Wednesday, April 20, 2005
New Zealand photos - North Island
I'm hoping to get a website together to house all of the photos I scanned from my trip to New Zealand (I managed to whittle the original nearly-a-thousand down to just over 200), so I thought I'd whet your appetite with a few of them and their related tales (or comments, if I've run out of imagination and can't find tales to tell)....
TANGIRIRO NATIONAL PARK
Mt Ruapehu and Mt Tangiriro
I took this photo at Mt Ruapehu station, which is one of the stops on the TranzScenic train trip between Auckland and Wellington. Mt Ruapehu is on the left, with Mt Tangiriro on the right. The mountains were featured as part of Mordor in Lord of the Rings. I fell in love with Mt Ruapehu the moment I spotted her...
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN PALMERSTON NORTH AND TAUPO
There's a food stop, and the first thing I saw when I hopped off the bus was this:
It was squawking, seemingly demanding to be let into the shop...I guess its presence is explained by the fact that there was a petting zoo attached to the diner, but I like to think that it just turned up one day...
TAUPO
Aratiatia Rapids
These rapids are created by releasing the dam of Lake Taupo. Water is released every day at the same time, and you stand on a bridge to watch this incredibly clear, colourful water cascade beneath you to fill up the valley on the other side. It's just breathtaking...
Craters of the Moon
You wander on walkways through this alien landscape, with craters and mudpools and ever present sulphourous steam. The ground is covered in vegetation that, bizarrely enough, manages to grow in earth that is constantly hot.
Huka Falls
The rushing water of these falls is amazingly loud. The water is a wonderful turquoise, due to the mineral deposits that come from the area being a thermal hotspot (ooh look, a really bad pun).
ROTORUA
Mudpool
This is a view of the North Island's largest mudpool through the bushes that line it. Yes, that's what it is. And there's every possibility that the photo is upside down. But I like it. So ner.
Wai-o-Tapu Thermal Wonderland
Yup, that's what it's really called. Sigh. The park is huge, with sulphur lakes (including my favourite, the Champagne Lake) and mud filled craters. The air is incredibly heavy with stinky egg smells, and even on moderate days, the area is always really really hot. And beautiful. Did I mention beautiful?
Waimangu Volcanic Park
This park is absolutely a must visit. The view here is of Cathedral Rock and Frying Pan lake. The environment is so primeval, you expect to see dinosaurs peeping out at you from behind the huge ferns.
MATAMATA
Hobbiton
This is a view of Hobbiton (including Bag End) taken through the branches of the Party Tree. There's not much else I can say except "I went to Hobbiton! Yay me!!"
NAPIER
Napier is an Art Deco town, with the main business district rebuilt at the height of the Art Deco era. Why then, is this incredibly 70s sculpture in the middle of the gardens?
KAPITI COAST
Paekakariki
How could I not take a photo of this house?
WELLINGTON
This is my "postcard from Wellington" photo - it's taken from the top of the Botanical Gardens, and there's the cable car and a lovely sweep across the harbour and main grid of Wellington city. People take the cable car to work and uni. How cool is that??
And that's it for the North Island, for the moment...
TANGIRIRO NATIONAL PARK
Mt Ruapehu and Mt Tangiriro
I took this photo at Mt Ruapehu station, which is one of the stops on the TranzScenic train trip between Auckland and Wellington. Mt Ruapehu is on the left, with Mt Tangiriro on the right. The mountains were featured as part of Mordor in Lord of the Rings. I fell in love with Mt Ruapehu the moment I spotted her...SOMEWHERE BETWEEN PALMERSTON NORTH AND TAUPO
There's a food stop, and the first thing I saw when I hopped off the bus was this:
It was squawking, seemingly demanding to be let into the shop...I guess its presence is explained by the fact that there was a petting zoo attached to the diner, but I like to think that it just turned up one day...TAUPO
Aratiatia Rapids
These rapids are created by releasing the dam of Lake Taupo. Water is released every day at the same time, and you stand on a bridge to watch this incredibly clear, colourful water cascade beneath you to fill up the valley on the other side. It's just breathtaking...Craters of the Moon
You wander on walkways through this alien landscape, with craters and mudpools and ever present sulphourous steam. The ground is covered in vegetation that, bizarrely enough, manages to grow in earth that is constantly hot.Huka Falls
The rushing water of these falls is amazingly loud. The water is a wonderful turquoise, due to the mineral deposits that come from the area being a thermal hotspot (ooh look, a really bad pun).ROTORUA
Mudpool
This is a view of the North Island's largest mudpool through the bushes that line it. Yes, that's what it is. And there's every possibility that the photo is upside down. But I like it. So ner.Wai-o-Tapu Thermal Wonderland
Yup, that's what it's really called. Sigh. The park is huge, with sulphur lakes (including my favourite, the Champagne Lake) and mud filled craters. The air is incredibly heavy with stinky egg smells, and even on moderate days, the area is always really really hot. And beautiful. Did I mention beautiful?Waimangu Volcanic Park
This park is absolutely a must visit. The view here is of Cathedral Rock and Frying Pan lake. The environment is so primeval, you expect to see dinosaurs peeping out at you from behind the huge ferns.MATAMATA
Hobbiton
This is a view of Hobbiton (including Bag End) taken through the branches of the Party Tree. There's not much else I can say except "I went to Hobbiton! Yay me!!"NAPIER
Napier is an Art Deco town, with the main business district rebuilt at the height of the Art Deco era. Why then, is this incredibly 70s sculpture in the middle of the gardens?KAPITI COAST
Paekakariki
How could I not take a photo of this house?WELLINGTON
This is my "postcard from Wellington" photo - it's taken from the top of the Botanical Gardens, and there's the cable car and a lovely sweep across the harbour and main grid of Wellington city. People take the cable car to work and uni. How cool is that??And that's it for the North Island, for the moment...
