ScenicViews

Kea investigating Mark's rucksack

2006-01-29T08:09:00.000Z

Kea investigating Mark's rucksack, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

Kea investigating Mark's rucksack - Avalanche Peak summit, Arthur's Pass

Keas sharing a secret

2006-01-29T08:08:00.002Z

Keas sharing a secret, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

Keas at the summit of Avalanche Peak, Arthur's Pass - sharing a secret

Singing Kea

2006-01-29T08:08:00.001Z

Singing Kea, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

Keas love to sing!

Abel Tasman National Park

2006-01-29T08:08:00.000Z

Abel Tasman National Park, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

Abel Tasman National Park

2006-01-29T08:07:00.000Z

Abel Tasman National Park, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

Abel Tasman National Park

Sunrise at Onetahuti Bay

2006-01-29T08:05:00.000Z

Sunrise at Onetahuti Bay, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

Sunrise at Onetahuti Bay

Sunrise at Onetahuti Beach, looking towards Tonga Island

2006-01-29T08:03:00.000Z

Sunrise at Onetahuti Beach, looking towards Tonga Island, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

Another sunrise - this time at Onetahuti Beach, looking towards Tonga Island

Bark Bay

2006-01-29T08:01:00.000Z

Bark Bay, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

Bark Bay, Abel Tasman National Park - campsite for the second night of the three-day kayak trip

Te Pukatea Bay, Abel Tasman National Park

2006-01-29T08:00:00.000Z

Te Pukatea Bay, Abel Tasman National Park, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

Te Pukatea Bay, Abel Tasman National Park

Sunrise at Bark Bay

2006-01-29T07:57:00.001Z

Sunrise at Bark Bay, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

Sunrise (!) at Bark Bay. I also took one hour of video of this sunrise. Normally I only ever see sunsets...

Abel Tasman National Park

2006-01-29T07:57:00.000Z

Abel Tasman National Park, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

More gorgeous scenery while kayaking...

Anchorage Bay

2006-01-29T07:56:00.001Z

Anchorage Bay, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

Anchorage Bay in Abel Tasman National Park

Split Apple Rock

2006-01-29T07:56:00.000Z

Split Apple Rock, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

Has a wonderful time last weekend in Abel Tasman National Park - one day walk from Onetahuti Bay (near Tonga Island) to Torrent Bay, then a three-day kayak trip from Mutton Cove to Kaiteriteri - some really gorgeous scenery and even some sunrises (!)

View near Maunganui

2006-01-15T09:41:00.001Z

View near Maunganui, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

A view from the Pa site near Maunganui.

Reflected clouds, Ninety Mile Beach

2006-01-15T09:41:00.000Z

Reflected clouds, Ninety Mile Beach, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

Nice reflections of clouds in the wet sand on Ninety Mile Beach (which actually isn't quite 90 miles long - only 64 miles or thereabouts)

Lighthouse at Cape Reinga

2006-01-15T09:39:00.000Z

Lighthouse at Cape Reinga, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

The lighthouse at Cape Reinga. Maybe it's just as well that the signpost has been stolen - at least there's now a better chance to get an unobstructed view of the lighthouse in the few milliseconds when people aren't standing in front of it!

Cape Maria van Diemen

2006-01-15T09:38:00.001Z

Cape Maria van Diemen, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

Cape Maria van Diemen - seen from near Cape Reinga, looking out to the Tasman Sea.

Hole in the Rock, near Cape Brett

2006-01-15T09:38:00.000Z

Hole in the Rock, near Cape Brett, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

The hole in the rock, near Cape Brett - in the Bay of Islands.

Bay of Islands

2006-01-15T09:36:00.000Z

Bay of Islands, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

Just spent a few enjoyable sunny days in the Bay of Islands and Northland. Took a boat trip and saw some dolphins (though not quite as close as last time) and also many of the islands in the bay. Spent yesterday afternoon kayaking in the bay and across to Waitangi and up the river to the mangroves, drifting along, watching the cormorants and wading birds. Today I went up to Cape Reinga and although the day started with clouds in Paihia, it soon brightened up, with nice views up at the lighthouse.

Pohutukawa blossom

2006-01-13T02:26:00.000Z

Pohutukawa blossom, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

Blossom of the Pohutukawa tree (North Island NZ Christmas tree) - still in flower on 12th January 2006.

