Exploring New Zealand

Thank you!

2009-03-15T04:16:00.003+13:00

Hello Everyone,

As most of you know Jenn and I are now back in Canada. Thank you for checking in on us every once and a while. We have enjoyed our time in New Zealand and all of the amazing experiences that we were so fortunate to have. It is one of the most beautiful places in the world to travel and the people there couldn't have been nicer. Hopefully some day, some of you make it to "the land of the long white cloud"

We will have a new blog on our future travels and activities. Click here for link

Rotorua

2009-03-15T03:49:00.006+13:00

Alayna arrived in Auckland and we immediately got started on our vacation starting in Rotorua here we are at one the best Thermal Reserves in the World! Wai-O-Tapu

Steam was coming up everywhere
Jenn and Alayna looking in on one of the craters
This area was called the artists palette because of all the colours

This water was extremely hot and acidic
unbelievable yellow colours
This is called the champagne pool, it is 62m deep and has a temperature of 75 C, in the deepest parts it is an unreal 260 C. The orange colours are caused by high levels of arsenic and antimony sulfides

One of many colourful and steaming craters
Lime green water in this crater
Mud Pools

Wellington - Capital of New Zealand

2009-03-15T03:05:00.008+13:00

Jenn and Alayna outside of Old St. Paul's Cathedral, the oldest church in Wellington

Lady Norwood Rose Gardens
Jim with some roses
Lots of bees gathering nectar
Gorgeous flowers in the Greenhouse
The fountain in the centre of the Rose Gardens
Pole at the top of Mt. Victoria, the tallest point in Wellington
View of the city of Wellington from Mt. Victoria

Jenn and Alayna on the Tour bus
Building on the Waterfront in Wellington
Te Papa Museum, the largest in the Country
The Meeting of the Maori
Amazing details are put into these meeting houses
The original Treaty of Waitangi, this is where the Maori people and the English agreed to become an English Colony
Treaty translated into English
The Terracotta Warriors were in town, so we decided to check it out

This is the Old Bank of New Zealand Building, below it is something special
Click here to find out what was lying underneath this Old Bank

To the famous Wellington Cable Car
Jenn and Alayna going up the Cable Car

Wellington to Christchurch

2009-03-15T02:44:00.007+13:00

Today we took the Interislander Ferry from Wellington to Picton and then took the TranzCoastal Train from Picton to Christchurch. Here we are pulling away from the Wellington Harbour.
Rugged Coastline, South Island
Amazing Views from the Ferry

Imagine owning the house on the cliff
Beautiful colours of water
Looking back into Queen Charlotte Sound
Notice the Dolphins in this picture, we also saw some penguins but they were to hard to photograph
Port town of Picton, the gateway to the South Island
We then boarded the TranzCoastal Train to Christchurch
Riding through the biggest wine area of the country called Marlbrough, this is where the best Sauvignon Blanc comes from

South Pacific Ocean
This was one of the stops at Kaikoura, this is the best place in the country to go Whale watching the water is very deep a few hundred metres out and whales are sometimes spotted from the beach
Gorgeous coastal views from the train

We saw hundreds of New Zealand Fur Seals right from the train in areas like this one

Christchurch

2009-03-03T04:38:00.008+13:00

This is a clock tower that is just outside of the city centre
Only a few cities in the world could put up this sign
The Avon River
Christchurch Cathedral at night
The Mona Vale homestead

Jenn and Jim in the Christchurch Botanical Gardens
Jenn and Alayna at Mona Vale
Flowers from the Rose Garden

Views out to Christchurch, it is the second largest city in the Country at 350,000
Alayna, Jenn and Jim with Christchurch in the background
Lyttleton Harbour, this is the biggest shipping harbour on the south island and it also act as a Cruise Ship terminal during the summer months
Sumner Beach

Some surfers were out catching some waves
Jenn and Alayna carefully making it down the rock
Jim at the top of a rock formation
Sea Cave right off the beach
Christchurch Cathedral
Inside the Cathedral

Christchurch Trams

Statue of Queen Victoria

Statue of Captain James Cook
Punting down the Avon

Christchurch to Queenstown

2009-03-02T13:01:00.007+13:00

Jenn and Alayna at a mountain top restaurant along our way
View from restaurant
South Island farm land
Some of the 60 Million sheep that call New Zealand home
Lake Tekapo, a glacial lake

Jenn and Jim at Lake Punaki, with Mt. Cook in the background, the tallest mountain in the country
Lake Punaki and Mt. Cook

Motorway weaving through the mountains outside of Queenstown

Roaring Meg Waterfall

Alayna taking a photo of the falls
Queenstown from the top of the gondola
Gondola

The Routeburn Track

2009-03-02T12:34:00.006+13:00

Sign at the beginning of the track. The track is located in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. It is 38km's long, today we covered 20km's of it...a hard 20km's
One of 19 rope bridges we crossed,

We loved the colour and the clarity of the water in the Southern part of New Zealand

Jenn taking her time crossing another bridge
Amazing water colour
Walking in the Alpine Meadow

We went to the Falls Hut, 350m in 45 minutes, what a climb
Another rope bridge
Our guide walking along the cliffs with other from our group, ironically enough he was a Canadian
View across the meadow

View from the Falls Hut area, we hiked through the right side
Routeburn Falls
Jim at Routeburn Falls, What a view

This photo is interesting because you can see where the sub-tropical rain forest and the Alpine forests meet
Routeburn Falls

