Rotorua

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Word-of-Day-Challenge-Fractures

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fractures

the cracking or breaking of a hard object
or material

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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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Cee’s-Hunt4Joy-Dance-It-Out

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Some farewell entertainment at

Sausage Tree Safari Camp…

…near the end of our first

African Safari, 2013.

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Dubai fire dancer.

 

 

Whakarewarewa Maori Village dancers,

Rotorua,

New Zealand.

 

Belly Dancer,

Dubai.

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Cee’s-Hunt-for-Joy-Challenge: Dance-It-Out

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Word-of-Day-Challenge-Bucolic

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bucolic

relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life.
“the church is lovely for its bucolic setting”
synonyms :rustic, rural, pastoral, country, countryside, 

agricultural, agrarian, outdoor, idyllic, unspoiled

 

I am not sure if Hamurana Lodge fits

the bucolic theme of today.

However it is location on the

outskirts of Rotorua is ideal.

If this scene is not bucolic,

then I am not sure what is.

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Word of the Day Challenge:   Bucolic

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Word-of-Day-Challenge-Applaud

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While not necessarily applauding…

…the girls in this African Dance Troupe

are clapping their hands.

 

Both the African and the

New Zealand entertainers had us…

…on our feet dancing along.

All entertainers were warmly applauded

at the conclusion of their performances.

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Word of the Day Challenge:  Applaud

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Tuesday-PC-Wk162-Tower

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Towers from all over.

Eiffel Tower.

A Leaning Tower at Pisa

Dubai’s,

Burj Khalifa

 

Towering Redwoods in Rotorua

New Zealand

Light house towers.

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Pic-and-Word-Challenge_Wk187-Red

 

I shall commence with an image

which may not quite fit.

Part of the Californian Redwood Forest

on the outskirts of Rotorua

in New Zealand.

Bicycles in Lille sporting lots  of red.

 

A specimen from the Dahlia Farm

near Geelong in 2018.

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Pic-and-Word-Challenge_Wk187_Red

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Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge-Roads

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Before our visit to New Zealand last year

we booked all accommodation

long before leaving Australia.

Therefore it was a bit of a surprise to discover

we had booked a place so far out of Rotorua.

But what a wonderful entrance to

Hamurana Lodge.

We were given a local welcome

shortly after entering the drive.

 

Just wish we had more time

at this beautiful accommodation.

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SUNDAY-STILLS-PC-Reflect

 

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We had probably the busiest year we will ever have in 2018.Late February we spent a weekend in Auckland

to celebrate the engagement of

our eldest son to his bride to be.

 

In June we were blessed with falling snow while

visiting the Columbia Icefield and Athabasca Glacier.

Most of us had not seen falling snow ever,

so a real delight.

A week or so later while cruising the Inside Passage

during  our stop at Juneau we flew

onto the Mendenhall Glacier to visit the huskies

and have a rife in a sled.

Another highlight.

 

 

  

We hardly seemed to be home

before preparations needed…

to be made for our road trip in New Zealand

prior to our son’s wedding.

A Māori Hāngī at the

Whakarewarewa Māori Village in Rotorua…

 

…and a visit to the Hobbit Movie Set at Matamata,

 

…were preludes to the big day.

 

 

The next morning back at

Auckland International Airport

for our flight home.

 

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SUNDAY STILLS PHOTOS: Reflect

LIGHT WORDS: Reflect

Hugh’s Views & News: Reflect

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Lens-Artist-PC-2018-Review

 

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A great idea for the end of the year

and particularly one  in which I thought

I had not been out (with camera) very much…

January began with a nice sunrise which

reflected on our sprinkler.

 

February brought…

…one of my favourite photos for the year.

February also saw us in Auckland for a weekend to attend

an engagement party for our eldest and his  bride to be.   

March is… a nice month to get out and about…

 

for sunrises and…

surf.

Late in March I joined liked minded people

to exhibit some of our work.

In my case photos.

 

 

A few day later in early April we celebrated

our 31st Wedding Anniversary

with a First Class (our own private cabin)

dinner on the Q-Train.

 

Trips for sunrises and sets…


…were becoming fewer due to another trip into day-stay hospital. 

Also due in part to the fact that

we were thinking of our trip to Canada in June.

On the Columbia Icefield we experienced

falling snow for the first time.


A week later we were enjoying our Gold Leaf carriage

on the Rocky Mountaineer as it

carried us back to Vancouver.

Boarding the MS Noordam we cruised the inside passage

to Alaskan waters and enjoyed our first pre-booked excursion.   

A dog sled ride on the Mendenhall Glacier.

Glacier Bay was absolutely fantastic, and to see

Margerie Glacier calving, several times,

was well worth the visit.


Home in July for a rare colourful sunrise.


By late August canola crops were beginning to flower.


Early September and many deciduous trees were in bloom.


Late September and our road trip

in New Zealand had commenced.

Hobbiton movie set was another of our must sees prior to leaving.

Early in October we added

another daughter-in-law to our family.

 

 

 

Spring rains came and went leaving us fairly dry

at the beginning of December..

However, we were lucky enough to have a pleasant Christmas…

with temperature sitting in the mid-twenties.

Happy New Year to all.

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Lens-Artist Photo Challenge Patti: Review-2018

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge Leya: Review-2018

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge Amy: Review-2018

Lens-Artist Photo Challenge Tina: Review-2018