Hahei Beach

2006-01-13T02:24:00.000Z

Hahei Beach, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

A view along the coastal track from Cathedral Cove, looking towards Hahei Beach

Stack at Cathedral Cove

2006-01-13T02:22:00.000Z

_MG_4963, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

A rock stack (made of pumice and ash) at Cathedral Cove

Cathedral Cove

2006-01-13T02:16:00.001Z

Cathedral Cove, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

A huge cavern links Cathedral Cove with Mare's Leg Cove.

Kayaking at Cathedral Cove

2006-01-13T02:16:00.000Z

Kayaking at Cathedral Cove, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

Quite a swell on the sea when we went kayaking - waves of a few metres in places - but thankfully no capsizing!

Hahei Beach

2006-01-13T02:15:00.000Z

Hahei Beach, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

Just spent a couple of sunny days on the Coromandel Peninsula - kayaking around Cathedral Cove on Wednesday and cycling 50 miles (80 km) round trip to Whangapoua and New Chums Beach on Thursday. Now heading to the Bay of Islands for the weekend.

More coconut palms, Aitutaki

2006-01-08T10:21:00.000Z

More coconut palms, Aitutaki, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

You guessed it - some more coconut palms. Actually they're very tasty. I drank three coconuts. The first was from Tauono's wonderful organic fruit&veg graden cafe - he hauled it down using a huge long bamboo pole with a hook on the end - a bit like fishing for coconuts high up in the trees. The green/light-brown ones are the drinking nuts, with a much lighter shell than the dark brown eating nuts. On Friday (6 Jan 06) as I was cycling around the main island of Aitutaki, a family of Aitutakians gave me a couple of drinking nuts, which they were harvesting from the trees. Very refreshing - just what I needed on a warm sunny day biking round the island...

Coconut Palms, Aitutaki

2006-01-08T10:17:00.000Z

Coconut Palms, Aitutaki, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

Another row of coconut palms on the west coast of the main island in the Aitutaki lagoon.

Frangipani flower, Aitutaki

2006-01-08T10:15:00.000Z

Picture 084, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

Believe it or not, there are some other things besides the omnipresent coconut palms, like banana plants and lots of beautiful flowers, like this frangipani.

Aitutaki

2006-01-08T10:14:00.000Z

Picture 241, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

More scenery from paradise...

More coconut palm trees, Aitutaki

2006-01-08T10:13:00.000Z

Picture 256, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

The scenery really is as idyllic as on the picture postcards...

Sunset, Aitutaki

2006-01-08T10:11:00.000Z

Picture 309, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

I took this sunset photo on Thursday evening (5 Jan 06) after a wonderful day on the lagoon cruise around the outer islands.

Kayaks at Ootu Beach, Aitutaki

2006-01-08T10:10:00.000Z

Kayaks at Ootu Beach, Aitutaki, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

On Tuesday (3 Jan 06) I had fun kayaking from O'otu beach to three of the nearby island in the turqoise lagoon around Aitutaki. Saw lots of funny hermit crabs scampering aross the coral sands.

Another coconut palm, Aitutaki

2006-01-08T10:01:00.000Z

Another coconut palm, Aitutaki, originally uploaded by ScenicViews.

Just landed in Auckland after a wonderful week in the Cook Islands. I spent five days on the tropical island paradise of Aitutaki, enjoying some cycling, kayaking and a wonderful cruise on the clear turqoise lagoon to the outer islands with their coral sands and coconut palms. Also had lots of delicious food and visited a couple of the 'Island nights' to see the traditional Cook Island dancing. Now spending 7 weeks in New Zealand, then on to Sydney and Fiji. Will probably go to the Coromandel Peninsula next and then to the Bay of Islands, then head southwards. Some more photos from Aitutaki are in the next few posts (not quite worked out how to post multiple photos grouped together from Flickr to Blogger yet)

Welcome to ScenicViews

2005-12-16T01:19:00.000Z

I've just started this blog for my forthcoming trip to New Zealand.
I'll be in New Zealand during January and February 2006 and also spending a week in Sydney, visiting my Uncle Tom (last seen when I was two years old) and Michael, a friend I met on Iceland last summer. I'm also spending a week on the Cook Islands on the way there and a week on Fiji on the way back.

While I'm in New Zealand, I'll be meeting up with Carline to walk the Routeburn Track - and also walking the Milford Track a few days afterwards. I'm also looking forward to some more kayaking in Abel Tasman and the Bay of Islands - and some cycling on the Coromandel Peninsula.

I'm hoping to meet up with Tina in Auckland just before I fly to Sydney, near the end of February.

My main website is at http://www.scenicviews.org
- though it badly needs updating - and I've just set up a Flickr site at http://www.flickr.com/photos/scenicviews/