Jenn at Routeburn Falls

Milford Sound

2009-03-02T11:29:00.008+13:00

Mirrored Lake on the way to Milford Sound. Today's trip was a long one! Coach left at 6:30am arrived back in Queenstown at 7:00pm. As the bird flies Milford Sound is only about 35km from Queenstown, but in order to get there by road you have to drive 4 1/2hrs each way.
Gorgeous waterfall along the way
Waterfalls cascading down the mountains
Notice the glacier at the top of the waterfall
Jim and Jenn outside the Homer Tunnel
This is the valley outside of Milford Sound. The road zig-zags on it's way down

Giant fern near the chasm
Here is the chasm, look at the beautiful colour of the water
This is the cruise boat we took in Milford Sound, Mitre Peak is in the background

One of many waterfalls that drain into Milford Sound. It's rains 25 feet per year here, making the first ten feet of the ocean fresh water. This makes it an interesting place for marine life.

New Zealand Fur Seals on the rock, they are and endangered species

To give perspective this waterfall is 3 times taller than Niagara Falls

Jenn and Alayna getting younger. The maori myth is, if you get the mist from this particular waterfall on your face you start to look younger
Bottlenose dolphins playing around the cruise
Mitre Peak and Milford Sound getting foggy on the way back

The drive back was a windy one, hugging Lake Wakitipu
Sun setting in Queenstown
The Remarkables viewed from the Queenstown Harbour

Queenstown to Fox Glacier

2009-03-02T11:17:00.004+13:00

We drove from Queenstown to Fox Glacier, getting up at 5am to be in Fox Glacier for a 1:30 hike. The scenery along the way was amazing! It rained most of the way which made the waterfalls spectacular.

Typical West Coast one-lane bridge
Gates of Haast, where the river channels close in the valley and the Haast river roars, especially on this day

Waterfalls roaring down the mountains
Look at all the waterfalls
Scenic stop along the West coast
Bruce Bay, the ocean was very rough today

Starfish on the beach
All the debris from a storm

Climbing Fox Glacier - West Coast

2009-02-27T19:25:00.010+13:00

Terminal Face of the Fox Glacier
Then the Rain Started...
At the terminal face
Waterfalls around the area
River heading away from the glacier, more on this later
Climbing up the mountain beside the glacier on the guides "Secret Track"
Almost to where we can safely climb on the glacier
Jim and Jenn about to climb on the Glacier, soaked in some of the 8 inches that fell while we were here
Making our way up
Walking on the glacier

Each band you see on the glacier represents snowfalls that have occurred up in the mountains thousands of years ago. Fox glacier is getting larger every year, which makes it even more specail
Looking out through the valley
Looking up to the mountains. The Glacier is 13 km's long and the equivalent of a 50 storey apartment building in height, it wasn't an easy climb

Making our way back down

This photo and shows another group heading up the glacier, it gives you a good perspective on the immensity of Fox Glacier

You can see another group heading up the glacier in this photo
Heading back to the Car Park, little did we know....
One last look back to the glacier
...8 inches of rain + small creek + Mountain Valley = River Crossing
Jim, Jenn and Alayna safely make it across with the help of the guides

Our Final Adventure in New Zealand - The TranzAlpine Train

2009-02-27T19:07:00.005+13:00

Traveling through the Southern Alps on the TranzAlpine Scenic train has been rated one of the top ten trains in the world! The scenery here is unbelievable. The train runs Greymouth on the west coast traveling through the alps and then across the Canterbury Plains to Christchurch.

Cows in the tall grass
Our train was very long on this bend in the open air cart we could see it going over a viaduct and into a tunnel

UPDATE!!!

2009-02-24T12:14:00.001+13:00

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for checking in to see if we have posted new photos. The past two weeks we have been touring the Country with Jenn's friend Alayna. We have taken over 1000 photos and will post the best ones once we get back to Canada in a few days - for now it's off to Sydney.

Hawke's Bay Vacation

2009-01-30T10:14:00.023+13:00

Driving to Napier, you go through a town called Tirau. This town is famous for it's two converted barns, so here they are the "Dog" and "Sheep"
The Sheep is actually a Merino clothing store now
Good old New Zealand road sign
Jenn in Taupo, Mt. Ruapehu and Lake Taupo in the distance
In Taupo, McDonald's has fly-through
Waterfall along highway 5 between Taupo and Napier

The Pulp and Paper Industry is big in New Zealand, here is a clear cut area with new saplings growing.
Jim with one of the many views along the way
Another gorgeous view off highway 5
Classic New Zealand road sign, sharp corner
This one is for Buffy
Jenn at Bluff Hill in Napier, the tallest point in the City

Looking out at Hawke's Bay and the Napier Coast line
Sunset over Napier
This was inside the Hawke's Bay Museum, typical Maori Carvings of the local tribes
In 1931, the city of Napier and the entire region (Hawke's Bay) was destroyed by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake. The collapses and ensuing fires killed 256 people. The figure would later rise to 258 as two people were missing, presumed dead following the quake. Some 40 km² of today's Napier was undersea before the earthquake raised it. Here is a sign that was at the Train Station in Napier.
Jenn in the gardens along Marine Parade
The sphere in the garden was a gift from the Queen in remembrance of all the lives lost in the 1931 earthquake
Famous Clocktower in Napier
Pacu fish inside the National Aquarium
Crocodile in the Aquaruim
Our Hotel room at the Nautilus
View from our balcony

Yes that is in Celcius!
Shark head washed up on the beach
The beach in Napier is all pebbles, great for fishing

Jim thinking about a swim...shark head detered him
One of the most gorgeous places we have been. This range is called Te Mata Peak, it is 399m tall (1309 Feet). It is located outside of Havelock North which is 30 minutes south of Napier. The Maori Legend of this peak is;

Many centuries ago the people living in pa (fortified villages) on the Heretaunga Plains were under constant threat of war from the coastal tribes of Waimarama. At a gathering in Pakipaki (near Hastings), a wise old woman (kuia) suggested that the leader of the Waimarama tribes, a giant named Te Mata, could be made to fall in love with Hinerakau - the daughter of a Pakipaki chief - and turn his thoughts from war to peace. This mission was quickly accomplished, and Te Mata fell under the spell of the beautifully Hinerakau.

