Exploring New Zealand [April 2023]
May. 21st, 2023 05:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
beelikejWeeks are flying by since I went back to work and on the weekends I've been playing in Land of Art. There have also been some family-gatherings, so it took me some time to get this 2nd picspam of my businesstrip to New Zealand ready. After the conference in Auckland and isolation because of Covid, I had a few days to explore. Come along on my (slow) walks and a daytour to Te Puia (Rotorua) for a close up look of the Pōhutu Geyser:
NEW ZEALAND, WEEK 2
Sunday, April 2: Parnell Rose Garden
Good morning from my new hotel, where I'm confused to discover in the elevator that the groundfloor is not zero, but one, tsk tsk.
Besides trusted scrambled eggs sausages and hashbrowns, I try creamy mushrooms for breakfast, never had those before and they are yummy!
Also: this is when my camera went wild as I had accidently set it to 'party-mode' and it started making 6 artistic versions of each photo. Fun as that may be, I got in a bit of a panic of limiting the space on my card, so I was relieved when I managed to turn it off again! Check out some funky breakfast shots in my Instagram
I'm still recovering from Covid, but to build up stamina (haha) I decide to go for a walk in the rose garden across the street from the hotel. Look: there are palmtrees too! Very tropical;-)
More photos of the roses in my Instagram!
The garden is on the edge of Dove-Myer Robinson Park and I follow the trail up the hill; lots of impressive trees and pretty flowers.
I end up at Taurarura (Judges Bay) with a great view of the railroad and the harbour beyond it.
Yay, the Kiwi Rail train came by at the right moment:)
I follow another trail up another hill and find an old graveyard (First recorded burial was in 1844).
Intriguing red vines hanging from the tree and a gorgeous view from the top of the hill; I'm very pleased I caught the helicopter in the distance and a bee above the lavender, haha!
Back to the roses in the graveyard at the back of Saint Stephen's Chapel, an Anglican Church built in 1856.
Toki (Adze) - weathered steel wedge sculpture by Arekatera Katz Maihi (2018) and an information sign about a rāhui. In Māori culture, a rāhui is a ritual prohibition, a form of restricting access (tapu). This rāhui was placed on the site by Ngāti Whātua-o-Ōrākei and Tainui elders in March 2021, shortly before construction work on a controversial National Erebus memorial was scheduled to start. This rāhui carries unusual significance given its application is deemed primarily a political act. More info here)
Part of the trail was closed due to a landslide, caused by cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023. Fortunately I could climb around it for a view of North Head with Rangitoto in the distance:)
On the West side of the park I could see the Auckland skyline! Seems like all the trails lead me back to the rose garden.
After one last look a the roses I exit the park at the old arch and have lunch in my hotelroom.
At the end of the afternoon I decide to figure out my walk to the pick up point for the daytour tomorrow, as I don't want to worry about getting lost on the way there early in the morning.
There is a short cut for pedestrians via steps between two roads, so relieved when I find it!
The Ernest Davis Steps are actually a combination of steps and steep zig-zag slopes. At the top I discover this area used to be the waterfront of Auckland!
After I found the hotel that's the pick-up point, I rest at Constitution Hill before I walk back to my own hotel. I cross underneath a railroad bridge and have to take a picture of the pigeon and the yellow background:)
It was quite a walk (half an hour of climbing both ways!) and I catch a bus for the last bit, this drops me off right in front of the rose garden <3.
Roomservice dinner: Canneloni (with a pumpkin spinach ricotta filling) with panacotta for desert.
Monday, April 3: Relax day
In between yesterday's walks and tomorrow's daytour, I figure it's best to make today a day of rest and relaxation. But I do get dressed for breakfast (with a view of the rosegarden).
Then I spend an hour and a half in the bath, with bubbles and a book:)
*sigh of content*
I do a quick grocery run (the drinks are for my travels on Thursday, the chocolate is a souvenir).
For dinner I order the Gladstone Chicken Burger (with bacon and brie), that's served with fries, yay!
Tuesday, April 4: Tour to Waitomo Caves & Rotorua
Yes, that alarmclock says 05:08 A.M. and that's my breakfast (orange juice, lemon yoghurt, a cross bun). I start my walk to the pick-up point at 05:30 (look at that Auckland skyline!)
I arrive at the same time as the Cheeky Kiwi van, and I'm the first to get on board, so I can pick the best seat, next to the driver, woohoo!
After picking up passengers all over Auckland, it's a long but glorious drive to our first stop at Waitomo Caves.
We get a guide who tells us about the discovery of the place before we walk to the caves.
On the way you can see the river down below through the trees; that rivers flows inside the caves. There is no photography or filming allowed inside. The walk goes deep down past loads of stalagtites and stalagmites, there is a huge cathedral cave and we see the larve stages of the main event; the incredible glowworms. The grand finale of the tour is a short magical boat ride, floating underneath hundreds (thousands?) blue glowworms.
Here's a peek back at the caves and the empty boat going back in.
It was an amazing experience and I'm still in a bit of a haze getting out of the cave.
