Blogs from Waitakere, Auckland, North Island, New Zealand, Oceania - page 3

Este "Monte" es un lugar qeu queda a unos 2 km de la casa, camino al trabajo. Es un lugar tranquilo y solitario, muy bien cuidad, con un cesped espectacular y una gran vista tanto de Auckland como de los alrededores de Titirangi.... read more

Esta fiesta fue en Newlynn, "otro barrio" cerca de Titirangi. Era la casa de un amigo de Russ. POr su puesto era BYO ( comida y bebida). Y cenamos tipo 19hs. Cuando las distintas carnes (tipo bife/ costeleta) o salchichas/ chorizos estaban listos cada uno buscaba su plato de plastico, cubiertos, se servia ensalada (eso si era todo de todos) y buscaba un lugar donde ubicarse para comer. Luego llego Papá NOel que repartio uno por uno los regalos que habiamos llevado (marcandolos con un cartelito que decia si era para chico o chica). ... read more

Sunny and pleasantly warm - breezy. I've not actually been out of Auckland yet, so thought I would. I went westwards to Waitakere Ranges. I started with the Scenic Drive (Highway 24) from Titurangi towards Swanson. Stopped at the Arataki Visitor Centre to look at the view and then walked around the plant Id trail - far too many to remember - and then for a further couple of kilometres through the rainforest. Carried on driving down the Scenic Drive through the jungle, then turned west to some beaches. Went to Piha beach first. There's a stronger wind here and cloudier - lots of surf. The Sunday morning Junior Surf Club was running, but everyone's in wet suits - the sea was much colder than on the east coast. There's a single rock outcrop on the ... read more

After a lazy morning (it was saturday after all) we got loaded into the car and headed over to the West Coast of Auckland to Karekare Beach (where they filmed 'The Piano'). It was unbelievably stunning! The beach is a black sand beach (apparently due to volcanic rock) and had huge craching waves and huge cliff drops - it was quite iterally like something out of the movies! We had a fab time paddling, although the rip tide was pretty scary so we literally dipped our toes and sat on the sand and played. For once the sky was perfectly clear and blue, so although it was a bit blowy it was lovely and warm! We stopped off at a cafe to get a bowl of latte some cake and an ice cream for Abi! I ... read more

Just 3.5 sleeps to go. Three workshops in the last three weeks, and a formidable amount of preparation for 6 months on the road. Our route takes us via Australia to South Africa, thence to Kenya and Tanzania for a safari in Serengeti and other parks, London for just 3 nights to catch up with family and friends, a week in Boston with Jane's dad, a week in New York with Jane's brother, then down to Peru for 3 weeks on a group tour followed closely by minus one day to the Galapagos Islands for 11 nights. We then have several weeks in Ecuador, more in Bolivia, more in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, flying back to Auckland via Easter Island to arrive on November 2, 2007. ... read more