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Blogs from North Island, New Zealand, Oceania - page 16
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February 6th 2013
6 Uhr klingelt der Wecker im Bungalow und das Aufstehen der 4 Personen beginnt. Nach dem Duschen, Frühstücken und Tasche packen geht die Busreise für heute los. Eine lange Fahrt auf einige Hügel erwartet uns. Der Zwischenstopp führt uns nach Hamilton, Neuseelands viert größte Stadt, auch wenn sie nicht so groß ausschaut. Hier wurde wieder für den Abend eingekauft. Ich schließe mich vier anderen Leuten zum Abendessen an. Der Bus wartet hier vor der Bibliothek, wo endlich wieder im Internet gesurft werden kann :D Anschließend ging es mit dem Bus nach Raglan, Neuseelands bestem Surfstrand. Kurzfristig habe ich mich noch zum Surfkurs angemeldet. Unsere heutige Unterkunft ist mitten im Jungle. Es schaut einfach super idyllisch aus, so mitten im nirgendwo zwischen all den Bäumen und die Unterkünfte unterstreichen dies noch einmal :) Als nächstes geht es ... read more
February 5th 2013
04/02/13 - slept like a baby, flaked out at nine last night. Went to the Waiwera Thermal Spring Resort today. Fantastic, didn't even matter that it was overcast and raining. A great way to recover after a long haul flight. Several pools at the location varying from 31 - 48 degrees with waterfalls etc.including a movie pool! and slides. The speed slide was great however I managed to come out off the twister side ways which looking back at the exit aperture should be impossible. No pictures but I have the bruise to prove it! Relaxed in the hot pools watching the mist roll over the forested slopes.... read more
February 5th 2013
Hi everyone. Our port for yesterday (Saturday) was Dunedin which has a strong Scottish ancestry. The Scots arrived about 1840 and put their stamp on a well-established Maori settlement. The town was originally called New Edinburgh. There are many beautifully preserved blue stone buildings that were built to reflect Scottish culture. Although the Presbyterian influence is strong, it wasn’t able to overcome the locals’ fondness for whisky and of course the patron saint of whisky, Robbie Burns. OK, I made that last bit up!! The photo shows Peter making a pilgrimage to the Robbie Burns pub. Keeping up with the Scottish theme we came along two bagpipers busking in the main street. One of the buskers was a small boy about 4 or 5 who was dressed up in his kilt and playing toy bagpipes alongside ... read more
Wellington and cruising
Published: February 5th 2013Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Wellington
February 5th 2013
Hi everyone We visited Wellington on Sunday. The weather was warm and NOT windy. This weather was pretty unusual for a city that is known as “Windy Wellington”. We got off the ship about 2pm and went for a ride on the cable car up to the Botanic Garden. I really like funicular railways and this one didn’t disappoint. It was built in 1902 and was steam driven before succumbing to electricity in . The view from the top was spectacular, particularly as it was a clear day and you could almost see forever (apologies to )! We turn followed the winding path back to the city. It was lovely walking through the Botanic gardens and memorial cemetery. Sounds a bit creepy but it wasn’t. The city has managed to blend the Botanic Garden with the ... read more
February 5th 2013
Up early and so were the kids, Mick was miffed as we were all on our respective iPads and he had no one to talk to!... read more
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Orewa - Millennium Walkway
Published: February 5th 2013Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Auckland
February 5th 2013
Mick took the dog (Monty) and the kids (Hannah and Adam) to the beach first thing. So I took the opportunity to cadge a lift to the Millennium Walkway. This is a great new path that circumnavigates the whole estuary at Orewa it's roughly 8K to do the whole length. Having decided to run the route we agreed to meet up on the beach after. The scenery is fantastic on this route. The path meanders over undulating topography with vegetation changing from salt marsh, subtropical trees and bushes and open fields with giant hay bails. Along the route there are also some fantastic houses that overlook the estuary. Unfortunately it's still very overcast, misty and drizzling, so don't have a real impression of the coastline and surrounding countryside yet. A great route for running along, on ... read more
February 5th 2013
A skipper from Micks team is leaving to join another unit so in traditional job style a leaving do has been organised. Beers at Coutters and then a curry. Which is novel in NZ as curry houses are a rarity. In preparation for the night Mick decided a cocktail was in order........after a discussion with Sarah it becam apparent that he wasn't sure if he had all the right ingredients. However typical Shoulders he decided he'd make do, improvise and overcome! So A Batchelor Maker he made. Aftever which he tried to convince me that the order of the night was to ware a wig!... read more
De beklimming van Mt. Taranaki
Published: March 5th 2013Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Egmont National Park
February 5th 2013
New Plymouth ligt aan de voet van een enorme vulkaan; Mount Taranaki. Met zijn 2518 meter hoogte en eeuwige sneeuw op de top, is dit een slapende gigant die je niet moet onderschatten. Dat deden we dan ook niet, toen we besloten een poging te wagen om naar de top te klimmen. Twee rugzakken vol met eten, water, kleren, zonnebrand en alle ehbo-attributen die we eventueel nodig zouden hebben, stonden klaar. Om half 8 werden we opgehaald door Rob, die ons bij het begin van de beklimming afzette en ons daar om half 5 weer zou ophalen. Met de dreigende woorden 'als jullie niet op tijd terug zijn, zet ik een zoekactie op touw' (waar hadden we die woorden eerder gehoord?) liet hij ons achter. De beklimming viel eigenlijk in 5 delen uiteen, het ene deel ... read more
Curry and the aftermath.............
Published: February 5th 2013Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Auckland
February 5th 2013
Coutters was rough and ready which nobody minded. The curry however was crap! Go back 20-25 years in the UK and it might just be as bad. Each dish had a vague difference but they all appeared to have one thing in common, tomatoe soup! However it was cheap and a good time was had by all. Shoulders kicked off the leaving speech and presentation. Shortly after which whilst paying he proceeded to nick all the sweets at the till for his kids! When we got back still jovial Sarah woke. Her name in Maori I believe translates to "Long Suffering" Any how good egg that she is she decided to have a glass of wine while Mick decided to make Irish Coffee. During which time she threw the said sweets away. Much to Micks dismay ... read more
February 5th 2013
Mit leichter Verspätung kommt der Bus am YHA City in Auckland an. In der Zwischenzeit konnte ich mich ein wenig mit einer Australierin unterhalten, die aus Darwin kommt. Mit dem Bus ging es zum Stray Office (Stray ist die Reisegesellschaft), ein paar Unterlagen für die Reise abholen. Beim ersten Stop in Thames ging es zum Supermarkt, für den Abend einkaufen. Dann ging es weiter nach Hahei, einen Campingplatz, wo wir unsere Bungalows für die Übernachtung erreichten. Wir sind den „Cathedral Cove walk“ entlang gegangen, wo sehr schöne Bilder entstanden sind. Die Aussicht auf das blaue Meer war einfach super. Ein super Strand, schöne Felsformationen und super Wasser erwarten uns am Ende des Weges. Als Belohnung für den walk ging es auch gleich erstmal in das Wasser :) Zurück geht es dann entlang des Strands und als ... read more
