2011, April 16th - May 5th: New Zealand, South & North: Punakaiki - Auckland 👍

 Dateline: 2011 April 15th - May 5th New Zealand

This trips travelling map around remaining NZ

Last stage of trip, New Zealand

Hobbiton, NZ version. Mt Doom is, of course, a long way off
But we've been there and done that last year

 

But we are busy tourists with places to get to.
This being Arthur Pass across the southern alps

These guys are at all the remote places

And always have a group of feeders
to supply easy vittles

Kaikura and the Southern Pacific 
Stunning Alps covered in the usual grey clouds

Go finger
I guess that it worked 

Depicting residents of Half Moon Bay

Those pesky clouds
Did you forget about the milk I spilt
on the back seat about 3 weeks ago?

Highway #1, East coast South Island
Now heading back to the vineyards

Blenheim, heart of Marlborough country
A well deserved treat for the soul and palette

We have taken a tour.
It was much later we realised tastings were free
and we hired bikes instead of a driver

This is at Forest Wines dining room
We also took in Cloudy Bay
I ask why their prices are so much more
"We can price it at whatever we want and we will still sell out"

"A" vineyard. There's literally dozens of them
around here. We get to 6

And get back pretty late
Funnily enough, we are totally pissed and really don't want wine with anything. Pity, because all the supermarkets are getting rid of last years vintages (white is best new, but of course you know that), and there's skids of all manor of wines on super sale

Ferry Queue, Picton. 
Wellington Ferry. Yes! It was free

Ahead of it's time

It's a lovely day for a cruise to Wellington

Very scenic getting out into the straight
Interestingly enough, the trip to Wellington, 
South Island to North is heading South

We take a couple of days here
It's a really cool place. Lots of art, theatre and
culture. Pretty good grub too

I love this one. 
Wellington Botanical Garden

The Botanical gardens are usually
the place to head in any city

Heading out of Wellington, looking East

Don't you just love those whacky guys
At NZ Ministry of Transport

And Agriculture

And speaking of whacky guys.......
Your correspondent

And one time Muse of said correspondent
On the road north

Western North Island, heading to
New Plymouth

Mt. Egmont, ancient volcano
Looks perfect for a climb.....
Note clouds!
Read on

So, here I am at a Motel
Note typical jug of milk? More on that later

Here it is,
Egmont hiking trail begins here

Note clouds, not descending, but
me walking up into them

This is as far as I got. Note stunted foliage
Many years later with the help of Google Maps,
and using my pix geolocate, I had only walked about 2Km
My destination was still 5Km away. 

But I didn't know that then, so I came back, totally soaked
and as you can see, with a little more moisture underfoot
than when I went up 3 hours ago. About 

Rain forest inhabitant.
Operative word, rain

Meanwhile, back at the ranch

Laundry suitably dispensed...

Lake Taupo, near Tauranga heading to
Rotorua

Form a queue ladies
Rotorua Hangi and fun times indigenous entertainment

And while you're waiting, try some exercises

With the local tourists maybe

Just a matter of taste I guess

We've done a few of these Maori Hangi's

Back to biking around Rotorua
This time to the "Maori village"

Lots of active hot springs all around

Most hotels have a hot spring / sulphur spring
in house spa. Ours was less than optimal 

Quote:
"Whakarewarewa - The Living Maori Village"

Now heading to Matamata
Also know locally as........

The not so well know location of all things
Tolkien

We are sworn to secrecy (yes, really) to not
publish any shots of "Hobbiton" until the next
release

I expect a lot of you have seen this place with a few hobbits 

It's quite fun seeing and being on the actual set

I assume that the place is kept updated for the 
tourists as opposed to another movie or sequel

There's a lot of houses most of which I don't remember
in the movie trilogy

Most of the set is easily recognisable

Although a few of the famous bits would have
been improved with some sun

 

Party, tree and/ or me?

It was cerainly a fun afternoon

Cheap cinematographic tricks of perspective

Totally captivating your imagination

And, of course, the so called money shot

 

Next day and we are in the 
Coromandel peninsula

For some reason, I found these 
locals to be cheap and obnoxious

Although there were a few bright spots,
mostly down market

Get the MSG?

Quite the selection here in Whangarei

Now heading back to Auckland
This trip North is really pretty dull for some reason
Flat and straight roads maybe 

Sydney Airport, my birthday coffee waiting for our Emirates 380 to Dubai and then home
Again

And that's all he wrote

From Your Correspondent