Turangi and National Park

On the walk to Tama lakes with Mount Ruapehu in the background.

Lunch above Lower Tama Lake, after a walk of eight km or five miles roughly, from Chateau Tongariro.

By Upper Tama Lake looking down on the lower lake and Mount Ruapehu behind.

Upper Tama Lake and Mount Ngauruhoe.

 

Hanging around in Turangi.

On the Tongariro River Trail, Turangi.

Spring Break

Lake Taupo Holiday Resort. Donna using her noodle whilst Amy runs rings around her.

Waikato river just north of Taupo.

Amy climbing the walls, not me for a change!

Snow-capped Mount Ruapehu, Mt Ngarahoe and Mt Tongariro, from the Taupo lakefront.
 

Cheer(s)

Second place for her team in their category at the Spring Carnival Cheer event in Auckland, and the medal to prove it.
 

Martin's UK Trip

Bolsover

Pleasley Pit, closed in 1983, now a museum and country park.

Flore, Northamptonshire

Malcolm with Fred, Bruno and Luna, Flore church in the background.

 With sister Sue, Auntie Kath and mum in Quorn.

July Holiday

At the'Hill's' in Auckland with John and Charlie. Then Charlie came back home with us for a few days.

First live womens football game for all three of us - with Charlie at Mclean Park Napier for New Zealand v Vietnam - a warm up game for Women's World Cup. NZ won 2-0.
 

At Hawke's Bay airport waiting for Charlie's flight home.

Great Day for a Walk

Up the peak today. Looking over Havelock North to Napier and a very calm looking ocean.

Heading down with Mount Erin on the left.
 

June

On a rare good weekend day, up Bluff Hill in Napier.

Te Mata peak viewed from the saddle of my bike.

 

A nice day for a bike ride, but that lake shouldn't be there.
 

Flipping Amy

A couple of vidoes for a change. Amy's latest tricks.

 

Winter is coming

First sign of snow on the Ruahines yesterday morning. A view we didn't have before cyclone Gabrielle took out the tree in the way.
 

Looking the other way, a before and after shot. The remains of the tree which just missed us on the right and the six bigger ones which had to go before the next storm

Easter Holidays

Amy went to her friend Olive's for five days whilst Donna and I travelled down to Kaiteriteri near Nelson, for a Hash House Harriers Event. This is Kaiterititeri Beach and Nearby Split Apple Rock which we walked to.

After five glorious days, the weather turned as Amy and Olive flew into Nelson, flying as unaccompanied minors, dropped off in Wellington by Olive's dad and collected by us. We managed a few outdoor activities along with indoor ones on the worst days. Here the hydroslide at Tahunanui Beach, Nelson.

The geographical centre of New Zealand, Nelson, with Olive

The Other Havelock

At the far end of the 'Snout', Picton.

Summer Holidays

Some belated photos from our recent holiday in the south island. Swimming and kayaking at Okiwi Bay in the Marlborough Sounds.

Driving practice at Tahuna Beach campsite Nelson.

Momorangi, Marlborough Sounds.

Cable Bay Skywire near Nelson - the world's longest flying fox at 1.5km, or just under a mile in old money..

Cable Bay.

Spooners Tunnel, south of Nelson - the longest decommissioned rail tunnel in the southern hemisphere. That's not the light at the end of the tunnel - you can't see that due to the hump in the middle, it's a bike light of someone else coming through.

Quinney's Bush Camp - a bit further south from the tunnel, on the Motupiko River.

Amy takes a dive.

Gabrielle

The aftermath of cyclone Gabrielle. This is the tree that brushed our window on the way down about 2am on Valentines Day.

The tree which fell on the neighbour's house, thankfully causing no damage but blocking the drive to 53 and 55a.

Greenwood Road above our house.

Greenwood Reserve, not normally a lake, looking towards our house.

The normally tranquil Tekahika Stream in the higher bit of the reserve.

Finally, the Tekahika Stream at the bottom of the garden. Normally dry at this time of year at this point!