Blogs from Parnell, Auckland, North Island, New Zealand, Oceania - page 6

Did I tell you I’m the Social Club Pres for my office of 245 people? Well it was a nomination I wasn’t looking for and didn’t particularly desire, but having a kick ass time (though it is consuming a fair amount of extra free time). My current pet project is the Mid Winter Office Party. Budget: $145 per person…. That’s enough money for one awesome night. Theme is Casino Royale. We’ve rented the ballroom at one of Auckland’s top hotels. Waiters will circulate through the room serving alcohol and canapés while we drink, dance and gamble the night away (we’re brining in casino tables and dealers - no money is on the line). Too bad none of you are here - I’d work you past the gatekeepers!!! What do you think of the poster that ... read more

So hear we are at our last stop on the land of the white cloud, and i'm really sad to be going i absolutly love it hear in new zealand. It's all just so laid back and beautiful. Even the cities seem to move at a slower pace than the rest of the world. Well what did we get up to in the largest city in New zealand, well to be quite honest not a alot, once we had given back our hire car "the beast" we were a bit limited to where we could go in the city, it did however get us to both get some much needed exercise after the last 6 weeks sitting on our bums driving everwhere. To sum up our adventures in Auckland we stayed in a stinky room, it ... read more

Well, of course the New-Zealanders will build their biggest city on top of a active volcanic field. It only makes sense. There are about 50 volcanoes all over the city and in the bay, some of them quite young. The youngest, called Rangitoto, is an island that appeared out of the bay just 600 hundred years ago. Walking on it, you actually step on jagged black cold lava, although the vegetation had softened the surface over the years. Walking all the way up to the top, the volcanic nature is obvious - a huge crater is revealed, with the summit the highest point on the rim of the crater. And not only on Rangitoto - I saw the same thing on Mt. Eden, only this time it's not an island but a green steep hill ... read more

New Zealanders really love nature and the outdoor. Hiking and outdoor sports are very big here, and people are very aware about nature conservation. Well, native nature, anyway. You see, as New Zealand was disconnected from the rest of the lands very early, evolution-wise, it had no native mammals or reptiles to speak off. Mostly insects and birds, some of them unique to New Zealand. Also the plant life has some unique specimens. All This had changed when the Europeans arrived, of course, and introduced their own flora and fauna, some deliberately, mainly farm animals (a.k.a. sheep) and game, and some not so much, like rats and the like. Now, I've noticed a curious phenomena about introduced western organisms. Plants, animals or people, they always seem to dominate over the natives ones. Maybe this is only ... read more

Ok, its nearly over now... I have to say I'm not enjoying the North as much as the South. It may be that the weather's turned and its rained for 3 days, or maybe just that I'm rushing through. Anyway, I've still done some cool stuff. Whisked through Wellington (did anymore spot the mistake in my last entry - was a little confused about where I was that day - was Wellington, not Auckland!!), so didn't see a lot there, then up to National Park for a couple of nights. I was very lucky with the weather - I got to do the Tongariro Crossing on Sunday - and could understand what all the hype is about. It was the most dramatic volcanic landscape - really amazing (I feel justified in using the term 'awesome')- and ... read more