Tongariro National Park

by

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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by

WeeklyPrompts-Photo-Challenge-Scenic

 

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Scenery from our travels.

The

Million Dollar View

at

Banff Fairmont Springs Hotel.

 

Mount Ruapehu

Tongariro National Park

New Zealand.

 

Drakensburg Mountains,

South Africa

I think this is Sulphur Mountain

overlooking

Banff’s Main Street

Canada

 

A view from

Rocky Mountaineer

Train Ride

to Vancouver.

 

Finally, a genuine

Victorian sunrise

over

Corio Bay,

Geelong.

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Weekly Prompt Photo Challenge:   Scenic

by

SUNDAY-STILLS-PC-Great-Outdoors

 

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Two continents and one island this week.

A scene from Day  2 of our

Rocky Mountaineer Train trip

to Vancouver, June 2018.

Whistler ski slopes, Canada, June 2018

 

 

Across the Pacific Ocean

and much closer to home is

New Zealannd’s…

Mount Ruapehu,

which is an active volcano

in Tongariro National Park.

New Zealand’s North Island’s major ski resorts

and only glaciers are too be found on Mt Ruapehu.

Across the Indian Ocean is the Mt Sheba Resort.

And a not too long drive from Mt Sheba

is an area known as God’s Window. 

Stunning views

 

From

Sausage Tree Safari Camp…

…we were able to admire the Drakensberg Mountains

and enjoy a drink  or meal while doing so.

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SUNDAY STILLS PHOTO:  The-Great-Outdoors

by

Pic-and-Word-Challenge_Wk172_Vanishing

 

Some images from New Zealand

The first two probably fit….

the photographic sense of vanishing more than the last. 

Readers can judge.  🙂

Finally, I think this is

Mount Ruapehu

vanishing into the clouds in

New Zealand’s

Tongariro National Park.

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Pic-and-Word-Challenge_Wk172_Vanishing

by

SUNDAY-STILLS-PC-On-the-Road

 

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Road tripping in New Zealand this week…

between Taupo and Tongariro National Park…


which is situated at the south-eastern end of Lake Taupo.

The main thing we enjoyed about our road trip was that we

could go when we wanted to go…

 

and if there was no traffic about

pause on a bridge for shots like this.

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SUNDAY STILLS PHOTOS: On-The-Road

by

WeeklyPrompts-Photo-Challenge-Work-of-Art

 

A repost from yesterday.

The view through our Matamata BnB window.

We thought it looked like a work of art then

and others made similar comments.

This shot of New Zealand’s

Mount Ruapehu in

the Tongariro National Park,

South of Taupo,

was also favourably received on Facebook.

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Weekly Prompt Photo Challenge: Work-of-Art