Rotorua

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Denzil-NaturePC-Wk-12-Trees

Denzil’s Nature PC.

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A Giant Red Wood

growing happily in the

Geelong Botanic Gardens

 

This year marks 150 years since it was planted

A Giant Red Wood plantation at…

 

…NewZealand’s 

Rotorua.

 

I have read of a similar planting of Red Woods

in the nearby Otway Ranges…

 

…however, as yet I have not sighted these trees.

I have been to Forrest several times

but not since I read of

the Red Woods.

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Denzil’s-Nature-PC:…Trees

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Cees-MWMCh-July-Words-Ending-in-L

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A Christmas AngeL

Cricket BalL

An amber bowL

A Dubai CameL ride.

HaiL

 

A noveL can be borrowed from a library.

Hamurana Lodge Boutique HoteL,

near Rotorua

New Zealand

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Cee’s-MWMChallenge-July-Pick-a-Topic

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Word-of-Day-Challenge-Boutique

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a small shop selling fashionable clothes or accessories.
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The hairdresser’s shop doesn’t sound

anywhere near as exotic in English

Hamurana Lodge

Boutique Hotel

Rotorua

New Zealand

*****

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Word-of-Day-Challenge-Culture

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culture

the arts and other manifestations of human
intellectual achievement regarded collectively
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This young dance troupe gave us…

…a peek into their culture…

…via song and dance.

Similarly, so did these Maori dancers…

…in Rotorua,

New Zealand.

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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