However the people of Heretaunga had not forgotten the past and wanted revenge. They demanded that Hinerakau make Te Mata prove his devotion by accomplishing seemingly impossible tasks. His last task was to bite through the hills between the coast and the plains, so that people could come and go with greater ease.

Te Mata died while eating his way through the hills. His half-accomplished work can be seen in what is known as The Gap or Pari Karangaranga (echoing cliffs) and his prostrate body forms Te Mata Peak.

Such nice countryside below Te Mata Peak
Livestock off the road

Jim out in the country
Te Mata peak from another vantage point
Jenn with Te Mata Peak
Jim outside Craggy Range Winery
Jim with our Rental parked it beside a transit at the top of Te Mata peak. Some of the scariest driving Jim has ever done
Road going back down, do you see any guard rails? We didn't either
Looking down on the Hawke's Bay Region
The next few photos are all views from the top of Te Mata
Craggy Range Winery below

Jim taking a good look at what a 1300 foot cliff looks like
This one is for anyone who ever doubts the ability of a ford transit

Church Road Winery, one of the oldest in New Zealand
Jenn outside the original building at Church Road built in 1897
Going up the road to Mission Estate Winery. This is the oldest Winery in the Country founded in 1851.
Front of the winery
Jenn with a fountain in the wineries courtyard
Jim taking a look at all the vines growing in the distance

Coutyard at Mission Estate winery. Lionel Ritchie will be playing a showed here in February

Chuch in Napier
Jenn with the smallest car we have ever seen. It was a Fiat
When the town centre was destroyed by the 1931 Earthquake it was rebuilt in the popular Art Deco Style. Although a few Art Deco buildings were replaced with contemporary structures during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, most of the centre remained intact for long enough to become recognized as architecturally unique, and from the 1990s onwards had been protected and restored. Napier and South Beach (Miami) are considered by many Art Deco enthusiasts the two best preserved Art Deco towns, Miami Beach being mainly in the later Streamline Moderne Art Deco style. As of 2007, Napier has been nominated for UNESCO World Heritage Site status, the first cultural site in New Zealand to be nominated.

The next few photos are of the Art Deco Buildings in Napier

I thought this was an interesting combination
Main shopping strip in the city

This bandshell is one of the most photographed structures in the city, it is right on Marine Parade which runs runs right beside the ocean

Cruise ship in the distance, Diamond Princess
Cape Kidnappers in the distance is at the southern end of Hawke Bay, on the east coast of the North Island. The name Kidnappers refers to an incident during Cook's first voyage when an attempt was made to trade with the occupants of an armed canoe. Tiata, the Tahitian servant of Tupia, Cook's interpreter, was seized by the Maoris and escaped by jumping into the sea when the canoe was fired on. The cape was named to commemorate the event; Sunday, 15 October 1769.

The cape lies 7 miles by coastal route, negotiable between tides on foot or bicycle, from Clifton at the far eastern edge of the Heretaunga (Ahuriri) Plains. There is also an inland route which passes through private farm land. The high plateau area between Kidnappers and Clifton is deeply gullied and accessible from the shore by a few routes only. The cliffs behind the beach are vertical and largely unclimbable. The plan shape of the cape is an acute-angled triangle. It is flat, probably a sea-cut bench at a height of between 200 and 300 ft, rising moderately steeply at its inland edge. It is composed of Lower Pliocene (Opoitian) blue-grey sandy mudstone, with large irregular calcareous concretions.

The cape is the site of a thriving gannetry which has grown in numbers in the last few years to the point that nesting now occurs as far as the inland edge of the rising slope from the cape plateau, and outlying colonies nest on the stacks of nearby Black Reef. The gannetry is administered by a domain board and permits to visit it are issued by the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Napier.

The Maori name for Cape Kidnappers is Mataupo Maui – the fish hook of Maui. Another less common name is Tapuwaeroa – the long footsteps. These, according to legend, were made by the giant Rongokako who left other impressions of his feet at Mahia and East Cape.

Fountain along Marine Parade
Jim puting his feet in Lake Taupo on the way back to Auckland
Mt. Ruapehu across Lake Taupo, it erupted in 1995 and 1996
Sign when you start the walk around "Craters of the Moon"
Jenn with a large volcanic crater
This area is extremely thermally active
Another Crater smoking and steaming

Mud Pool

Lots of Native Ferns around the area
View from the lookout at "Craters of the Moon"
Neat Mountain on the drive back to Auckland
Countryside near Matamata where Peter Jackson shot most of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. We now know why they call this country "land of the long white cloud"

Road Trip to Hawkes Bay - Stay Tuned for Photos!!!

