"It never rains on Thursdays"

Had my first walk today- with the Womens Outdoor Pursuits Group (WOPS) - in the Waitakere Ranges...and it rained!  Hey, I thought I had left the bad weather behind in the UK!  There were about 25 of us on the walk which took us to the Waitakere Dam, where Auckland's water supply comes from and followed part of the Hillary Trail - named after Sir Edmund Hillary - and the Anderson Track.  (Most walking in NZ has to be done on marked tracks as there isn't the Public Rights of Way system as found in the UK and other parts of Europe). We had glimpses of the city through the karai trees and the bush as we followed the narrow track up and down hill, with tuis (birds) calling from the trees above.  The group were all very friendly and many have been walking in the UK or would very much like to and I felt very welcome.  It was a very sociable and relaxed day but everyone told me "It never rains on Thursdays" and reckoned I had brought the weather with me.   A great introduction to walking with clubs in NZ though.

The group with me 3rd from the right in the front row:

The dam and falls: