Waiheke Island New Zealand

Hello, thank you for coming to see my blog.

This week’s posting is dedicated to Waiheke Island, which is in the Hauraki Gulf, 40 minutes by ferry from Auckland. Our friends, Mike and Ellen, have chosen this beautiful island for their home. I hope the photos will give you an idea of how lovely it is.

It has wild sweeping landscapes, soft rolling hills, beautiful bays, rocky coast, sandy beaches, vineyards and its forever changing and dramatic sky. This is a picture of Oneroa beach, 10 minutes walk from our friends' house.

If you like wine it is a great place to go. There are lots of wineries you can visit and indulge in wine tasting and/or eat and drink more wine in the attached restaurant.

Have a look at these two links if you would like more information on the island:

http://www.waiheke.co.nz

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waiheke_Island

Enjoy!

Don't miss the next posting in two weeks. It will be on the Thermal Springs in Rotorua and the beautiful Lake Taupo, both in the middle of New Zealand's North Island.

Love

Alan















Walking along Oneroa beach

















Oneroa

















The rolling hills and a solitary cow!

















Another lovely beach


















Rocky coast line

















Onetangi beach......

















.....with hovering seagulls

















Vineyards on the Eastern End of Waiheke

















The vines!

















Arriving in Stony Batter

















For a photographer the changing dramatic sky
is a delight

















Storm about to break......

















....and 10 minutes later it was all over
but we got pretty soaked....


















Clouds up and clouds down make impressive
scenery

















3 hobbits trying to find the way to Mordor
after the rain

















Another lovely bay

















Must be nice to live in one of those houses....
.....no night clubs though!

















The light, the clouds, the water....superb!

















Finishing off with a sunset looking out to sea...

















...and this one back in Oneroa

Auckland - New Zealand

Hi, thanks for dropping by.

We had a very special time in New Zealand. We stayed with our dear friends Mike and Ellen who live on Waiheke Island. It is a small island 40 minutes by ferry from Auckland. During our time on holiday we relaxed on Waiheke Island, spent some time exploring Auckland, and we took a trip to the centre of the North Island.

Over the next few weeks I will post photos from our holiday. New Zealand is stunningly beautiful. We only saw a small part of it and are looking forward to going back sometime to explore the South Island.

We enjoyed the food that tasted so fresh and healthy and trying out some of the wide selection of excellent New Zealand wine. If you like wine, try the Pinot Noir!

I hope you enjoy exploring New Zealand through my blog. Do come back. In two weeks I’ll show you photos of Waiheke Island.

This posting is dedicated to the city of Auckland, the views from Waiheke Island and the views you can see on the ferry from Waiheke Island to Auckland. Of course Auckland’s SkyTower, the tallest building in the southern hemisphere, features quite often as it is the icon of the Auckland skyline.

Love

Alan






















Modern architecture in the heart of the city























The more traditional Victorian Ferry Building


















Walking along the viaduct. We were immediately
struck by the beauty of New Zealand's skies

















Our very close friends Mike and Ellen who gave
us a wonderful holiday. Daniela bringing up the rear























The first of many shots of the Sky Tower


















A wide angle city shot























The Sky Tower dominates the skyline.
For the first four nights I stayed in the
Sky Tower hotel which is the long red
building under the Sky Tower

















A building in the colourful, iconic suburb
of Ponsonby

















Majestic! You can take a walk on the outer
circular platform. Or you can jump off it!
Needless to say...... I didn't!























A view of part of the city from the top
of the Sky Tower

















The port taken from the Tower

















Dramatic sky from the Sky Tower

















This is the Auckland War Memorial Museum























Clock Tower at the University of Auckland.
Inspitred by Tom Tower at Christ Church,
Oxford

















The skyline taken from Waiheke Island

















I took the rest of the photos from the ferry that
links Waiheke Island to Auckland

















As you travel towards Auckland the impressive
skyline grows bigger and clearer

















Rolling green countryside

















I couldn't resist this cute little boat

















Beautiful soft hills

















About 20 minutes to go

















15 minutes

















Looks like a beautiful place to live!

















10 minutes

















And here we are! Next time the beauty of
Waiheke Island. See you then