2009-01-23T10:01:00.002+13:00

View Larger Map

Videos from Vacation - Walter's Peak Sheep Dog Demonstration, Rotorua Mud Pools and Maori Haka Performance

2009-01-09T10:29:00.002+13:00

Another Gorgeous Sunset

2009-01-04T14:37:00.002+13:00

View from our balcony

Christmas in New Zealand

2009-01-04T14:26:00.003+13:00

Ken and Misty our American friends, invited us for christmas! It was a very good meal

Cape Reinga and the Bay of Islands

2009-01-02T12:18:00.010+13:00

Jenn and Buffy at Bethells Beach
Jim with our rental sorting out the route
Buffy outside the kauri museum
Ahhh New Zealand roads
Jenn and Jim in the Waipoua Kauri forest with the biggest kauri tree in the World, Tane Mahuta
Tane Mahuta

Small town in an inlet off the tasman sea
New Zealand classic road sign
90 Mile beach, it's actually only 64 miles long
Jenn and Buffy on 90 Mile Beach
Jim and Jenn on the beach
So long!
Jim puting his feet into the Tasman Sea
Buffy trying the shellfish, right off of 90 Mile Beach
Island with a hole in the centre, off of 90 Mile Beach, not to be confused with the hole in the rock in Paihia
Driving up the quick sand stream, It's one of only 3 ways on and off the beach
Buffy and Jim heading off to sand board

Heading up the giant sand dunes, for sand boarding!
Jim was so quick Jenn couldn't catch him on camera, He is behind the weeds
Jim going for it a second time
At the bottom
Jim and Buffy coming back from sand boarding

Looking out from Cape Reinga
Cape Reinga Lighthouse in the distance

The Tasman and the Pacific Ocean Colliding
Jenn and Buffy at the lighthouse
Jenn at Cape Reinga, the most northernly part of New Zealand
Jenn and Jim at the Cape
Jenn and Buffy at the Cape
View from the Lighthouse!
Lunch break
View from were we had lunch
Dock below restaurant
This is where they weigh and measure the Sharks and Marlin that are caught here
Our bus after the 90 mile beach
Puketi Kauri Forest
Inside Christ Church

Notice the musket holes

At the top of flagstaff hill, the highest point in the bay of islands, what a climb
Looking down to the bays
The flagstaff
Looking down to Russell

Police Station in Russell
Paihia to Russell ferry
Looking ahead to Paihia
Jim on the beach at Waiwera
Waiwera
Huge rock out from Waiwera

Rotorua - North Island

2008-12-27T15:30:00.006+13:00

Our 2.4 litre transit, what a beast
Sheep at the Agrodome

Jenn at the Agrodome
This guy puts on one of the funniest acts I've ever seen, educational though
Rainbow trout at rainbow springs
Silver fern

Te Whakarewarewa thermal reserve

2 geysers going off all the time
JIm and Jenn, enjoying the sulpher smell of rotorua

Mud Pools

Buffy and Rie learning a traditional maori dance
Our hangi dinner being cooked
Wai-o-tapu thermal reserve, hot pool
Another hot pool, look at the colours!
Notice the boardwalk across the hot pool
Hot Pool
Amazing colours at this hot pool

Lady knox geyser, erupts once a day at 10:15am
Thermal Mud Pool, Biggest in the country
Absolutely Amazing
Jim, Dave and Buffy beside mud pool
Mud Exploding

Drive from Rotorua to Wellington - North Island

2008-12-27T15:12:00.004+13:00

Huka Falls
The Waikato river rushing through the falls
This is the longest rivier in the counrty, one of the best places in the world to go trout fishing
Huka falls
Laura fishing for prawns, this is the only place in the world this is done
Rie catching a prawn at the Prawn Farm
Adam caught one too
Jim caught a prawn, looks like lunch
indeed it was
Lake Taupo, largest lake in the country
Volcanoes around tongariro national park
Mt. Ruapehu, popular ski field
Mt. Ruapehu

Wellington - North Island

2008-12-27T14:59:00.004+13:00

Wellington Cable Car
Jenn at the top after the Cable Car ride, what a hilly city!
Jenn in the Wellington Botanical Gardens

Jenn and Buffy looking at the roses
Roses at the Lady Norwood Rose Garden
Bright colours

The Beehive, New Zealand Parliament Builings
Te Papa Museum on the harbourfront
Buffy, Laura, Reno and Jim at the top of the Wellington Cable Car at night

Interislander Ferry - Wellington to Picton

2008-12-27T14:47:00.004+13:00

Leaving the port in Wellington
Another ferry crossing our path, these ferries carry cars and passengers between Wellington and Picton. Connecting the North and South Islands
Going threw the Sound
Beautiful colours
Malborough Sound
Gorgeous coloured water
How remote
Dave enjoying the ride
Picton in the distance

Blenheim - South Island

2008-12-27T14:32:00.004+13:00

Buffy found a cat at the Brancott Winery

Lunch was delicious
Getting a behind the scenes tour of the New Zealand wine industry
So much for the wooden barrels of wine

They still use them for premium wines and champagnes
Barrels at rest at Brancott Winery
Our Villa that we stayed in at Vintners Retreat
Gorgeous view of the mountains outside of Blenheim

Driving from Blenheim to Christchurch

2008-12-27T14:23:00.003+13:00

Gorgeous and rugged coastline
Fur Seals all ovee the place
More Seals!

