Matamata

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Sunday-Stills22-0724-Road-Tripping

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road tripping

A usually lengthy trip taken in a motor vehicle,

especially for pleasure.

 
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Sunday-Stills22-0703-Beautiful-Beaches

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beautiful

pleasing the senses or mind aesthetically.

beaches

a pebbly or sandy shore, especially by the sea
between high- and low-water marks.

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Cees-MWMChallenge-June-Pick-a-Topic

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Topiary…Palace of Versailles

 

Red vehicle

 

Condiments

Hobbiton…inside out

Craig’s Hut

Craig’s Hut…Inside out

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Cee’s-MWMChallenge-June-Pick-a-Topic

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Cee-BW-Challenge-Through-Windows

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Cee’s

Black and White Challenge.

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While cruising the Swan River (Perth-Fremantle)

we were shown large, expensive properties

built on the river’s banks.

My next photos are known as God’s Window.

Located a short drive from

Mount Sheba Resort…

…in South Africa’s, Blyde River Canyon,

the views are spectacular

totally befitting a view through

God’s Windows.

If ever you are going to visit New Zealand’s

Hobbit Movie Set at Matamata,

be sure to consider

Bucklands Air BnB.

Only a five-minute drive and you are

in a world of Hobbits.

The image above is taken through

the window of Bucklands BnB.

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Cees-BW-Photo-Challenge:…Through-Windows

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Sunday-Stills-Favourite-Holiday-Spot

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Initially my thoughts turned to

Africa for this challenge.

However, a little more thought and

New  Zealand it is.

New Zealand is sometimes referred to

as Australia’s seventh state;

and I must confess it is a

home away from home in my opinion.

Now for some random images from our

2018 road trip around a small part

of New Zealand’s North Island.

Near Matamata we spent a couple

of nights at Buckland’s Airbnb.

This window view, from our room,

was enough to keep me happy.

 

If the view appears too rural for your liking,

there is always accommodation in Matamata itself.

We were there to visit the Hobbit Movie set

which is less than 5 kilometres from

Buckland’s  airbnb.

The third of Waitomo’s Cave was Ruakuri Cave.

The only cave where photography

was freely allowed.

To reach the cave floor we had

to negotiate the spiral down.

And there was no magic way of getting

out of the cave without negotiating

the same spiral to ground level.

While in the Ruakuri Cave…

…there are plenty of sights…

…to view or photograph.

Several nights were spent in Taupo,

located on the north-eastern shore

of Lake Taupo.

About 15 minutes out of Taupo is Huka Falls.

Not big in either width or height,

however, big in water throughput.

 

Taupo also provided an extensive range…

…of flora to photograph during our visit.

About 90 kilometres to the south of Taupo is

Tongariro National Park

where I was able to capture this image of

Mt Ruapehu

At Rotorua we spent a night or two at

Hamurana Lodge

a Boutique Hotel out of Rotorua.

Using Hamurana Lodge as our base

we were able to visit

Whakarewarewa – Living Maori Village…

…and enjoy lunch cooked in a thermal spring

the traditional Maori way.

We arrived back in Auckland a few days prior

to No 1 Son’s wedding.

Number 2 Son and his wife had been sort

of shadowing us during our road trip.

As Daughter-in-Law celebrated her

birthday the day before we arrived

in Auckland we all met up for

a family celebration.

Dinner in Auckland’s Sky Tower.

New Zealand is a peaceful friendly country

with a wide variety of attractions.

AND it is roughly a two and a half hour

flight from Melbourne.

Compare that with a 14 hour journey

from Sydney to Johannesburg.

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Sunday-Stills-Favourite-Vacation-Spot

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One-Word-Sunday-Point

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point

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Whether one is in

Victoria’s

Western District…

 

…Hobbiton

New Zealand…

…visiting the

Tower of London…

 

…or exploring Old York,

there is always a signpost

to point you to your

next destination.

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One Word Sunday Challenge:...Point

 

 

 

 

 

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Cee’s-FFChallenge-Stacks-or-Blocks

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Stone stacks, made by tourists,

along the Great Ocean Road.

 

Mugs stacked in rows at

The Green Dragon Inn,

Hobbit Movie Set

New Zealand.

The Watchman

by Alexandre Sosnowsky aka Sacha Sosno

Ever since I photographed this art

I have called it

Blockhead,

Street Art at St Paul de Vence,

in France.

Research today tells me otherwise.

So no blocks this week.   🙂

Similar to haystacks which for many decades

I carefully built each year only to commence

pulling them down within a few weeks.

These bales do resemble building blocks, don’t they?

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Cee’s-FFChallenge-Flowers-Blue-Purple

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These look a bit like pansies to my eye…

…Blue Bells (I hope)…

 

…pretty…

 

…strong colours…

…all captured at

The Hobbiton Movie Set,

Matamata,

New Zealand.

One of our new Petunias

Not so new daisies

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Wet daisy.

One of my favourite daisy images.

Finally, an Agapanthus.

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