The Tongariro Alpine Crossing

When I first visited New Zealand, walking the Tongariro Alpine Crossing was on my list of things to do, but with just 10 days on the North Island I couldn't fit everything in and so I didn't make it to National park. Ten months later and I have somehow persuaded Michael that a 8 hour 19.4km walk is a good way to celebrate his birthday. It was well worth it,  it is probably the best thing I have done in New Zealand. It was like walking into a different world. Simply stunning.

North Island Road Trip - Napier

Day Six

Mum had perviouly visited Napier with Dad when they were in New Zealand three years ago so she had a few hours to herself while Lynne and I took in a walking tour of Art Deco Napier. 

North Island Road Trip - Rotorua and Taupo

 Day Four & Five

 I recomended we visit Wai-o-tapu which is an active geothermal area, having visited previously back in February while on my round the world trip. This meant having to get to the Lady Knox Geyser at 10am for its daily eruption. 

Lady Knox Geyser at Wai-o-tapu

North Island Road Trip - The Forgotten World Highway

Day Three

We are blessed with a a beautiful clear spring day and we head out along the Forgotten World Highway with Mount Taranaki in our rear view mirror. The landscape is stunning and kind of reminds us of Teletubbie land and then there are so many stops for photographs and mum is wondering if we will ever get off this road.

North Island Road Trip - Whanganui to Stratford

Day One & Two

Mum and Lynne catch the Kiwi Rail from Auckland and I pick up the hire care in Wellingtond and drive north to meet them. All goes to plan and I am waiting at Palmerston North Station as the their pulls in. They retrieve their bags from the baggage compartment and load them into the car and we are soon heading North towards our first Motel in Whanganui. It is really wonderful to see them both here and we are all excited for the adventures ahead. Its a relitivly short drive but we arrive tired and so there is only really time to head out for some food and then it is back to the motel where they both desperately try to stay awake to beat the jet lag that is trying to envelope them. 

North Island Road Trip

Mum and Lynne have come over for a two week holiday in New Zealand. They land in Auckland and after a day of jet lag and touristing, they catch a Kiwi Rail train down to Palmerston North, where I meet them with the hire car to join them for a 7 day North Island Road trip.  

Walking past Wellington Airport with a Camera - Definitely not plane spotting!

Our first house in Wellington, was on a road which ran parallel to the runway at Wellington Airport. This meant that when ever we took a walk we would end up walking along Evsns Bay or Moa Point where the planes were either taking off or landing. I would usually have a camera in my hand and so I found myself sat at the end of the runway on a Sunday afternoon waiting for the planes to come into land. 

Wellington Sculpture Trails

There are a few different sculpture trails around Wellington. These pictures were taken on the Meridian Wind Walk in Evans Bay, Wellington at the north end of the airport runway. 

The Miramar Peninsular

Home is now on the Mirama Peninsula and it is a pretty stunning place to be living

Pukaha Mount Bruce Wildlife Park

Its our first week living in New Zealand and we drive up to Pukaha Mount Bruce Wildlife Park on a mission to find a Kiwi. 

And we found two; Manukura a famous white kiwi and Turua a brown North Island Kiwi. 

We also met a very friendly Kokako