New Zealand – Page 8 – Content Catnip

Travel: Baby seal on Mahia Beach, New Zealand

Every Picture Tells a Story: Seal of Mahia Beach

While visiting family on the east coast of New Zealand we came upon a little baby seal or what the Scottish would call a selkie (a water spirit) lurking precariously close to the road. She was laying in a clump of harakeke flax and staring up at us with wide, black shiny eyes. I wasContinue reading “Travel: Baby seal on Mahia Beach, New Zealand “

Travel: Delightful Art Deco Bollards in Napier

Whereas in Australia bollards are being erected everywhere to protect against trucks driving through people on the street, in little old New Zealand, the bollard means something completely different and is used to great decorative affect in the town of Napier in New Zealand. These Art Deco bollards are dotted around all of the streetsContinue reading “Travel: Delightful Art Deco Bollards in Napier”

Travel: A winter afternoon of contemplation in Queenstown

Overlooking the majestic and pure beauty of Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown, the peace and serenity of the place lends itself well to comtemplating life plans, love, the meaning of it all. The dramatic cathedral of the big sky and jutting snow-capped mountains is ever-changing and there’s a reverent silence here like inside of a medievalContinue reading “Travel: A winter afternoon of contemplation in Queenstown”

Travel: The somnambulent sea, Napier

Every Picture Tells A Story: The somnambulent sea, Napier

One summer evening in Napier, New Zealand I walked along its beautiful foreshore and captured this moment where people huddled on the jetty and the light seemed just right. When all of the comets align, Napier appears to the mind’s eye and to the camera lens as timeless and nostalgic. It reminds me of theContinue reading “Travel: The somnambulent sea, Napier”

Travel: Extinct volcanos in Auckland

Every Picture Tells a Story: Extinct volcanos in Auckland

There are approximately 53 volcanoes in Auckland, which have over thousands of years produced an array of interesting lagoons, tuft rings and lava flows in Auckland city. The biggest, most active and most visible volcano – Rangitoto sits on an island of the same name in Auckland harbour. This has erupted repeatedly over the pastContinue reading “Travel: Extinct volcanos in Auckland”

Product Review: Organic Cotton Oi Cup™ Medium

If you are a woman of child-bearing age then read on. If you’re not fitting into that category then perhaps you may want to skip this one. Unless you’re a grown man who doesn’t get funny when reading about periods and would like to buy your wife, partner or daughter a gift then read on.Continue reading “Product Review: Organic Cotton Oi Cup™ Medium”

Great Cycling Routes of Auckland: Part 3 North Western Cycleway, Onehunga Foreshore, Cornwall Park, St Heliers Loop

Every Picture Tells A Story: Sunset over Orakei

FYI Click on image to show map. On this Google map I created the bike path in Waterview cycle path isn’t showing yet because it was only created last month. Álthough it’s a pretty straight-forward bike path with little deviation from it. You should be able to work it out. Happy riding! See more detail Continue reading “Great Cycling Routes of Auckland: Part 3 North Western Cycleway, Onehunga Foreshore, Cornwall Park, St Heliers Loop”

Great Cycling Routes of Auckland: Part 2 St Heliers to Te Atatu Return 60km

St Heliers to Te Atatu South via Auckland Zoo and back: Athletic Sprint and Scenic Route All of the cycling routes here generally take place on paved and separated cycling paths that are away from the road. In all cases I have endeavoured to only include the safest routes possible with minimal direct contact withContinue reading “Great Cycling Routes of Auckland: Part 2 St Heliers to Te Atatu Return 60km”

Great Cycle Routes of Auckland: Part 1 Beach-side cruising from St Heliers to St Mary’s Bay

All of the cycling routes here generally take place on paved and separated cycling paths that are away from the road. In all cases I have endeavoured to only include the safest routes possible with minimal direct contact with the traffic. Mainly this is because Auckland drivers are pretty bad and it’s not a goodContinue reading “Great Cycle Routes of Auckland: Part 1 Beach-side cruising from St Heliers to St Mary’s Bay”

Tane Mahuta’s Triumph by Jane Crisp

A roadtrip through the Bay of Plenty and Eastern Cape of the North Island

In the beginning there was no sky, no sea no earth and no Gods. There was only darkness, only Te Kore, the Nothingness. From this nothingness, the primal parents of the Maori came, Papatuanuku, the Earth mother, and Ranginui, the Sky father. Papatuanuku and Ranginui came together,embracing in the darkness, and had 70 male children. TheseContinue reading “Tane Mahuta’s Triumph by Jane Crisp”