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kate

Northumberland

Travelling to New Zealand for the trip of a lifetime

Interests: cafes, beaches, bikes, mountains, scenery, people

Recent Activity

Back for one week and getting bored with white

and cold. I'd fogotten just how cold minus temperatures can be. That's all Continue reading

Posted Mar 26, 2013 at Travelling

1

Home, cold home! (2'C)

Now that I am home, I can use my computer to post to the blog, rather than individual posts - the iPad has its limitations! All that travelling! 29 hours flying, jet lag etc etc, but I finally feel like I'm home, (thank you Mum and Dad) the kittens are... Continue reading

Posted Mar 21, 2013 at Travelling

1

Back in th UK now, at my parents house, driving...

Back in th UK now, at my parents house, driving home later today. Reality check. Continue reading

Posted Mar 17, 2013 at Travelling

1

And so, of course, this glorious trip must come to...

And so, of course, this glorious trip must come to an end. But not before I make one final trip. Way back in Nelson I met a lovely woman who used to be a volunteer on a bird reserve island north of Auckland. Tiritiri Matangi is one of the islands... Continue reading

Posted Mar 14, 2013 at Travelling

0

The view from the top!

The view from the top! Continue reading

Posted Mar 11, 2013 at Travelling

0

35 years ago, teacher and potter Barry Brickell...

35 years ago, teacher and potter Barry Brickell got fed up with teaching in Auckland and moved to the town of Coramandel at the top of the peninsular of the same name. He bought a densely wooded bit of mountainside because it had some nice clay and he opened a... Continue reading

Posted Mar 11, 2013 at Travelling

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This is the best railway I have ever been on!

This is the best railway I have ever been on! Continue reading

Posted Mar 11, 2013 at Travelling

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Not sure what the health and safety department...

Not sure what the health and safety department would have to say about this! Continue reading

Posted Mar 11, 2013 at Travelling

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The Driving Creek Railway - one of the little...

The Driving Creek Railway - one of the little bridges Continue reading

Posted Mar 11, 2013 at Travelling

1

I'm staying in a nice place in Rotorua now. I can...

I'm staying in a nice place in Rotorua now. I can cook my supper in the outdoor thermal oven while I soak in the naturally hot tub next to the beach, where I could dig my own hot pool if I wanted! (No togs remember) Continue reading

Posted Mar 8, 2013 at Travelling

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I have about a million photos besides these if...

I have about a million photos besides these if anyone is interested. But really, photos of steam don't look that wonderful, and you can't smell the sulphur. This one is for Carole who would have loved the colour created by the oxides in the water. Ferrous and sulphur oxides. Continue reading

Posted Mar 8, 2013 at Travelling

0

OK, lets stop pretending this is a blog about my...

OK, lets stop pretending this is a blog about my holiday in New Zealand. It's a geography blog right! Today I left Lake Taupo and hit the Thermal Highway to Rotorua. On the way, there is Wai-O-Tapu the Thermal Wonderland. All the usual cafe and gift shop attached to an... Continue reading

Posted Mar 8, 2013 at Travelling

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Last night, after some serious consideration, I...

Last night, after some serious consideration, I signed up for a Maori Cultural Experience. I normally give these things a wide berth as I think the touristy nature can be more than a bit voyeuristic, but the young lady who booked me into this holiday park assured me it was... Continue reading

Posted Mar 8, 2013 at Travelling

0

Now that I am at Lake Taupo, it's all about water...

Now that I am at Lake Taupo, it's all about water and geothermal activity! I know, you can feel another geography lesson coming on! But this place is all about the geography. It's amazing. Two tectonic plates, volcanoes, earthquakes all that jive, so a very unstable country, with all sorts... Continue reading

Posted Mar 7, 2013 at Travelling

1

Water is what it's all about! The Aratiata Dam is...

Water is what it's all about! The Aratiata Dam is opened four times a day to flood the river for the many hydro electric power stations downstream. Peter Jackson filmed this to use in the scene where the Black Riders try to cross the river to get Frodo 'give us... Continue reading

Posted Mar 7, 2013 at Travelling

1

The inappropriately named 'Craters of the Moon'...

The inappropriately named 'Craters of the Moon' take a modest $6 for a lovely walk through bush to see the steam escaping from cracks in the earth and what should have been bubbling mud pools, but it's been a very dry summer. I can swap 6 weeks of uninterrupted sunshine... Continue reading

Posted Mar 7, 2013 at Travelling

0

the tourist dollar is fought over with an alarming...

the tourist dollar is fought over with an alarming number of attractions. Here, for $5 you can watch the glass blowing demonstration. Though in fact, he didn't blow today, he was making starfish. It was quite hypnotic! Continue reading

Posted Mar 6, 2013 at Travelling

0

I went out on a sailing ship to see the Maori...

I went out on a sailing ship to see the Maori carvings, not that old, but very impressive. The lake was choppy and the sailing was intrepid! I did quite a lot of clinging on, but it was exhilarating! Made more so by the cavalier attitude of the skipper who... Continue reading

Posted Mar 6, 2013 at Travelling

0

Here is the Huka Falls, not an impressive drop,...

Here is the Huka Falls, not an impressive drop, but a very spectacular volume of water forced through two narrow rock banks. The resulting 'boil' tosses the cruise boats and jet boats about in a very exciting way. The wetter you get the more you pay generally. I didn't pay... Continue reading

Posted Mar 6, 2013 at Travelling

0

So, I have left hot, noisy Wellington, and am now...

So, I have left hot, noisy Wellington, and am now north near Lake Taupo which meant an eight hour drive through some amazing country, mountains, the volcanic plain, real volcanoes and now I am near the bubbling mud pools, hot springs, geysers all that lovely stuff. The air smells of... Continue reading

Posted Mar 4, 2013 at Travelling

0

So, Wellington. Big, busy, noisy, CITY, all the...

So, Wellington. Big, busy, noisy, CITY, all the things I'm not that fond of. But there is always something to find if you look for it. Wellington is also built round the harbour so there is a lot of activity in and on the water. Yesterday, a huge commotion in... Continue reading

Posted Feb 28, 2013 at Travelling

3

and this is the first view of Wellington from the...

and this is the first view of Wellington from the ferry. The capital of New Zealand and the first time I've seen such tall buildings, a busy city, VERY hilly, it was almost vertical pulling my little case up the steep hill to the accommodation. The Te Papa museum looks... Continue reading

Posted Feb 27, 2013 at Travelling

1

This is the last little bit of Marlborough Sound,...

This is the last little bit of Marlborough Sound, South Island, heading into the Cook Straight (bottle nosed dolphins at 2 o'clock) and over to North Island Continue reading

Posted Feb 26, 2013 at Travelling

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Before I left Golden Bay, I spent a happy time...

Before I left Golden Bay, I spent a happy time with my journal adding tabs. It is filling up nicely! Continue reading

Posted Feb 25, 2013 at Travelling

1

I've stayed at some interesting hostels, last...

I've stayed at some interesting hostels, last night I was at the Jugglers Rest in Picton. Nikki who runs it is a circus skills teacher and she put in this amazing fire show for all the folk staying at the hostel. Continue reading

Posted Feb 25, 2013 at Travelling

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