Baby Fur seal, how cute
One of many beautiful river beds we crossed

Christchurch - South Island

2008-12-21T12:21:00.006+13:00

Jenn in an igloo at the International Antarctic Centre
Blue Penguins, they are found all over New Zealand

Camp set up in Antarctica
Buffy in the Blizzard room
View from our hotel room
Tram Station
One of many nicely decorated trams
Jenn and I punting down the avon river
SO RELAXING

Christchurch Cathedral
Inside, Choir practice
Bell room
At the top of the bell tower
View from the top, down to Cathedral Square
Jenn climbing down the cathedral tower
Our hotel, we were right at the top!
Christchurch Cathedral
Buffy and Dave on the Tram
Jim in a tree in the Botanical Gardens

Jim Checking is watch is set correctly

Canterbury Museum

Tranzalpine Train - Christchurch to Greymouth

2008-12-21T12:16:00.003+13:00

Mid-Point, this is one of the most scenic trains in the world, unfortunately it rained the whole time

2008-12-21T12:15:00.001+13:00

Franz Josef Glacier - South Island

2008-12-21T12:07:00.002+13:00

Look at the blue hues!
Jim and Jenn, as close as we could get because of flooding

Look at all the waterfalls
Low clouds, these are snow capped mountains

West Coast - South Island

2008-12-21T11:51:00.004+13:00

Tasman sea crashing in
Notice the waterfalls
Mirrored lake Wanaka

Queenstown - South Island

2008-12-21T11:21:00.006+13:00

Gondola going up to Bob's Peak
TSS Earnslaw, we went on a dinner cruise to a sheep farm on this boat
Coal fired engine
Sheep dog show
This dog was amazingly trained!
Nothing like a sheep shearing
View from our hotel room
Remarkables to our left
TSS Earnslaw docked in the Harbour
View from watefront, what a beautiful city

Jenn and I had luch here
Jenn at the top of Bob's Peak
Jim at the top
Looking down at the city

Taking the gondola back down

AJ Hackett bungy jumps!
Long way down
What a gorgeous place to relax

Mount Cook - South Island

2008-12-21T10:53:00.006+13:00

Driving along highway 8, Mount Cook in the distance. It is new Zealands highest peak at 12, 500 feet
Gorgeous glacial lake
Driving up to Mount Cook, with lake pukaki, the largest glacial lake in the country
The girls after another long day of travel

Hiking
Making our way to the glacier

Jenn and Buffy sporting their new sweaters
Morraine, this is what the ice pushed thousands of years ago, today this glacier is receding at 46cm each day!
Everyone with Mount Cook in the distance

Mount Cook
View from panoramic restaurant at the Hermitage hotel
Laura and Reno enjoying the view
Jim outside the hotel
Jim and Jenn enjoying the last day of travel

Stay Tuned!

2008-12-17T10:39:00.001+13:00

Over 2 weeks traveling around the country we have lots of new pictures to add. Stay tuned in a few days to see what we have been up to!

Auckland's 75th Annual Santa Claus Parade

2008-11-30T15:45:00.006+13:00

Today Jenn and I attended the Santa Claus Parade in Auckland. It was the first time we have worn shorts and tees to the Santa Claus Parade, 25 Degrees and Sunny!

Some of the All Blacks League team with there World Cup Trophy they won last week

The Grand Marshal of the Parade was the womans gold medalist, for shotput this year in Beijing.
Jenn anticipating the Parade

Def Leppard Concert!

2008-11-22T15:29:00.000+13:00

Jenn and I went to the Def Leppard Show at Vector Area last weekend. They played an awesome show, and sounded better than they did...before we were born.

Night out with the Granvilles

2008-11-22T15:18:00.002+13:00

Matt and Frank out on the balcony
Wendy, Frank, Matt, Jim and Jenn at Fortuna's Restaurant at the Skytower
A wondeful dinner with good friends in New Zealand! It was nice to see some familiar faces!

Celebrity Cruise Ship - Millenuim

2008-11-22T15:05:00.002+13:00

Another Cruise Ship docked beside us

Jenn trying to get past security

Celebrity Cruise Lines launched the 1,950 passenger Millennium, in July of 2000. At 91,000 tons, the ship was the largest at the time ever built in France. It was the first of four state-of-the-art ships that the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France, built for Celebrity. The Millennium was christened by its Godmother, Robyn Roux, wife of Celebrity's renowned chef, Michel Roux. She broke the traditional bottle of champagne on the hull of the $350 million ship, and a bi-winged stunt plane flew loops over the ship. Scottish pipers played and fireworks blasted overhead. It was quite an event!

The Millennium cruise ship has many intriguing and innovative features. For example, Millennium has glass elevators that allow passengers panoramic ocean views while traveling from deck to deck. (Wouldn't want to miss a single beautiful view!) Millenniumfeatures the cruise industry's first music library, "Notes", offering thousands of selections of digital recordings and individual listening stations. For those of us computer buffs who can't go a week without checking our email, the ship includes an Internet cafe called Online@CelebrityCruises, with 18 individual stations for guests. If you are willing to pay for a suite, you will find your own personal Internet access, with flat screen PCs and printers.

One advantage of building a new ship is the ability to improve and expand on popular features from other ships. Going along with the current trend, over 80 percent of the staterooms are ocean-view, and 74 percent have verandas. Millennium features the cruise industry's largest Penthouse Suite, at nearly 3,000 square feet (with veranda), and including such "necessities" as a butler's pantry, personal exercise equipment, and Baby Grand piano. Most new ships have spas, and Millennium has the largest at 25,000 square feet. For those who love to shop, you may never need to leave the ship. Millenniumhas the largest designer boutique afloat called the "Emporium". This shopping area includes fashion labels never before seen at sea. Finally, Millennium has expanded the choices for the physically challenged, offering accommodations in several categories, including suites.

