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FINALLY! An absolute *ton* of pics from our recce in April

FINALLY! An absolute *ton* of pics from our recce in April

Old Jun 3rd 2007, 12:20 am
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Smile FINALLY! An absolute *ton* of pics from our recce in April

OK here we go!

Hubby Phil and daughter Lauren at the airport


Me and Lauren at the airport


View from our residency suite at the Hyatt Regency in Auckland


A view from the SkyTower


And another one


OK... now please be patient. That's one-twelfth of the photos I'm going to upload, and I'm still resizing the last 40 of them!
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Old Jun 3rd 2007, 12:23 am
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Default Re: FINALLY! An absolute *ton* of pics from our recce in April

After an exhausting time walking round in circles at the SkyTower LOL it was time for ice cream, beer and sparkling wine!


Lauren running on a path in Albert Park next to a banyan tree (I think)


Some bloomin' enormous plant in Albert Park


We went on one of the 90-minute harbour cruises - lovely!


Another one from the cruise
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Old Jun 3rd 2007, 12:25 am
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Default Re: FINALLY! An absolute *ton* of pics from our recce in April

The skyline of Auckland from the harbour


One of my fave pics from the whole trip!


The winning Americas Cup yacht


Gee, can't guess where this is hee hee!


Later that same day we went to Auckland Zoo. One of the highlights was seeing the little blue penguins being fed - so adorable!
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Old Jun 3rd 2007, 12:28 am
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Default Re: FINALLY! An absolute *ton* of pics from our recce in April

We took the Overlander train down from Auckland to Wellington. It's a 12-hour journey, but very worthwhile!


Phil and Lauren messing about on the train ha ha!


One of the viaducts you go over on the train journey


The following night, after spending one night at Wellington Downtown Backpackers, we headed out to the Kapiti Coast and spent one paltry night at a beach house (too damn cold!)


The following morning, having a run on the beach before driving back into Wellington
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Old Jun 3rd 2007, 12:43 am
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Default Re: FINALLY! An absolute *ton* of pics from our recce in April

More fun on the beach, with Kapiti Island in the background


Last one from the beach. Well, that beach anyway...


On Easter Sunday we got lucky finding a parking space at Oriental Bay woo hoo!


View back to Wellington from Oriental Bay


After going to the beach at Oriental Bay, we drove around the coast, ending up at Island Bay. Beautifully rugged there! Unfortunately couldn't see the South Island
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Old Jun 3rd 2007, 12:45 am
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Default Re: FINALLY! An absolute *ton* of pics from our recce in April

Phil and Lauren having a good old climb on the rocks


Isn't this gorgeous? It's suspended above the courtyard between a bunch of government buildings in central Wellington. Lots of silver ferns all making a huge ball of them, quite stunning!


And the same thing again, this time more in perspective


A view from Wellington Harbour (down by the kids' playground) across to the Oriental Bay area


Lauren went on the "bungy trampoline" hee hee! I wish I could have gone on it, she really enjoyed it!
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Old Jun 3rd 2007, 12:49 am
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Default Re: FINALLY! An absolute *ton* of pics from our recce in April

On one of our days in Wellington, Phil was shattered, so I took Lauren off for a walk and we went to the Botanical Gardens. This is a statue of one of the founders of Wellington. I forget his name now - oops! I love the little dog jumping up at his side


The obligatory red London bus!


View from the top of the cable car


Another cable car view


Deep in the depths of the Botanical Gardens
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Old Jun 3rd 2007, 12:52 am
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Default Re: FINALLY! An absolute *ton* of pics from our recce in April

Wellington has to be the most beautiful city I've ever had the good fortune to be in


OK last one of Welly!


We drove up from Wellington to Auckland, with several stops along the way. The best stop by far was at an old friend's vineyard. Here she is shooting the breeze with Phil


Mmmmm wine! Well, nearly...


