Archive for April, 2011

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Bay of Contrasts (Islands) Day-2

Posted in Photography with tags , on April 30, 2011 by Paul Tombleson

With a stash of Feijoas on board and we hit the road to explore the surrounding areas. It is interesting that apart from Auckland the traffic is always light and wherever we end up we seem to be almost alone. Today is no different with miles of deserted beaches and grand views seemingly reserved just for us. This is just one of the many advantages of having four million friendly inhabitant to share a whole country with.

Soaking up the UV's

Each twist in the road brings another view of the hill country to the west or island dotted bay to the east. The pastel colors of the water are sparkling clean and clear making us give up driving for a couple of hours and just sit on a beach or oyster encrusted rock soaking up the UV’s. Fish hide in the seaweed and dart in and out while the sound of grabs scratching from crevice to crevice plays rhythm with the gentle lapping of intermittent waves.

Ready for a dip

Post Office Cafe Mangonui

Further North at Mangonui we stop for lunch at the Post Office Café and while I enjoyed my falafel sandwich Janette’s baked potato with Portobello mushrooms stole the show. It was one of those dishes that looked fantastic and tasted even better. Highly recommended for presentation and taste and I wish I took a picture of it to share with y’all. Some things you just have to experience yourself.

End of another day and time to relax in Mikes yard with the covey of Quail visiting, while the sun goes down before our wild life photographer guest arrives to inspire us to plan a trip to a one of a kind island.

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Bay of Islands- Day One

Posted in Photography with tags , on April 30, 2011 by Paul Tombleson

Front Yard Just after Sunrise at Mikes Place

We arrive at our destination as the sun is going down. Mike gives us a quick tour of the grounds to get our bearings. Janette and Mike whip up a great dinner out of nothing and we settle in for a moon lit night just North of Kerikeri in the Bay of Islands.

Morning Moon over Mikes Place

The morning as promised has the rising Sun coming up over the Pacific Ocean and the full Moon setting in the western hills. The light is streaming into Mike quaint and eclectic house and I can’t resist snapping away before I walk out into the garden to pick Feijoas for breakfast.

Interesting Form following Function...

Sitting down to breakfast in the front garden we are joined by a bevy of quail nearby. The Tui’s, Fantails, and Wax-eyes chatter and flitter around us while the Sun reflex’s off the bay.

The house and property are truly idyllic and miles from the main road and seemingly miles from the rat race. Besides, Mike as a conservationist doesn’t allow rats on his property, as they are not indigenous…

Morning Light through Window

Feijoas

The Feijoas are delicious and abundant and make the perfect morning finger food along with some locally made yogurt.

The sights and sounds are infectious and we decide to stay put and enjoy our surroundings and wait until later to explore the nearby bays and vistas.

Morning Meditation Seat

Heading North

Posted in Photography with tags , on April 30, 2011 by Paul Tombleson

Sweeping Beach at Waipu Cove

Waiwera what a place!

In my youth our extended family would gather there and live in the old one room schoolhouse… sadly it’s gone.

With the hot springs and mudpacks behind us we head north to the Bay of Islands and a rendezvous with Mike who I have never met but comes highly recommended by my family in Rarotonga. Mike is not only a character but has a beautiful place surrounded by native bush that he painstakingly planted and maintains.

Bhaaah... quit the jokes

I get ahead of myself… As we climb up from the coast and head inland the sheep watch us with passing interest. First stop is a Honey place and discover the wonders of honey and one in particular, Manuka honey with its unique healing properties. This is an interesting place full of items all made from honey, complete with widows onto 3 hives for a first hand look at workers doing their thing without any union representation I note! This place takes up time and money, but well worth it as we come away stocked with creams and lotions for all parts of ones anatomy.

The names of towns we travel through are very familiar but barely recognizable after 40 years. We do stop at Waipu Cove for a look around. A place my family and friends came too every Christmas for our summer holidays.