In addition to its new public spaces and expanded elements, Millennium also includes Celebrity Cruises' highly acclaimed, fleet-wide signature features. These include museum-quality contemporary art collections, Cova Cafe Milano, Michael's Club cigar lounge, and Martini and Champagne Bars serving caviar and other delicacies.

One of the most distinguishing and nostalgic features onboard is the interior paneling in Millennium's Olympic specialty dining room, a 134-seat gourmet restaurant. This authentic, exclusive paneling was obtained from the premier dining room of the RMS Olympic, sister ship to the RMS Titantic. The Olympicwas launched in 1911, and catered to the wealthiest travelers from Europe and the United States. Celebrity Cruise Line found the paneling in a private English residence, and purchased it through Sotheby's.

Celebrity has long been renowned for its cuisine, and the cruise line plans for the Olympic Dining Room to become the signature experience for fine dining afloat. The restaurant also offers the industry's first demonstration galley, along with a dine-in wine cellar. "Millennium's Olympic restaurant offers our guests the opportunity to experience the elegance and romance of one of the great, turn-of-the-century trans-Atlantic liners," said Celebrity Cruises President Richard Sasso.

Master Chef Michel Roux has included the French culinary arts of decoupage and flambe within The Olympic's menu. Mr. Roux and his senior executive staff have hired a special team of highly-skilled servers and maitre d's to make your dining experience a special one.

In addition to the visually spectacular features, there are some technical ones. The Millennium was built to Panamax standards, allowing the ship to transit the Panama and Suez Canals.

Millennium currently sails European itineraries May through October. The rest of the year Millennium cruises the Caribbean or South America.

Millennium sounds like a wonderful ship. The Millennium has been joined at Celebrity with three newer sister ships, the Infinity (February 2001),Constellation (May 2002) and the Summit (September 2001). For a detailed review of several cruises on the Millennium, be sure to read the reports on the Millennium written by some of our fellow cruise lovers.

Labour Day Weekend - October 27

2008-11-22T14:55:00.002+13:00

Mission Bay is a small suburb of Auckland and has a great waterfront and plenty of cafes and restaurants, as well as one of the best beaches in the city.

Twlight Walk Around the Neighbourhood

2008-10-19T19:39:00.003+13:00

Hilton Hotel at the end of the wharf
Marina on the other side of Waitemata Harbour
Boat parking inside of the Westin Hotel, notice the stairs from the rooms going down to the docks
Far end of the Viaduct Harbour
Skytower on a warm blue night
Chartered Yachts in the harbour, with our apartment in the background
Views across to Devonport and Takapuna
Inside our apartment complex

Britomart Train Station

2008-10-19T15:22:00.002+13:00

Inside Train Station

Outside Train Station

This is where Jenn and I take the train to work everyday. It is the largest underground diesel train station in the world. The building used to be the main post office for the entire country.

Dawn Princess Cruise Ship

2008-10-18T10:17:00.004+13:00

Hello Everyone, today the Princess Cruise Ship, Dawn Princess, docked beside our apartment. The cruise is going 28 days around Australia. Here is some info on the ship and some pictures!

Dawn Princess Cruise Ship Facts

Dawn Princess creates paradise on the high seas. Featuring a wrap-around Promenade Deck, this spectacular ship has more than 400 balcony staterooms to enjoy the ever-changing scenery and two spacious decks. Hot spots include two show lounges with nightly entertainment, and plenty of elegant and casual dining options from gourmet pizza to grilled steaks.

Our ships may be big, but they don't feel big. That's because we used our extra space not to cram in more people but to create more small intimate places. Our deck plans offer lots of restaurants, theatres, bars, swimming pools and so on. We call it "Big Ship Choice and Small Ship Feel"®.

Dawn Princess Cruise Ship Vital Statistics

1950 passengers
14 decks
261 metres in length
77,000 gross tonnes
Entered Service in 1997
Max Speed: 21 knots

Personal Choice Features

Personal Choice Cruising has introduced new freedom to the world of cruising. Learn more about the Personal Choice features on Dawn Princess that make us the cruise line of choice.

Four-storey atrium and reception with marble floor and stained glass dome
A smaller atrium is also located aft
Four pools
Five whirlpool spas
Sports court inside the funnel
Sports deck
Computerised golf centre
Deluxe health centre and spa
Beauty parlour
Theatre catering to 550 seated passengers
Wood-paneled library
Panoramic glass-walled elevators
Cardroom
Open-air teak promenade deck
Casino
Duty-free shopping
Photo shop
Children and teen centres
Nightclub/disco
Business centre
8 restaurants and cafes
7 deluxe lounges and bars

Ted Ashby

2008-10-16T19:26:00.002+13:00

Ted Ashby, the New Zealand sailing scow, is a passenger carrying replica which operates daily sailings from the N.Z Maritime Museum.

Sunday Sheep Shearing

2008-10-12T19:02:00.001+13:00

Ambury Farm Day

2008-10-12T17:40:00.005+13:00

Sheep getting sheared, each sheep took him about 1 minute!

Wood carving with chainsaws

Baby pigs
More baby pigs
German Shepard Dog Show
Lumberjack Competition
This guy is the world champion!
Sheep that were sheared earlier in the day

Jenn petting a baby sheep, it was very soft!
Milking a cow the old fashioned way
How most cows are milked today
Jenn outside the farm with Volcano in the background

Walking Around Auckland Harbour

2008-10-11T19:59:00.002+13:00

Jim with a memorial of the Greenpeace Ship "Rainbow Warrior", here is some info on it...

