Archive for April 30, 2011

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