My friend's house. They used to only have the top storey, then they put that on stilts or something, moved it, built the ground floor, then picked up the top storey and popped it on top of the new ground flooor - amazing!
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Old Jun 3rd 2007, 12:59 am
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Default Re: FINALLY! An absolute *ton* of pics from our recce in April

A couple more from the Wairarapa. This is out near Masterton. I just loved the scenery there (too!)


We went to have a paddle in a river


We spotted this on our way up to Taupo, so had to stop of course. The kiwi that we saw in there stopped foraging for food, and made eye contact with us - almost spooky!


Part of the wind farm that supplies all the electricity to Palmerston North. It's hard to get a grip on the size of the windmills, they're just massive!


Mount Ruapehu looking rather menacing...
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Old Jun 3rd 2007, 1:04 am
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Default Re: FINALLY! An absolute *ton* of pics from our recce in April

Taupo. I actually found Taupo rather boring, to be honest! We went to Huka Falls, which was fun, and Craters of the Moon (below) but Taupo itself didn't grab me


OK the next four are of Craters of the Moon. Quite the most bizarre place I've ever been!







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Old Jun 3rd 2007, 1:14 am
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Default Re: FINALLY! An absolute *ton* of pics from our recce in April

While at Craters of the Moon, Lauren was running down the gravel track trying to catch up with Phil. She wiped out and got her first bloody nose, poor thing! So being the mean person I am (ha ha) I had to take a photo for evidence!


Lauren sitting on a massive piece of jade! This is in the Jade Factory shop in Rotorua. I asked the lady behind the counter how much it would be worth on the open market, and she said about NZ$1.5M. I actually thought it would be worth quite a lot more than that, but what do I know (not a whole lot apparently!)


Alrighty... back in Auckland. Our last full day there, and I just had to hurl myself off the SkyTower! LOL


Phil took photos from the target area at the bottom


Here I come!!!!
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Old Jun 3rd 2007, 1:23 am
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Default Re: FINALLY! An absolute *ton* of pics from our recce in April

Wheeeeee! Here I come! 11 seconds to plummet down, at about 85 kph. I'd do it again in a heartbeat, such a rush!


OK, so the instructions were to bend your legs so you'd land better. I did, landed just fine, and promptly collapsed into a heap! LOL


Lauren hadn't really realised what was going on until I was nearly at the bottom. She got quite upset when she realised it was me coming down, and rushed to me to make sure I was OK. She was unhappy enough from that, that I couldn't really take them up on the offer of another immediate jump, for free! Oh well, there's always next time...


Last bathtime in New Zealand! And more photographic evidence of the wipe-out. Actually looks worse than it was, but there was blood a-plenty when it happened


Last one! Lauren thrashed anyone who dared challenge her to a game of air hockey at Auckland Airport ha ha!


OK that's yer lot! All 60 of them. I took about 750 pics, but these are the best ones and show where we went and what we did.
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Old Jun 3rd 2007, 1:53 am
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Default Re: FINALLY! An absolute *ton* of pics from our recce in April

Nice photographs. Lovely family...

So, erm...you comin' over or not?

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Old Jun 3rd 2007, 2:26 am
  #14  
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Default Re: FINALLY! An absolute *ton* of pics from our recce in April

Originally Posted by happynz
Nice photographs. Lovely family...

So, erm...you comin' over or not?

Heh... that's certainly the $64,000 question now isn't it?! Everything's rather up in the air now, have to say. One thing Phil and I hadn't discussed before was a support network for him. Not an awful lot of Americans in NZ, and it's important to be among your own kind, so to speak. My 2 best mates in the US are both Brits...

Anyway, I'll of course keep you all (or "y'all" ) updated as and when decisions get made.

Thanks for the compliments on the piccies!
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Old Jun 3rd 2007, 3:24 am
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Default Re: FINALLY! An absolute *ton* of pics from our recce in April

Oh the poor baby!!

They're outstanding. What a truly gorgeous country it is
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