New Zealand – North Island

Marc and Belinda live in Wellington, the Capital City of New Zealand.  We visited them in 2006, 2008 and 2011. We also visited many other parts of New Zealand while we were there.
I have given talks about various aspects of New Zealand.

NORTH ISLAND TRAVELS 2011

OTHER NORTH ISLAND TRAVELS:
THE COROMANDEL (to be added)
NORTHLAND:
KAWAKAWA – AV presentation
WELLINGTON
THE CITY (to be added)
WALK TO THE WATERFRONT AV presentation
AROUND and ABOUT (to be added)
 
Sometimes there appears to be a problem viewing my presentations (below) in Google.  They are fine in Internet Explorer or Safari or other browsers.

WALK TO THE WATERFRONT

WALK TO THE WATERFRONT (5:38)     EditView video
We love to walk in Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand, and I hope that this AV gives an impression of its relaxed and creative atmosphere.

KAWAKAWA

KAWAKAWA (3:29)     EditView video
We visited Kawakawa in 2008 on our trip around NORTHLAND and the Bay of Islands. This light-hearted AV was made for the Stafford Christmas AV competition entitled Shapes, Lines and/or Textures.

September 18, 2012

After leaving Great Barrier Island, Marc, David, and I spent a few days in Devonport, a suburb of Auckland. We went into Auckland and visited the seaside on the West Coast, Piha, before beginning our journey back to Oakamoor.

Auckland and Northland

Auckland from Devonport

Shapes of Auckland

I like the cranes and containers on the waterfront

In dock

Coming into port from Devonport

Cityscape

Auckland - a modern city

The Britomart Transport centre

Looking up

Above ground

Just nice colours and patterns in the water

September 18, 2012

After leaving Great Barrier Island, Marc, David, and I spent a few days in Devonport, a suburb of Auckland. We went into Auckland and visited the seaside on the West Coast, Piha, before beginning our journey back to Oakamoor.

Do you really want to swim here?

Auckland and Northland

Approaching Piha

Piha - on the beach

Lifeguards

At the ready

Rocks at Piha

Water round the rocks

Studies of footsteps

Sand, sea and sky

Approaching storm

River running into the sea - too deep to paddle across

Add album

We travelled around the North Island with Marc and Belinda, together with Joan, Belinda’s mum and her friend Hazel.

Marc was making site visits for his employer, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) but managed to find time to accompany us on some of our expeditions.
September 02, 2012
We met at WANGANUI to begin our journey together.
We spent a few days in NEW PLYMOUTH, where Mount Taranaki (Also known as Mount Egmont) dominates the landscape.  The other most inspiring feature is the new bridge on the coastal walkway.

Raglan, footbridge to the beach

Looking back at Raglan

Surfers on the beach

Horse riders on the beach galloping towards Raglan

Raglan

Hoof marks dragged into the sea by the incoming tide

Another wonderful overlapping edge at Raglan

Just a beach scene, full of interesting patterns and puddles reflecting the sky.

Raglan, North Island New Zealand

Ripples under the sea

Sand lines

Mystery building?

May 21, 2017
We met at WANGANUI to begin our journey together.
We spent a few days in NEW PLYMOUTH, where Mount Taranaki (Also known as Mount Egmont) dominates the landscape.  The other most inspiring feature is the new bridge on the coastal walkway.

Places we visited

SCULPTURE at Wanganui

Mount TARANAKI

Mount TARANAKI

TE REWA REWA Bridge on the coastal path outside New Plymouth

Looking across the bridge

I love the form of the ribs

Across the bridge

The other side

Railings along the coastal walkway

Abstract image from the walkway

Paritutu Rock and Sugar Loaf Islands

September 02, 2012
We travelled from the west coast to Auckland via Hamilton on our way to Great Barrier Island.

Hamilton Botanical gardens

Maori carving

Te Parapara, New Zealand

Another view of the Maori garden

Time and orbits of the sun

The other side of the world

Entrance to another garden

Way in to the American garden

In the Chinese garden

Into the Japanese garden

May 21, 2017
We flew from Auckland airport to Great Barrier Island, in the Hauraki Gulf.

Map showing Auckland and Great Barrier Island

An Air New Zealand plane at the airport

Map of Great Barrier Island

Great Barrier Island Airways plane

Boarding

All aboard

Aerial view as we left Auckland

A rural view as we left Auckland

New Zealand

A blue world

An Island in the Hauraki Gulf

Great Barrier Island Airport

May 21, 2017

The island has no mains electricity, and it felt like being in another world; and was very relaxing once we were used to the slower tempo and blackness of the night.

Marc visited some of the sites supported by WWF, and we were fortunate to be able to accompany him to Little Windy Hill and Glenfern Sanctuary.

TRYPHENA

The Currach Irish pub TRYPHENA

Our self-catering kitchen

The cafe and the pub

TRYPHENA

Tryphena

Tryphena Bay at sunset

The bay at Tryphena at sunset

Looking right

The beach at Tryphena

House in the sea!

September 12, 2012
Travelling to other parts of the island and the dramatic coastline.