Waipu Cove

This looks much the same with its long, long beach that still sweeps slowly around toward Whangarei harbor and beyond. The Hen and chicken Islands in the distance still command front and centre from the beach and evoke stories of my youthful father onboard the ship H.M.S. Niagara, that met her demise just off those islands courtesy of Herr Hilter’s mine laying raider, Orion, long before the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. The rocky outcrops that make up the cove I’m sure no longer harbor the abundant seafood we had available in the 1960’s though they look the same albeit with houses on the bluffs now.

Left Overs

It’s a quick little trip down memory lane before making the final dash to the Bay of Islands. Luckily nothing in New Zealand is very far when comparing it to Australia or the USA. It does take almost another couple of hours however travelling through rich green farmland set among gentle hills and valleys. The motion of the car coupled with it being late afternoon sees Janette recline peacefully. I listen to soft music and observe cows starting to congregate themselves on the farms as we pass for milking. All is peaceful and well with the world it would seem…

Sheep Farming New Zealand style

Aotearoa

Posted in Photography with tags , , , on April 28, 2011 by Paul Tombleson

Stepping into the past

Driving from the Auckland airport to Waiwera was a true emotional journey. The memories of my growing up inundated me as I navigated the roads and towns of my childhood. It also brought visceral moments of those who closely shared my first 20 years of life who have since shed their mortal coils. Rest in Peace Mum.

The weather was fine and the sun shone unique southern hemisphere light. Some say the light is due to the hole in the ozone giving its own color and hue. What ever it is it is different for sure.

Pohutukawa... Mystic trees (Wenderholm)

With all the now modern roads and highways what was once 1.5 hours drive is now 40 minutes. The B+B we booked on the inlet side of Waiwera was cute and the owners personable and extremely accommodating, even down to having there own private hot tub with the famous hot spring water piped in from next door.

B+B Waiwera

The main hot springs just a short distance down the road toward the beach lived up to their healing and soothing properties. The mud raps, Swedish massage and bottled spring water are also highly recommended and more…ish.

Next day we do a little site seeing around the area. New Zealand truly is a unique place with its natural

Looking Left from Pa (Mahurangi)

evergreen landscapes and beauty subtlety drawing you in and holding you

Looking Right from Pa (Mahurangi)

captivated. The native Christmas tree the Pohutukawa grow old by

twisting and turning into shapes that elicit fairytale images with faces that stare out at you.

The bays and beaches just north of Waiwera are classic post card stuff, every one of them. Standing on a Maori Pa (fort/village) and looking left and right the views of almost deserted beaches inviting one to dig their toes into the sand, take a dip and relax. You can see why the Maori people fought to keep their vistas and way of life in the land they called Aotearoa, “Land of the Long White Cloud”. For me it is fast becoming the Land of the Long Visual Memories.

Bearded old soul on top of the Pa (Pohutukawa)

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So long Aussie… Hello New Zealand

Posted in Photography with tags , on April 27, 2011 by Paul Tombleson

Gone from Australia.

It was in some ways a blur being in Aussie. Most of my time was taken up with working on projects, which gave me great satisfaction. Thus, I had no real time to take the lens cap off so we will see if New Zealand offers more time for my passion. Anyhow, Aussie remains a special place as my little family unit all live there now. I will surely miss them and can’t wait to reunite.

Maori Caving

Off to the airport we go after spending the night with Brad, Liz, Titus and Tina. The weather is looking ominous and setting in so it is time to get out of Dodge.

Don't forget the salt and vinegar!

Four hours later on an Air New Zealand flight we touch down in the “Land of the Long White Cloud” and get our first listen and a giggle about the way the kiwis talk. Its true six and sex are indistinguishable from each other to the untrained ear. And “Fish and Chips” does sound like “Fush and Chups”

A Mazda 3 is waiting in the parking lot to transport us North to a B+B and the famous hot springs of Waiwera. We are ready to have the body and soul soothed and healed. So, later folks… they will have to drag me out of the hot springs.

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