On 7 July 1985 the Rainbow Warrior, flagship of the Greenpeace Organisation, an international body concerned with conservation and environmental issues, arrived in Auckland and tied up at Marsden Wharf.

On the night of 10 July 1985 disaster struck. Shortly before midnight two high explosive devices, attached to the hull of the Rainbow Warrior some time previously, detonated within the space of a few minutes. The force of the explosions was such that a hole eight feet in size was opened below the waterline at the engine room. The vessel sank within minutes.

Earlier that evening approximately 30 people had been on board the ship attending a birthday party and at the time of the explosion 12 people, including the captain, were still present. Only 11 made it to the safety of the wharf. Fernando Pereira, crew member and official photographer was drowned while attempting to retrieve photographic equipment from his cabin.

The incident was immediately treated as a homicide enquiry and under the guidance of Detective Superintendent Allan Galbraith there began one of the most far reaching investigations this country has ever seen. As a major international scandal it was, ironically, to give Greenpeace far more publicity than would have occurred had the ill fated Rainbow Warrior completed her voyage to Muroroa Atoll.

The discovery of an abandoned rubber Zodiac dinghy and an outboard motor and the sighting of a blue and white campervan, led to the interview of a French speaking couple two days later by the Police, and their subsequent arrest on 15 July.

Although initially identified as Alain Jacques Turenge and his wife Sophie Frederique Clare Turenge, inquiries revealed their true identities to be Major Alain Mafart, aged 35 and Captain Dominique Prieur, aged 36.

Serving as commissioned officers in the French Armed Forces, they had been detailed to assist members of the French Security Forces to ensure the much publicised voyage of the Rainbow Warrior to French territorial waters did not eventuate. To prevent the voyage occurring the vessel had to be so extensively damaged that repairs could not be completed in time for the voyage to begin.

What the French had failed to take into account was the small population of New Zealand and the uniqueness of a bombing. Extensive media coverage brought out the best in New Zealanders. The public was horrified by the bombing and they flooded the Police with information. When linked with information obtained by New Zealand detectives in New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, Australia, Switzerland, France and England this proved without any doubt the major role played by the French Security Service in the bombing and the subsequent death of Fernando Pereira.

Police investigations soon led to the yacht Ouvea, which had been hired from Noumea to transport the explosives and French agents to New Zealand. The yacht was never located and is thought to have been scuttled.

The positioning and successful detonation of the explosives indicated those responsible were trained and expert in underwater warfare. A sighting of Mafart and Prieur in possession of the Zodiac dinghy led to their early apprehension by New Zealand Police. Initially arrested on charges relating to false passports, they were later charged with arson, conspiring to commit arson on the Rainbow Warrior and with the murder of Pereira.

Inquiries were however to suggest their role had only been one of support for those who had placed the explosive devices and, as part of their support role, they had picked up and transported from the rendezvous point at Hobson Bay one of those responsible for the placement of the explosive.

In the weeks leading up to the depositions hearing, media interest was fanned by conflicting statements from the French Government. On 27 August President Mitterrand of France had released a report which fully exonerated the French Secret Services. The correct names of the Ouvea crew, who presented themselves to the French police in Paris were contained in the report when it was published. The French Government refused a request for their extradition to New Zealand. The French Press was not satisfied and a number of prominent French papers continued to pressure the Government for the truth. Their persistent enquiries led to the inescapable conclusion that their own Government was responsible. Following a further round of official denials, Monsieur Hernu, the Defence Minister resigned and on 22 September Prime Minister Laurent Fabius admitted, in the face of indisputable evidence, that the French Secret Service had ordered the attack on the Rainbow Warrior.

On Monday 4 November 1985, Major Alain Mafart and Captain Dominique Prieur appeared in the Auckland District Court for the start of a deposition hearing after earlier pleading Not Guilty to the charges of arson, conspiring to commit arson and murder. Recently refurbished, the ornate old Auckland High Court building was selected for the trial.

In front of the public and assembled journalists from a variety of countries Mafart and Prieur dramatically changed their pleas. Stunned, those present listened as they entered Guilty pleas, not only to arson, but also to a reduced charge of manslaughter. The case of the century, predicted to last weeks and to cost thousands of dollars, was over within half an hour. The Solicitor General Mr Paul Neazor, Q.C., indicated to Judge Gilbert that the Crown was prepared to accept a plea on the lesser charge of manslaughter as, with the evidence available it could not be established that Mafart and Prieur were personally responsible for the placing of the explosive devices on the Rainbow Warrior, nor that they intended anyone should be killed or injured.

On Friday, 22 November Mafart and Prieur again appeared in the Auckland High Court and were sentenced to ten years imprisonment on the charge of manslaughter and seven years imprisonment on the charge of arson. In delivering judgement the Chief Justice Sir Ronald Davison gave a clear indication of his feelings on the possibilty of early deportation stating "People who come to this country and commit terrorist activities cannot expect to have a short holiday at the expense of our Government and return home as heroes".

The Rainbow Warrior was refloated on 21 August 1985 and transported to Devonport Naval base in Auckland for detailed examination where a close analysis resulted in the reluctant decision by Greenpeace to scuttle the vessel, the damage being too extensive to repair.

Six months after the bombing Auckland Police staff were still working to locate and bring to trial those persons who attached the actual devices to the ill-fated Rainbow Warrior.

Container ship getting loaded

Lots of Containers getting exported!

Built in 1898 for use as offices by the Northern Steamship Company, one of the leading inland-shipping businesses in northern New Zealand at the time, this Historic Places Trust Category 1 building is an important piece of Auckland's history.

