RANGITOTO

Here is a bit of information about the 600 or 700 year old non-active volcano Rangitoto - on historic conservation trust website http://www.rangitoto.org/

the top is what we were aiming for... will we survive it?

a typical NZ orchid - small and white or green

the pohutekawa flowers in bloom but not in such a massive way I expected it to be. Maybe the drought of 2 months might have been in play here cos rain is the sole source of water on that Island.

Again the top of the island and a few baches. Since a couple of decades it is by law forbidden to build new summer houses.

it was a nice day for a swim - a bit cloudy but still quite warm. Just a tiny bit of sun was enough for the black stone rocky paths to reflect its heat. So, quite good the sun was hiding otherwise we would have been roasted.

pohutekawa red flowers and the black rocky paths. see above and below.

2 examples of some quite prehistorical looking leafy plants

Two appealing islands in the Haruki Gulf

A view on Auckland city- the sky tower and the harbour bridge

Me resting after the climb - It took us an hour to climb it. ( with a few photo stops)

this is an attempt of 360 degree shot of the view once on the top.

Me again, feeling eager to have a swim in the water after the climb and descent of the volcano, feeling hot and sticky.

SOUTH ISLAND

West Coast

August 2010

The bach ( the typical little beach houses in New Zealand) we stayed in, is located on Meybille Bay. Meybille Bay is located on the west coast of South New Zealand, a few km north of Punakaiki. Part of the Paparoa National Park, Meybille Bay offers an exotic, dramatic, and powerful land and seascape.

Meybille bay - the beach house is hidden behind the pointy rock in the middle of the coast line as shown below.

Covered in luscious native forest, home to Nikau palms, cabbage trees, many varieties of tree ferns, ancient beech trees, podocarps and other native species, the coastline is stunning and treacherous, romantic and dangerous.

The beach 200m in front of the bach. At low tide...

At high tide...

a bit of a windy place.... with a constant roaring ocean.

same beach in front of the bach

the view from the place we stayed in...

closer view of the sunset... with wild Tasman sea

these pictures sort of show how close the bach is to the ocean.

Samuel and I were invited by Samuel's father, Anthony, to stay for a week.

This is how we spend our evenings - no phone, no computer but we kept staying in touch with the rest of the world through newspapers.

Yet another great opportunity was given to me to explore a part of New Zealand I haven't seen before = West coast of South Island. I did not really get involved with the Southern West Coasters (often just referred to as ‘coasters’) but they are perceived as being very independent and distrustful towards outsiders. The fact that the West Coast is geographically isolated from the rest of the country by the high mountain range of the Southern Alps seem to have played a major role in the way they are. Their main industry are the coal mining and logging.

On our way to the West Coast we had to go through the Alps via Arthur's pass. The mountains we passed were about 2000m high - the highest mountain of the Southern Alps - Mount Cook with his 3000 - something meters, was not on our route unfortunately. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. A few snapshots taken whilst driving on Arthur's Pass...

Castle Hill

Punakaiki - Pancakes rocks and their blow wholes

snowy mountain tops - Mount Cook maybe?

Samuel had a few encounters with wild animals but the most memorable one was with a wounded seal that swam up on shore and was sheltering in the bush 20 m from our bach. The wound seemed to be getting better but the poor creature needed some rest. When Samuel tried to have a closer look at the wound, Samuel blew onto the snout of the seal and it greeted Samuel back by even coming up closer (nearly nose to nose), with a fishy smelly breath blown towards him.

a weka

Samuel is trying to seduce the kea with a piece of apple to get the bird to sit upon his arm

Oystercatchers.

The luxuriant coastal bush of Paparoa National Park can please cavers, climbers and trampers. Two tracks at Punakaiki follow a spectacular limestone gorge. We did not venture far on the tracks and we could already enjoy it's diversity and beauty...

the darker and wetter mini-me of uluru - enfin according to me

Hatters Bay

Just a short walk from our bach, only accessible via the highway, we could have longer walks on this beach in comparison with the one right at the front of the bach.

mini cave

Cape Foulwind

Anthony

Real colors and peculiarities

Anthony and Samuel discussing the next move... I guess.