Blogs from Royal Oak, Auckland, North Island, New Zealand, Oceania

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Auckland » Royal Oak March 11th 2012

Sadly today we leave New Zealand and looking back we have had a spectacular time. For Andrew it's been a Birthday he will never forget and for James it's been, hopefully, an introduction to Oceania that he will want to explore further. Our entire trip has been made even more special by the friends that we have managed to look up along the way and the generosity and hospitality they have all showed us has been heart warming and very welcome. Firstly our trip to Los Angeles would not have been so much fun without Jeff, Arlene and Shelly putting themselves out to make us welcome in their home, entertaining us, showing us around and driving us around Beverley Hills in a 1962 Rolls Royce.This was a real treat and a true Beverley Hills welcome. Northland ... read more

A New Year

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Auckland » Royal Oak January 2nd 2010

mandm big adventure

Its the New Year which was welcomed in the T....while we researched on laptops side by side in bean bags and with a big blanket to keep us warm....sounds like and almost perfect night...main thing missing was Hubby hes over in the gold coast working hard!! 2010 has begun and this is where the excitement starts to really build....I have been in N.Z for almost three weeks relaxing, researching and hanging with friends and family...its been really lovely...I have another Three weeks then I am off with one of my best friends (I am taking her overseas with me for 11 days prior to hubby coming over to Asia she knows we are going away she just doesn't know where) so we get to stop in the gold coast for overnight where I get to see ... read more

44. Life & Love in Auckland & Fartopolis

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Auckland » Royal Oak August 17th 2008

Outside Villa Maria Estate winery

Charmita and Olarse

(5 - 18th July) July saw Auckland host its own Film Festival, which had the crowds queuing down the streets to get tickets for a load of films from around the globe - we opted for a range of showings including In Bruges (two Irish criminals in hiding, one of whom thinks Bruges the dullest place ever! (not at all true, methinks) which was shown in the city’s impressively grand Civic Theatre, plus one from Japan and one from Rwanda.. On 13th July, we took a Sunday drive to the Villa Maria Estate (and one of the best known New Zealand wineries to us English folk), where - since it was school holidays and lots of people were away - we had a tour to ourselves! They are proud of their privately owned status and ... read more

43. Make the most of it, just in case

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Auckland » Royal Oak July 4th 2008

Old beer poster, Lion Brewery, Auckland

Charmita and Olarse

(N) This fortnight was the wettest of our time so far in NZ. Frequent gales, black skies and lashing rain made us shiver and wish we had central heating (but over here few people do, it seems). We all moved house on Saturday 21st June to just down the road, because the girls from whom we sub-let our room were fed up of the house being so chilly, as well as the mould growing on the ceiling, and the old kitchen with its sink awkwardly positioned right in a corner. It would be great in the summer but it was a draughty place so we all agreed on the move. So our local grocer is no longer the legendary Chinese enterprise that is Tai Ping, it’s now an Indian place called Khyber Spice Invader, with a ... read more

View from our bedroom window, Royal Oak, Auckland

Out with John and Laura in a Japanese bar, Auckland

Brief history of New Zealand

The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year...more history

Forum Topics for Royal Oak

Rakiura TrackPosts: 4

Pre-pay mobile phone SI...Posts: 9

Win one of two 24 Day A...Posts: 1

24 hours in AucklandPosts: 9

Christchurch (NZ) earth...Posts: 30

Best time of day???Posts: 2

Rental cars.....best ag...Posts: 2

TB Auckland (NZ) get-to...Posts: 15

Is there a more beautif...Posts: 5

Top 10Posts: 2

South Island Hidden Gem...Posts: 8

Campervan for sale!!!Posts: 1

NZ on DVDPosts: 1

Auckland International ...Posts: 1

Abel Tasman & Queen Cha...Posts: 4

Tot: 0.071s; Tpl: 0.004s; cc: 10; qc: 34; dbt: 0.0315s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1; ; mem: 1.1mb