This was only the start of the tour! We go onwards to Rotorua: more green views and we cross the Arapuni Dam (Built 1929, 64m high) at the Waikato River.
Not just miles of grassland, but also trees and cows on hilltops!
At 12:45 we arrive in Rotorua and Te Puia, the Maori arts & crafts institute at the Te Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley.
I just manage to take a picture at the entrance gate, as we are taken to the restaurant and its amazing view for a Hāngī Lunch Buffet.
Lots of different meats are available (slowly cooked with the steam from the thermal water underground) but my favorite is the Rewana Bread Stuffing, mmm. I pile my plate with ALL THE THINGS.
I also go back for seconds and have a double portion of dessert; a scrumptious pavlova cake combination. (Also: steam pudding and custard, oh yes)
After lunch there is a guided tour through Te Puia. How cool are those bathroom signs?
The guide wouldn't start the tour until we could all say the proper name of Te Puia... Then we started at the Māori Arts & Crafts Institute. Māori students can learn Māori arts and crafts here: Te Rito (weaving), Te Takapū (stone and bone carving, men only), Whakairo Rākau (wood carving, men only)
Looking into the wood carving class. I also got a cute view of the sculptures at the entrance (butt;)
The inside of this shell is used for eyes on the woodcarvings.
From the school we walked to the Kiwi Sanctuary; where you can get a closer look in the dark at several kiwis (also followed by cameras/screens). Could only take a photo of the stuffed kiwi at the entrance; that bird is a lot bigger than I thought!
On to the last part of the tour, where you can take as many photos as you want: the Te Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley!
Mud Pool and Pōhutu Geyser; fun and pretty to look at, but the whole area smells of sulphur, ehw!
I made a playlist at YouTube of all my videos in Te Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley; you can hear the bloops in the mud pool :-D
Tadaah! I took my time walking all around the Pōhutu Geyser, the coolest.
One final look at the Pōhutu Geyser and the Ko te Blueys (Blueys pool) next to it before getting back on the van;)
On our way back on State Highway 1, we drove by Tīrau's iconic corrugated iron buildings: the "Big Ram", "Big Sheep" (1994) and the "Sheep Dog" (1998), built by locals John and Nancy Drake with help from Steven Clothier of Corrugated Creations.
From there it was an unadventful drive back to Auckland, where the Cheeky Kiwi driver was kind enough to drop me of beyond the stairs, so I had an easier walk back to my hotel where I unpacked my loot: loads of postcards, a book on glowworms, a pin and a necklace (for my mom), and a fluffy kiwi that chirps!
I'm so glad I recovered in time for all these adventures:)
Picspam WEEK 1 on Dreamwidth [and Livejournal]
J.
X-posted to https://beelikej.livejournal.com/580594.html
NEW ZEALAND, WEEK 2
Sunday, April 2: Parnell Rose Garden
Good morning from my new hotel, where I'm confused to discover in the elevator that the groundfloor is not zero, but one, tsk tsk.
Besides trusted scrambled eggs sausages and hashbrowns, I try creamy mushrooms for breakfast, never had those before and they are yummy!
Also: this is when my camera went wild as I had accidently set it to 'party-mode' and it started making 6 artistic versions of each photo. Fun as that may be, I got in a bit of a panic of limiting the space on my card, so I was relieved when I managed to turn it off again! Check out some funky breakfast shots in my Instagram
I'm still recovering from Covid, but to build up stamina (haha) I decide to go for a walk in the rose garden across the street from the hotel. Look: there are palmtrees too! Very tropical;-)
More photos of the roses in my Instagram!
The garden is on the edge of Dove-Myer Robinson Park and I follow the trail up the hill; lots of impressive trees and pretty flowers.
I end up at Taurarura (Judges Bay) with a great view of the railroad and the harbour beyond it.
Yay, the Kiwi Rail train came by at the right moment:)
I follow another trail up another hill and find an old graveyard (First recorded burial was in 1844).
Intriguing red vines hanging from the tree and a gorgeous view from the top of the hill; I'm very pleased I caught the helicopter in the distance and a bee above the lavender, haha!
Back to the roses in the graveyard at the back of Saint Stephen's Chapel, an Anglican Church built in 1856.
Toki (Adze) - weathered steel wedge sculpture by Arekatera Katz Maihi (2018) and an information sign about a rāhui. In Māori culture, a rāhui is a ritual prohibition, a form of restricting access (tapu). This rāhui was placed on the site by Ngāti Whātua-o-Ōrākei and Tainui elders in March 2021, shortly before construction work on a controversial National Erebus memorial was scheduled to start. This rāhui carries unusual significance given its application is deemed primarily a political act. More info here)
Part of the trail was closed due to a landslide, caused by cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023. Fortunately I could climb around it for a view of North Head with Rangitoto in the distance:)
On the West side of the park I could see the Auckland skyline! Seems like all the trails lead me back to the rose garden.
After one last look a the roses I exit the park at the old arch and have lunch in my hotelroom.
At the end of the afternoon I decide to figure out my walk to the pick up point for the daytour tomorrow, as I don't want to worry about getting lost on the way there early in the morning.