Situated in a prime position between the wharves and the 1880s railway station, the original building was two storeys with an ornate facade seaward side emblazoned with the company name, with a third storey added in 1920 as the business prospered. Internal alterations followed as the company declined post-war and offices were let, until the company finally closed in the 1970s.

The Northern Steamship Company came about as an amalgamation of firms in 1881 running freight and passenger services in the Upper North Island, vital for the early industries such as kauri, timber and farming, later extending these nationwide.

Situated in Quay Street, Auckland, this heritage building required an extensive interior and exterior repaint to provide protection against the elements. Exterior timber details, windows, sashes and sills were cleaned with care then treated with Resene TimberLock preserver/conditioner to lock in loose fibres, before priming in Resene Wood Primer and topcoating in Resene Super Gloss enamel in a palette of Resene Nikau (deep green) on windows, Resene Half Tapa (urban grey) on sashes and Resene Half Masala (greyed brown) on sills.

The aged interior painted plaster render over brick walls and mouldings was cleaned then primed with Resene Concrete Primer and finished in two coats of Resene X-200 waterproofing membrane and Resene Zylone Sheen low sheen acrylic. Hues of Resene Donkey Brown (mid brown) on arches and walls, Resene Tuna (dignified grey) on sills and Resene Eighth Castle Rock (smoky neutral) on mouldings grace the interior and work sympathetically with the rough brick. With a wealth of history to preserve, fire ratings were a key consideration in product selection to minimise the risk of harm to the structure and its inhabitants.

Now home to an eclectic mix of tenants, the Northern Steamship building is part of the hum of the modern city.

Out and About

2008-10-06T19:58:00.004+13:00

This ship was docked outside of our apartment today. It is a Chinese Deep Sea Research Vessel. It has traveled all over the world, most recently the Indian and South Pacific Ocean. The vessel is full of the best deep-sea researchers from China

Rangitoto Island Hike

2008-09-28T17:24:00.019+13:00

Causeway going over Lagoon
Tide going back out
Lava rock bridge

Lava Field
Lava River with the Summit in the background
Beacon lighthouse in the distance

MacKenzie Bay, stopped for a picnic
Path leading up to the Summit
Jenn walking along path
Auckland Harbour Bridge in the distance

View from the Summit
Jenn taking a well deserved break at the 300m Summit
Beautiful aqua coloured water
Auckland skyline with North Head and Mt. Victoria in the foreground
Looking down on Beacon lighthouse we passed earlier in the day
Jenn taking in view from the Summit
Jenn heading down from the top
Jim heading down

The first time Jenn has ever had to duck for a tree!
Jim trying to explain that it really isn't that tall! - Yeah right!
Lava Ricks with Rangitoto in the distance
Jim down by the water

Rangitoto Wharf
Departing the island
Rangitoto from the harbour
Container ship from Singapore heading out to the ocean
Mt. Victoria in devonport

Time Change

2008-09-25T20:28:00.002+12:00

Hello Everyone,

Daylight savings time begins this Saturday night for us down here. The time difference will be 17 hours now, or 7 hours behind Niagara time (the next day). We will update the clock on the blog to make it easier.

We have also figured out how people back in Canada can phone our cell phones here are our numbers:

011 64 210 298 9178 - Jim
011 64 210 298 9161 - Jenn

Apparently the best phone card is called Liberty, otherwise it will cost upwards of $1 a minute. Remember there is also a time difference.

Thanks

Coromandel Trip - Part 1

2008-09-14T09:30:00.008+12:00

Rangitoto Volcano - We climbed it several weeks ago
Ferguson Wharf
Our Home
Views from cruise - eastern side of Waiheke Island

Heading into the Coromandels

Jenn in front of the town's Library
Wharf where we got dropped off

Coromandel Trip - Part 2

2008-09-14T08:16:00.017+12:00

Spring flowers on the main road in Coromandel Town
Jenn with the Coromandels in the background
Pottery from the man who made the train that we rode on
Jim with the Coromandels
Part of the train tracks
Waterwheel off the train
More Pottery

View from the train
One of 3 tunnels built into the side of the mountain
The Eyefull Tower top of the tracks
View from the train
Jim and Jenn at the Top!
Beautiful Rainforest
Jim at the Eyefull Tower
Gorgeous Waters around the Coromandels

Train Tracks. The train was so small it only fit two people wide
View from train
Jenn with our train
Fountain in the sculpture garden
Neat Pottery

Coromandel Trip - Part 3

2008-09-13T19:19:00.014+12:00

Jenn with $1000 worth of GOLD
Gold Stamper
Largest working water wheel in New Zealand
Gold and Silver stiller
Front entrance to the Gold Stamper
Jim outside of the Gold Stamper Battery

Jenn getting ready to board the ferry back to Auckland

Coromandel Mountain range

Vineyard on Waiheke Island
Old cottage lighthouse. A family of 8 lived here for 7 years
Sunset on the way back

Walking in the Viaduct

2008-09-07T11:14:00.002+12:00

The Westin Hotel
Boats in the Harbour in front of the Westin
Boats in front of the Maritime Museum

Auckland vs. Southland - Rugby Match

2008-09-06T22:29:00.007+12:00

Demolition of the other side of the field has taken place in order to meet the requirements for the Rugby World Cup that will be held here in a few years
Eden Park

Outside Eden Park
Southland getting the ball
Auckland won the game 13-9

Day at the Zoo

2008-08-31T20:45:00.007+12:00

Baby Meerkats

Baby Chicks