You can see more of this at www.telecomtree.co.nz
Sunday 13 December 2009
The Magical Christmas Tree
It is difficult to experience Christmas lights in a place like New Zealand where the sun sets at 9pm in December and doesn't get dark till perhaps 10pm. But that didn't stop the many people who came to see the beautiful lights at Frank Kitts Park here in Wellington where Telecom put up this huge tree filled with a myriad of lights of various colours. At the base of the tree were 4 phone booths where you can call Santa direct and place your wish list with his Sleigh Bells Answering Service.
You can see more of this at www.telecomtree.co.nz
You can see more of this at www.telecomtree.co.nz
Saturday 5 December 2009
Great Barrier Island
Great Barrier Island is less than an hour from New Zealand's biggest city, Auckland. But when you get there it is a different world altogether. I went there for work last week and the journey there just blew me away and when I got there, I just couldn't believe that this was so near to civilisation.
The island had a population of about 700 people and has no reticulated electricity. So you need to have your own generator for your power. The island is sparsely populated and DOC manages close to 70% of the island.
Getting there was half the fun. The plane I took from Auckland was an 8 seater which I shared with a dog, several crates of food and chilly bins filled with frozen meat. Reminds me of the small aircraft I took flying to the interiors of Sarawak in Malaysia. There was nothing between Auckland and the Island but the aircraft had no life jackets and nothing on the safety booklets that talked about water landing. On the way there we saw several pods of dolphins on the water and even a whale. That was how low we were flying.
I stayed at one of DOC's lodges and just outside my balcony, there were heaps of native birds that one would have to search for elsewhere. They were every where to extent after the 2nd day I stopped taking photos of them. There were Tui, Kereru, Banded Rail, Kingfishers, Oyster Catchers, Brown Teals and many more I could not identify.
Here is the plane that took us there and brought us back in one piece.
Inflight magazine. Which other airlines will give you this???
DOC Ranger showing some of the work we do with the Brown Teal.
Banded Rail right outside my back door.
A pair of Oyster Catchers and their chicks.
Kereru or the New Zealand Wood Pigeon.
Kingfisher with a worm in his mouth.
A Brown Teal crossing my path to the river.
If you get a chance get to the Great Barrier Island. It is absolutely beautiful and well worth the visit. Perfect get away to just get away from it all!
The island had a population of about 700 people and has no reticulated electricity. So you need to have your own generator for your power. The island is sparsely populated and DOC manages close to 70% of the island.
Getting there was half the fun. The plane I took from Auckland was an 8 seater which I shared with a dog, several crates of food and chilly bins filled with frozen meat. Reminds me of the small aircraft I took flying to the interiors of Sarawak in Malaysia. There was nothing between Auckland and the Island but the aircraft had no life jackets and nothing on the safety booklets that talked about water landing. On the way there we saw several pods of dolphins on the water and even a whale. That was how low we were flying.
I stayed at one of DOC's lodges and just outside my balcony, there were heaps of native birds that one would have to search for elsewhere. They were every where to extent after the 2nd day I stopped taking photos of them. There were Tui, Kereru, Banded Rail, Kingfishers, Oyster Catchers, Brown Teals and many more I could not identify.
Here is the plane that took us there and brought us back in one piece.
Inflight magazine. Which other airlines will give you this???
DOC Ranger showing some of the work we do with the Brown Teal.
Banded Rail right outside my back door.
A pair of Oyster Catchers and their chicks.
Kereru or the New Zealand Wood Pigeon.
Kingfisher with a worm in his mouth.
A Brown Teal crossing my path to the river.
If you get a chance get to the Great Barrier Island. It is absolutely beautiful and well worth the visit. Perfect get away to just get away from it all!
Saturday 28 November 2009
Auckland and its outer islands
One of the two last trips for the year took me to Auckland and its outer islands. Aucklanders are one lucky lot with so many beautiful islands just an hour or two away from the main land. Main land? Actually Auckland is on the North Island.
The week I was there, the weather was not too far from Wellington - windy. I tried taking this shot from North Head but the wind was so strong I could not take a night shot as the camera even on a sturdy tripod was vibrating violently.
As the sun started to set, the sky became a painter's canvas.
This was from the other side of North Head.
The next day, I went out to Rangitoto Island, a volcano just a short distance from populated Auckland.
The island is made up of volcanic rocks and main vegetation are Pohutukawa trees. Pohutukawas are also known as the New Zealand Christmas Tree, as it blooms around Christmas time. The view from the top of Rangitoto is absolutely fantastic.
Then we crossed over to Motutapu Island where DOC is doing a lot of work getting rid of pests, one of which was the hedgehog. Getting from Rangitoto to Motutapu, I crossed the world's shortest bridge over the Pacific Ocean!
This is the view of Rangitoto from Motutapu.
The dog trained to sniff out the most elusive hedgehog on the island.
The Pohutukawa flowers just starting to bloom. It will quite a sight when the whole island is red!
One of the island's many inhabitants.
Next week I am heading to The Great Barrier Island. And am looking forward to arriving on a grass stripped air field.
The week I was there, the weather was not too far from Wellington - windy. I tried taking this shot from North Head but the wind was so strong I could not take a night shot as the camera even on a sturdy tripod was vibrating violently.
As the sun started to set, the sky became a painter's canvas.
This was from the other side of North Head.
The next day, I went out to Rangitoto Island, a volcano just a short distance from populated Auckland.
The island is made up of volcanic rocks and main vegetation are Pohutukawa trees. Pohutukawas are also known as the New Zealand Christmas Tree, as it blooms around Christmas time. The view from the top of Rangitoto is absolutely fantastic.
Then we crossed over to Motutapu Island where DOC is doing a lot of work getting rid of pests, one of which was the hedgehog. Getting from Rangitoto to Motutapu, I crossed the world's shortest bridge over the Pacific Ocean!
This is the view of Rangitoto from Motutapu.
The dog trained to sniff out the most elusive hedgehog on the island.
The Pohutukawa flowers just starting to bloom. It will quite a sight when the whole island is red!
One of the island's many inhabitants.
Next week I am heading to The Great Barrier Island. And am looking forward to arriving on a grass stripped air field.
Thursday 15 October 2009
Sydney sights
I was in Sydney for a couple of days this week. After my last meeting I had a couple of hours before my flight back home. So I went on a shooting spree with my camera.
The hotel I was staying for the night was right across Darling Harbour and I had a room facing the harbour. The night was clear and the view from my room was stunning!
The next morning was just as glorious with hardly any clouds in the sky. Lunch was approaching and I visited a restaurant highly recommended by a Malaysian living in Sydney. But then I passed by so many other food outlets until I couldn't decide where to go. I then ended up having lunch at an Indonesian food store and topped it up with a glass of "Teh Tarik" at Mamak.
After all that food, I needed to walk a little before catching a cab to the airport.
As I was coming back there was a street show and this guy performing made all sorts of weird faces, one of which was...
The hotel I was staying for the night was right across Darling Harbour and I had a room facing the harbour. The night was clear and the view from my room was stunning!
The next morning was just as glorious with hardly any clouds in the sky. Lunch was approaching and I visited a restaurant highly recommended by a Malaysian living in Sydney. But then I passed by so many other food outlets until I couldn't decide where to go. I then ended up having lunch at an Indonesian food store and topped it up with a glass of "Teh Tarik" at Mamak.
After all that food, I needed to walk a little before catching a cab to the airport.
As I was coming back there was a street show and this guy performing made all sorts of weird faces, one of which was...
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