http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/LMT/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from LMT en-us Tue, 29 Dec 2009 07:55:17 +0000 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 07:55:17 +0000 Waikato Stadium Saturday 12th September 2009The excitement and build up to this game was immense in NZ. Rugby really is the national religion hereI was a total tourist kiwi wannabe and went out and bought the AB tshirt and cap As long as I didn't open my mouth no one could identify me as a nonkiwiAtmosphere in the Waikato Stadium was amazing and they put on a really good show with firew http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Hamilton/blog-439969.html September 2009We're not quite in summer yet but temperatures are definitely up and we have had some beautiful days of sunnyshine like the day Lisa and I caught the ferry from downtown to Waiheke Island for a coastal walk then lots of wine in the sun at Cable Bay vineyard which was a blissful day. I have also just moved to the beach Mission Bay which will be fantastic when summer proper arrives http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Waiheke-Island/blog-439960.html Whakapapa August 2009What a great girls weekend to the snow I once more drive down to the Tongariro National Park past beautiful Lake Taupo to the snowy peaks of Ruapehu and Nghuarahoe to hit the slopes.It was the usual brunch french toast bacon and maple syrup yummmmmmmmmmmmm in Cambridge then to Whakapapa to brush up on my carving. Lisa enjoyed her first ever lesson and I think she may ha http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Tongariro-National-Park/blog-432760.html Monday 16th July to Saturday 18th July 2009I had the best and busiest holiday back to Scotland in July. I must say it was weird to say that I was holidaying in Scotland but once the plane eventually emerged from the grey cloud and I saw the welcoming rain of Glasgey I knew I was home and it was good to be there especially with the lovely welcome Josh an Jess gave me tartan balloons and a http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/Glasgow/blog-432749.html Friday 26th Sunday 28th June 2009Ohakune Tongariro National ParkWELL I have to say last weekend when I checked out the snow at Mount Ruapehu was an experience. One which I may not dwell on here. It was a bit crazy and I shall gloss over the most part BUTIshbel a girl from work and I headed off at lunchtime Friday for the 5 hour drive South past lake Taupo to the Tongariro National Park area http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Tongariro-National-Park/blog-414034.html Saturday 25th April ANZAC Day Tuesday 28th April 2009I was attending the Fast Tracking National Infrastructure conference in Wellington for work so decided to extend the work jolly into the weekend before and to actually see the Capital city of New Zealand properly...I had been twice before but my sightseeing had consisted of something like Airport office airport. It looked like a cool http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Wellington/blog-398588.html Sat 11th April 2009 cont.We drove to Coromandel town via Waihi Beach on the Bay of Plenty and at the base of the Coromandel Peninsula. We continued up north and through the Karangahake Gorge the scene of the north island's first gold rush. It was also around here that the British and Maori fought in the New Zealand wars.We made a stop in Paeroa to get our photo taken with a giant bottle of LP http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Coromandel/Coromandel-Town/blog-395806.html Friday 10th April 2009Lisa and I rose early that freezing well by Auckland standards Godo Friday and headed South down in my nice new Hawkins branded car complete with hard hat and orange vest to our first stop off in Cambridge by the Waikato river for coffee and french toast infront of a live fire much needed which is a shame as I need to get rid of my smugness and realise the UK is in for http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Rotorua/blog-393699.html Sunday 5th April 2009Whilst most people were enjoying the fact that the clocks went back and everyone could stay in bed an hour longer I was up with the birds at 0530 this morning I had left a perfectly good BBQ with perfectly good wine and company so as to be bright eyed for this trip the night before but it was more than worth itWe set of from South Auckland on Sea Ox and its proud owner Gr http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/blog-390189.html Saturday 28th Sunday 29th April 2009My lovely fellow Scot Lisa and I decided to hire a car and try out our camping gear ahead of our big easter road trip last weekend. We didn't go far but you don't have to go far out of the city here to get the amazing scenery so we opted for the West Coach surf beach Muriwai about 45 mins drive from Auckland.It was a nice drive through