Karaka Trail: Photo challenge

I saved posting my photo blog for the weekend, so I could take a picture on the walk Dave and I planned (in an effort to start training for our 5 day honeymoon hike on Stewart Island).  So, of course I forgot to take my camera!!!!  What a dope!

Fortunately, the flash new phone that Dave bought me for Christmas has a fairly decent camera, so here's a shot of the Karaka Stream after about 45 minutes of walking from our house:

21 Jan: "Karaka Bush" Behind our house lies a trail that eventually
leads to the Kauaeranga Valley (8 hours? away).  It's overgrown &
muddy, but close to home and a good escape without needing a car.

Photo a week challenge

I went for a bike ride on the 2nd of January.  I took my camera.  The thought occurred to me that I NEVER take my camera anywhere anymore!  It's like I retired my camera from use since I settled in Thames!  Seriously, we didn't even think to take our cameras to the open day at the Rapaura Watergardens (which we liked so much we changed the country in which we are getting married!)

So as I rode towards the coastal walkway I thought to myself, I should start taking a photo a day.  Then I should put it on my blog!  Then I decided a blog a day is WAY to ambitious, especially for a new year's resolution (no point dooming a resolution to failure!).  So I decided a photo a week would be much more plausible.

But...here I am, 12 January.  Nearly 2 weeks into the new year and no photos!  But, I have posted several other blogs related to the wedding, so it's not all a wash.

Dave and I went for a bike ride this late morning. (The 2nd sunny/nice day in nearly 3 weeks of rain). I took my camera!  I've decided that people reading my blog for wedding info might like seeing different pictures of New Zealand in order to remind them why they are saving large quantities of money for travel :)

So, without further ado, I am introducing my photo a week challenge!  With a bonus photo today (to catch up for last week, and to make up for all the ramblings above).

12 January: "The Swing Bridge" (though the swing bridge has not existed in this location for more than 30 years), a local swimming hole ~ 15 minute bike ride from our house

2 January:  "Small Gauge Pohutukawas"  Taken along the coastal walkway in town.  The Pohutukawa in the foreground is blooming, the ones in the back have lost their petals.....note the red color beneath the trees are the fallen petals.

Travelling to New Zealand

So you've decided to throw down a hunk of cash and make the trip for our wedding!?  How exciting!

Here's a few things you might want to know (directed at everyone coming over from the USA).

• It's expensive!  I'm sure you've already realized that, but my point is: If you're spending all that money to fly 12 hours over the Pacific Ocean,  you'll want to plan on staying for at least 2 weeks, more if possible.

• New Zealand is made up of 3 Islands.  The North Island (we live near the top of this island), the South Island (the bigger of the 3), and Stewart Island (it's heaps smaller than the other two, rains a lot, and has only one town on it......but it's your most likely place to see a kiwi during the day (as kiwi birds are nocturnal, but being so far south, this island gets light for long periods of time in the summer and the kiwi's become adjusted).  You'll just have to hike through a lot of mud in order to improve your kiwi spotting chances).  

• We live in Thames.  It's about an hour/hour and a half from the Auckland International Airport (AKL).  This is the airport to choose for your arrival before the wedding if coming straight from overseas to the wedding.  If you want to tour the S. Island first, fly into Christchurch International Airport (you may have a layover in Auckland anyway?).  If you're lucky, Christchurch will have finished shaking by the time you arrive.  (They just had a 5.3 yesterday (7 Jan) at 1:30 am).  There is a smaller airport (Hamilton) that may or may not be cheaper to fly into/out of if flying within NZ.  Thames has an airport, but it is for super small, private charter planes.

• We drive on the left side of the road here.  It's a bit unnerving to begin with, and you might find it helpful to continually chant "keep left keep left keep left", but you get used to it.  We also use the metric system here, which means that we drive in kilometers per hour (km/h).  The "open road" speed limit is 100 km/h.  This sounds like a lot, but I've only just now looked up the conversion......it's only 62 miles per hour! Hence, most people routinely drive 10 km/h (or more) over the speed limit.

• While NZ is quite a small country (slightly less area than the state of California), there is HEAPS to see and do.  Prioritize what it is you want to see while you are here.  2 weeks is barely enough time to see the North Island, I wouldn't recommend trying to see both Islands in that time.  However, you could do bits and pieces of the both islands. Drive times between towns can be found here.  Send me a message (through my profile to the right) if you have questions about where to go to see certain things (penguins are on the South Island, as are most sea lions, all glaciers, and the large rocky mountains....the North Island has massive kauri trees, lush green vegetation (when it's not been turned into grazing land), and lots more people).

I'm working on a list of my favorite NZ places.  When it's done, I'll put a link here.