A walkway from Medlands beach

Medlands Beach

Just water over sand

Emerging from the sea!

View from the road our trip across the island

Through the Manuka trees to the mountains

Wild seas

Sea spray

Just a longer view with the beach

Great Barrier Island

Big Seas

Add album

We travelled to the COROMANDEL and GEOTHERMAL areas of New Zealand in 2006 and to NORTHLAND in 2008.

I hope to add some of these albums before too long.
June 26, 2013

I am not happy with these images.  I may delete the album. They seem to lose quality and vibrancy in uploading.

We travelled in a Motor Home from Auckland in 2008 and stayed in Kerikeri.

We went on a coach trip to Cape Reinga and 90-mile Beach in 2008.  It was very exciting charging along the sands, in and out of the sea.

Fullers coach which took us on our expedition

We called at Puketi Kauri forest en route to Cape Reinga

The free standing shrub neinei (Dracophyllum latifolium) or "Dr Seuss Tree" - part of the Heath family

Kauri is a tree producing a rich red timber

Carvers in a race against time at the Ancient Kauri Kingdom

Ancient Kauri preserved in swamps ready for carving

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Concentration!

Lunch stop and buffet at the sailing club at Houhora

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Car park under re-construction

June 26, 2013

I am not happy with these images.  I may delete the album. They seem to lose quality and vibrancy in uploading.

We travelled in a Motor Home from Auckland in 2008 and stayed in Kerikeri.

We went on a coach trip to Cape Reinga and 90-mile Beach in 2008.  It was very exciting charging along the sands, in and out of the sea.

Te Paki stream leading to 90 Mile Beach

Up the side of the river bed

Car driving down the stream

The coach stops for excited tourists to climb the dunes

Having fun

More fun and hard work

Sliding onto the stream bed, hopefully avoiding the traffic.

Just patterns in the dunes

Tracks down the river bed

Dune edge vegetation

Heading for the sea

2-Way traffic

Another stop to let out excited passengers for a run on the beach

October 08, 2012
We visited Taupo and Rotorua in 2006.  It was exciting to see fuming fumaroles and other geothermal manifestations, but the smell was not very pleasant!

Thermal areas

Lake Taupo - famous for good fishing

Rotorua Baths

The Bath House

Rotorua architecture

Palm tree climate

Rotorua sculpture

Rotorua sculpture close up

Rotorua sculpture information

Rotorua sculpture

Rotorua statue close up

Rotorua sculpture script

Rotorua carving

..and another

Waikato river information

A powerful force

October 08, 2012
We visited Taupo and Rotorua in 2006.  It was exciting to see fuming fumaroles and other geothermal manifestations, but the smell was not very pleasant!

Craters of the moon

Steaming vents

Information board

Fuming fumeroles

Craters

Craters notice

Plan of Orakei Korako

Orakei Koraka

Diamond Geyser

? terrace

Hot springs

Hot springs

The Terrace

Golden Fleece

June 26, 2013
We drove our motor home to Kerikeri, a nice little town in the Bay of Islands.  We took several trips out from there and then moved on to Russell for a few days.  Although Russell is just across the bay from Paihia, the main starting point for boat and coach trips, it was a long way around by road.

Looking over the Bay of Islands from Russell

Boats moored in the harbour in Russell

Sunset mooring

Night descending

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Famous Yew tree

Russell, and the Bay of Islands, has a sub-tropical climate

Bougainvillea

...and hibiscus

plants enjoyed by a colourful caterpillar - I must identify it

Blue starfish

June 26, 2013
We drove our motor home to Kerikeri, a nice little town in the Bay of Islands.  We took several trips out from there and then moved on to Russell for a few days.  Although Russell is just across the bay from Paihia, the main starting point for boat and coach trips, it was a long way around by road.

On the Cream Boat trip

As always, I am fascinated by the movement of the water as it beats against the rocks and finds its way around them

Fishing boat about to enter the cave?

A

Another landing place

Hurray! The mail boat is coming!

Pontoon beside one of the landing stations

Off the island

Frenzied feeding fish through windows which needed a clean

Light in the sky

Crossing back from Russell

Waitangi

June 29, 2013
Kawakawa, in the Bay of Islands,  is renowned for its railway running through the middle of the town and its public lavatories.  We called in at Kawakawa on our return journey from Waitangi to Auckland.  Have a look at my fun AV (audio-visual) presentation KAWAKAWA.

Kawakawa

Kawakawa

Outside Kawakawa loos

Hundertwasser toilets

Inside the toilets

Kawakawa toilets

Add album

Each time that we visited New Zealand, we spent time in Wellington and around with Marc and Belinda.

We walk into the city centre and love wandering around the waterfront, soaking in the atmosphere and taking photographs.
I will add albums of Wellington and places close by as soon as possible.
My AV, WALK TO THE WATERFRONT, will introduce you to the exciting atmosphere of Wellington.

WALK TO THE WATERFRONT

WALK TO THE WATERFRONT (5:38)     EditView video
We love to walk on the waterfront in Wellington, and I hope that this AV gives an impression of its relaxed and creative atmosphere.