the usual hills farm http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Waitakere/blog-388426.html Sunday 15th March 2009You would think that I would learn I don't train for runs and therefore when the application forms are being circulated I should politely pass them on but nooooooooo..... I signed up with a bunch of Hawkins guys to do the 2009 HSBC Round the Bays Run from the city all the way round the bay funnily enough to St Heliers...which is far enough in the car I can tell you.Well ac http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/St-Heliers/blog-384306.html February March 2009Still loving it here in Auckland and I am feeling quite at home now. Most of you will know that I got a job with Hawkins Construction Ltd. From Banker to Builder And some have now taken to calling me Bob Disappointingly hard hat and yellow vest didn't come as part of the contractIts taken me a while to get back into working life what do you mean a 44 hour week is stan http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Ponsonby/blog-381491.html Waitangi.............and because Kiwis do so love their holidays this weekend was another long one in celebration of the Waitangi Treaty being signed. the Treaty marked a peaceful agreement between the Brits and the Maoris regarding land rights. Well that was the aim anyway. Apparently there is alot of confusion over the translated version and it would appear that both sides may have signed up http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Waiheke-Island/blog-373444.html Monday 26th January 2009AUCKLAND ANNIVERSARY DAYToday is a public holiday not that is matters as all days are holidays to me right now to commemorate the arrival of some dude up in the Bay of Islands in 1840 who later became the first Governeor of New Zealand. Its seems to me that the Kiwis do like any excuse to shut up shop and head to the beach for a long weekend they are barely back a w http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/blog-373437.html Lake Taupo Weekend of Friday 16th Jan Sunday 18th January 2009We set off south last Friday evening for Lake Taupo where Dale has a Bach A Bach is the term Kiwi's use for a basic holiday hut but they never seem to be that basic but they keep the name anyway. It was a fun drive seeing some lovely green scenery and many many many a cow and a few thousand sheep too and getting to know some http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Taupo/blog-367239.html AucklandOn 23rd December 2008 I flew into my new home Auckland to be greeted with no less than a torrential downpour I wouldn't have minded but this was the second time this has happened to me and I am trying not to take it personally........Nathalie picked me up from the airport and greetings etc out the way she promptly told me how annoyed she was that I had brought the rain with me. Appa http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Parnell/blog-365542.html Part 7Tuesday 16th December 2008Woke up very cold and wet. It had rained all night. Where was this Aussie summer weather I'd been promised.............Drove to Mount Field National Park getting supplies in a tiny village called Ouse on the way tonight was the last supper before heading back to HobartOn the way to Mount Field we stopped at Something Wild wildlife rescue sanctuary which was v http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Tasmania/Mount-Field/blog-360219.html Part 6Monday 15th DecemberFelt far from good this morning and had to wait an hour or so until I could drive...why does wine seem like such a good idea at the time but such a bad one in hindsight Especially as I was the only driver........Lack of coffee and a hangover bacon and egg roll didn't help eitherBUT had a surprisingly good day and felt fine once we'd stopped at a cafe for the above n http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Tasmania/Cradle-Mountain-Lake-St-Clair-National-Park/blog-360210.html Part 5 Sunday 14th December 2008From launceston it was a long boring motorway drive 1st Motorway we'd seen so was quite surprised to find one and I looked forward to the twisty winding roads which I got later lots of themWe stopped off at a honey farm and did some tasting. Yuuuum I do normally like honey but this stuff was especially great chocolate pistachio white choc and raspberry http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Tasmania/Launceston/blog-359142.html Part 4Saturday 13th December 2008Well I felt like a rally driver today so much fun up and down the twisting mountain roads 2nd gear 3rd gear for hoursToday we had some good old Scottish weather rain rain and more rain and lots of wind thrown in for good measure.We left Bicheno and drove to St Helens Point and watched the big waves in the rain then through Douglas Apsley National Park and http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Tasmania/Launceston/blog-359141.html