Blogs from North Island, New Zealand, Oceania - page 10

We've been home a week but for our own historical record I need to update this with the last of our travels. Tuesday 18/10/22 Still in Paihia. I played golf today at the Waitangi Golf course. It is set in a majestic setting with expansive views across the Bay of Islands. It's also very hilly and steep and I should have hired a cart but thought I could walk it OK. Bad decision . By number 13 I was feeling my age! Bugger. That must have been the reason for my very average scoring, surely. Afterwards we had a quiet afternoon; visited the beach thinking we might swim but the cool wind and my numb feet, once I'd paddled up to my knees, decided against it. We enjoyed looking through Henry Williams' grandson's house and garden ... read more

We left Auckland on the 11th October. Drove out to Kumeu for the cheapest fuel we've had in months then on up Highway 16 through Helensville, a place we hadn't been to before. This road was new to us. We stopped at the Kaipara Garden and Sculpture Park. It was worth the stop. The garden centre was attractive and quirky but the sculpture park attached to it was a delight. We bought tickets and wandered through the trees pepper-potted with sculptures from many different artists. Very engrossing it was. We really enjoyed it but unfortunately couldn't afford any of the sculptures . It was hot; up to 25 degrees. At times we had panoramic views out across the Kaipara Harbour on the road north. Onward to Kaiwaka and a stop at the Eutopia Cafe, recommended by ... read more

We're on a 26 day road trip through the North Island going to places we've never been or where we haven't been for many years. It started in Martinborough, Wairarapa, for Lyn's delayed 70th birthday treat given to her by the children - two nights in the Olive Tree Cottage for 4 (we took John and Sharyn with us), and a dinner at Tirohana Estate Winery. The weather was rubbish; wet and cold but we enjoyed looking around Martinborough and Greytown on the Saturday in the cold southerly along with all the other Wellingtonians who gravitate to those towns on the weekend. Good bookshops. The countryside is saturated. Paddocks are drowned with ponds and min-lakes everywhere after weeks of rain. The dinner at Tirohana was something else. One of the best restaurant meals we've had in ... read more

Here we are, 3 weeks after arriving in Bergen, enjoying our time with Chris, Hege, Lilly and Stella. So much to enjoy and celebrate, we have been extremely busy. Of course our trip over, after so much time being unable to travel, was filled with anticipation. Our arrival lived up to that anticipation when we were meet at Bergen Airport by Chris and our gorgeous granddaughters Lilly and Stella. Oh, the hysterical laughter when they both ran to us to give a huge welcoming hug. The laughter was a mix of emotion, joy and the fact that they had grown so much since we last saw them Oct 19. Lilly now towers over Diane and is my height and Stella is taller than Di as well. They have both developed so much. We spent the first ... read more

The Kiwi House at Otorohanga is popular, particularly with overseas visitors, because of the opportunity to see kiwi. But for me, the best thing about visiting the Kiwi House is being able to see tuatara. For those who aren't familiar with our tuatara, they are reptiles which look lizards. However, they are the last members of the order Rhynchocephalia and are endemic to NZ. They predate the dinosaurs! After arriving at the Kiwi House, http://kiwihouse.org.nz/, you will quickly get to see kiwi, along with a wide variety of birds and reptiles. You will eventually find yourself in NZs largest flee-flight aviary. Yes, there are wonderful birds to see but the best part is coming round a bend in the path and finding a tuatara sitting at your feet. I have had a chat with four tuatara ... read more