats usually scurry away when you get close, but Naz came right up to me and meowed for pets — an opportunity I couldn’t refuse. Naz responded the way happy cats do: purring, rolling around, and rubbing against my legs — which actually made it kind of hard to get a photo since they kept moving around. But eventually, they jumped up on a fence, and that’s how I managed to get that shot.