There is a short cut for pedestrians via steps between two roads, so relieved when I find it!
The Ernest Davis Steps are actually a combination of steps and steep zig-zag slopes. At the top I discover this area used to be the waterfront of Auckland!
After I found the hotel that's the pick-up point, I rest at Constitution Hill before I walk back to my own hotel. I cross underneath a railroad bridge and have to take a picture of the pigeon and the yellow background:)
It was quite a walk (half an hour of climbing both ways!) and I catch a bus for the last bit, this drops me off right in front of the rose garden <3.
Roomservice dinner: Canneloni (with a pumpkin spinach ricotta filling) with panacotta for desert.
Monday, April 3: Relax day
In between yesterday's walks and tomorrow's daytour, I figure it's best to make today a day of rest and relaxation. But I do get dressed for breakfast (with a view of the rosegarden).
Then I spend an hour and a half in the bath, with bubbles and a book:)
*sigh of content*
I do a quick grocery run (the drinks are for my travels on Thursday, the chocolate is a souvenir).
For dinner I order the Gladstone Chicken Burger (with bacon and brie), that's served with fries, yay!
Tuesday, April 4: Tour to Waitomo Caves & Rotorua
Yes, that alarmclock says 05:08 A.M. and that's my breakfast (orange juice, lemon yoghurt, a cross bun). I start my walk to the pick-up point at 05:30 (look at that Auckland skyline!)
I arrive at the same time as the Cheeky Kiwi van, and I'm the first to get on board, so I can pick the best seat, next to the driver, woohoo!
After picking up passengers all over Auckland, it's a long but glorious drive to our first stop at Waitomo Caves.
We get a guide who tells us about the discovery of the place before we walk to the caves.
On the way you can see the river down below through the trees; that rivers flows inside the caves. There is no photography or filming allowed inside. The walk goes deep down past loads of stalagtites and stalagmites, there is a huge cathedral cave and we see the larve stages of the main event; the incredible glowworms. The grand finale of the tour is a short magical boat ride, floating underneath hundreds (thousands?) blue glowworms.
Here's a peek back at the caves and the empty boat going back in.
It was an amazing experience and I'm still in a bit of a haze getting out of the cave.
This was only the start of the tour! We go onwards to Rotorua: more green views and we cross the Arapuni Dam (Built 1929, 64m high) at the Waikato River.
Not just miles of grassland, but also trees and cows on hilltops!
At 12:45 we arrive in Rotorua and Te Puia, the Maori arts & crafts institute at the Te Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley.
I just manage to take a picture at the entrance gate, as we are taken to the restaurant and its amazing view for a Hāngī Lunch Buffet.
Lots of different meats are available (slowly cooked with the steam from the thermal water underground) but my favorite is the Rewana Bread Stuffing, mmm. I pile my plate with ALL THE THINGS.
I also go back for seconds and have a double portion of dessert; a scrumptious pavlova cake combination. (Also: steam pudding and custard, oh yes)
After lunch there is a guided tour through Te Puia. How cool are those bathroom signs?
The guide wouldn't start the tour until we could all say the proper name of Te Puia... Then we started at the Māori Arts & Crafts Institute. Māori students can learn Māori arts and crafts here: Te Rito (weaving), Te Takapū (stone and bone carving, men only), Whakairo Rākau (wood carving, men only)
Looking into the wood carving class. I also got a cute view of the sculptures at the entrance (butt;)
The inside of this shell is used for eyes on the woodcarvings.
From the school we walked to the Kiwi Sanctuary; where you can get a closer look in the dark at several kiwis (also followed by cameras/screens). Could only take a photo of the stuffed kiwi at the entrance; that bird is a lot bigger than I thought!
On to the last part of the tour, where you can take as many photos as you want: the Te Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley!
Mud Pool and Pōhutu Geyser; fun and pretty to look at, but the whole area smells of sulphur, ehw!
I made a playlist at YouTube of all my videos in Te Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley; you can hear the bloops in the mud pool :-D
Tadaah! I took my time walking all around the Pōhutu Geyser, the coolest.
One final look at the Pōhutu Geyser and the Ko te Blueys (Blueys pool) next to it before getting back on the van;)
On our way back on State Highway 1, we drove by Tīrau's iconic corrugated iron buildings: the "Big Ram", "Big Sheep" (1994) and the "Sheep Dog" (1998), built by locals John and Nancy Drake with help from Steven Clothier of Corrugated Creations.
From there it was an unadventful drive back to Auckland, where the Cheeky Kiwi driver was kind enough to drop me of beyond the stairs, so I had an easier walk back to my hotel where I unpacked my loot: loads of postcards, a book on glowworms, a pin and a necklace (for my mom), and a fluffy kiwi that chirps!
I'm so glad I recovered in time for all these adventures:)
Picspam WEEK 1 on Dreamwidth [and Livejournal]
J.
X-posted to https://beelikej.livejournal.com/580594.html
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Date: 2023-05-21 06:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-06-10 05:23 pm (UTC)