Whangarei Falls

My flatmate and I went on a road trip up north a few weeks ago. It was awesome! This was one of the tourist sites we visited - Whangarei Falls. We walked around it, took lots of photos and went through the bush nearby. I really love waterfalls.

Waitakaruru Arboretum

The Waitakaruru Arboretum is located near Matamata, following a turnoff on the road between Hamilton and Morrinsville. It is located on an old quarry site which has since been renovated (and I believe is still in the process of being worked on).

I stopped there on my way home from a road trip, paid my money and spent three hours walking around looking at everything.

Even though none of the pictures show it, the Arboretum is also a sculpture park. They have artists sculptures scattered throughout the park, some for sale and some just for display, some that are a permanent feature of the park and others that are only on a short term loan. At the end of the walk you can vote on your favourite sculpture, and the one with the most votes at the end of the season wins a cash grant for the sculpture.

Its a beautiful place and well worth a look. But only if you're fit, as it can be quite steep in places (and no vehicle access allowed).

Matapouri Beach

I remember the first time I ever went to see Matapouri beach. It was nearly New Years just before I went on my mission, and my friends and I had planned a road trip up to this beach that we didn't really know the location of (except that a family in our ward owned some land there and didn't mind us camping out). But we made it there eventually.

It was the best holiday ever, relaxing, fun and peaceful. New Years eve we had a ward get together with a dance and an swesome feed, then just before midnight we all walked down to the beach with our scorched almonds and sparkling grape juice, and watched the stars over the ocean as we welcomed in the new year.

A few years later, I ended up there for an impromptu YSA conference that had been put together in a week. We spent all afternoon at the beach, hanging out, listening to guitar music, swimming and sunbathing. Then when night came our leaders put together a bbq dinner for us and we finished off with a testimony meeting and singing. It was one of the best most spiritual nights of my life, sitting on the sand, listening to the waves crashing, listening to people talk about God while surrounded by his creations.

I have a cousin who lives in Matapouri, and I haven't had a chance to visit her yet. The last time I went up there on our road trip I ended up taking some photos though they certainly don't show the place in its best light. It was too cold and overcast to do much more than explore. But i can't wait to go there again.

Views of Tauranga

I always felt a connection with Tauranga. My dad was born there and we would go once a year or so to stay at his grandparents abandoned homestead, visit relatives, go to the beach and enjoy ourselves.

After my mission i got a job at a lab there, so I moved over that way for about 3 yrs. I liked my job, but i missed my family, and driving over the Kaimais back and forth every few weeks became draining, so i made the decision to move home where I knew I would be happier. These are a few photos from a lookout in the hills near Papamoa.

Whangarei Quarry Gardens

These photos were all taken at the Whangarei Quarry gardens. From the looks of the place I’d guess it was previously an open cast mine that they attempted to convert and beautify. I really liked the lake.

The only thing that concerned me there was a big hazard sign next to the arid (cactus) garden reading : Beware of large rocks falling, spiky toxic plants and possible land slides. Not the most reassuring thing to read. As soon as I saw it I turned back in the other direction.

I didn’t have long enough here because we arrived at 4:30pm and they were locking the gates at 5pm, but I think I did pretty well for only 20 mins with the pictures that I did get.

The Earth Laughs in Flowers

Spring is here, and beautiful flowers are everywhere. And since they cheer me up so much, these are a few of my favourites, from around the Hamilton area.

Mirror Lakes

These are one of the most photographed lakes in NZ. During calm moments of the day the lake is perfectly still and the mountains above are reflected beautifully in the water. The water wasn't the best when we were there, but it was still beautiful.

Fiordland

This was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen - its been named a world heritage park in order to protect it.

Christchurch Central

This was much easier on the eye than the Auckland CBD. The cathedrale was cool to look at, the tram was fun to ride on and it dropped me off outside the hostel were I was staying, an added bonus. I also liked the cute little shops that the tram took us past, pity I hadn’t realized they all closed at lunchtime on a Saturday.

Lake Tekapo

On the plane on the way to the South Island, I was reading a magazine article about the south island, a place called Lake Tekapo. I’d never heard of it before, and I had no idea that I would very shortly be coming into contact with it.

The bus from Christchurch to Queenstown was an extremely long journey – about 8 hrs all up, but halfway through the trip, my patience was rewarded with a lunch break at this beautiful place. Unfortunately my camera was not so good at capturing the glorious aqua blue colour in the water, but I tried my best. It was stunning. So peaceful and lovely. I’d love to go back there and have a proper look around.

I was sitting on a park bench admiring the water when an English couple came and sat next to me. We got chatting, and turns out they’d come down for a holiday to NZ and he’d proposed just the day before, at Lake Tekapo. Which makes it a special place for them, they said they’d love to come back and get married in the little stone chapel there just next to the water, if they can convince all their family to come down with them.

On the way back from Queenstown a couple of days later I had a chance to stop there again and take more photos. I’m not sure if you would actually want to swim there, It looks awesome, but all the rivers and lakes in the south island are glacier fed and so are liable to be freezing cold at the best of times.

Linden Pass

This is apparently one of the most painted scenes around NZ, especially in winter, when the road becomes almost impassable and the hills are wrapped up in snow. I’m guessing that artists like the yellow colour of the hills, and the way that nature has folded them up into aesthetically pleasing curves.

My photos of the place are only so so, it was hard to capture anything out the side of a moving bus.