Islands of the Pacific Tour, November 2003

Islands of the Pacific
November 2003

Los Angeles - Tahiti - Cook Islands - New Zealand - Fiji - London

New Zealand

Arriving to the city of sails just before midday, a bus with our New Zealand driver and guide Maxine was waiting.

Leaving the airport Drive-through shots of Auckland suburbs
from the passing bus The first stop coming from the airport was
Mount Eden, a view point over Auckland.

Mount Eden is in fact an old
volcano, one of many around
Auckland A few more panoramic shots of Auckland...

...and a few more. Didn't have my camera out for almost a whole day. Auckland city center, near
the Sky City Hotel

The Auckland Marina, location of the America Cup 2003
race. These are the docks where teams were based at. We stopped at the Auckland Aquarium, too.
They are quite proud of their penguins.

Not just a fish. Piranhas. A couple more Auckland beachfront shots.

The next morning after breakfast, we are going by bus to Rotorua, some 200 km south-east of Auckland, a center of geothermal activities in New Zealand.

Landscape south of Auckland. Lots of green, lots of hills. Lots of sheep, too. Arriving to Whakarewarewa
(short name, see the pict for
a full one) Thermal Reserve,
this was our guide.

A hot mood pool, up
to 98 degrees Celsius. Hot geysers in action

Everything is smoldering... There is a distinct smell in the air, something between ammoniac, sulfur and boiling water...

More geyser shots Maori battle canoe It's a bird.
It's a kiwi. Replicas of traditional Maori
homes, a food chamber
on the left Maori Crafts Institute, open
for tourists to watch
their work

Treaty signing,
artistic view Supposedly the most beautiful
house in New Zealand Agrodome presentation - all
the sheep of New Zealand Shepherd dogs at work

Arriving back to Auckland
in the afternoon

The next bus trip is in the other direction, Paihia, Bay of Islands, the northern tip of New Zealand, where we will be spending the night before heading back the next day.

Morning traffic jam
in Auckland Drive-through landscape Waitangi, the place where the treaty was
signed between native Maori and conquesting
English, making New Zealand British. Treaty House, as originally
owned by James Busby

A Maori temple, a gathering place and
history keeper for the whole village Nicely arranged flowers
on the premises Replicas of war canoes

A trunk of a large kauri
tree, used to make one
of the canoes. Arriving to Paihia The evening was free, and a three of us
went on a dinner cruise up the river
with Darryl and Jenny. Landscape by the river

Our destination for the
evening, waterfalls. Dinner time. Enjoying Darryl's prime steak or fish, fresh from the grill,
and a beautiful sunset landscape while slowly floating back towards the sea.

The next day, we are heading back to Auckland tracking by the west side
of the Northern Island. Golf is a popular game in New Zealand. One of the smaller towns
we were passing through. Sandy dunes on the way to
Waipoua Forest, a home
of kauri trees.

More sandy dunes Tane Mahuta, God of the Forest. The largest kauri tree in New Zealand.
It is hard to see from the photos how large it really is,
nearly 14 meters all around it.

On the way back, we stopped at a local winery to
try out New Zealand's wines. Weren't impressed. Most known beach in Auckland,
it will be full in a month or two Our bus, taking us
around New Zealand

Auckland landscape from the Sky Tower, visited on late afternoon after returning from Paihia. Unique view from the tower
through a glass floor

Leaving Auckland for the airport in the afternoon
next day, after having a day off for shopping
and individual sightseeing. A B-767 waiting to take us
back to the warm islands,
this time to Fiji.

Next page: Fiji

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Leaving the airport	Drive-through shots of Auckland suburbs from the passing bus		The first stop coming from the airport was Mount Eden, a view point over Auckland.


Mount Eden is in fact an old volcano, one of many around Auckland	A few more panoramic shots of Auckland...


...and a few more. Didn't have my camera out for almost a whole day.				Auckland city center, near the Sky City Hotel


The Auckland Marina, location of the America Cup 2003 race. These are the docks where teams were based at.		We stopped at the Auckland Aquarium, too. They are quite proud of their penguins.


Not just a fish. Piranhas.		A couple more Auckland beachfront shots.


Landscape south of Auckland. Lots of green, lots of hills. Lots of sheep, too.				Arriving to Whakarewarewa (short name, see the pict for a full one) Thermal Reserve, this was our guide.


A hot mood pool, up to 98 degrees Celsius.	Hot geysers in action


Everything is smoldering...	There is a distinct smell in the air, something between ammoniac, sulfur and boiling water...


More geyser shots	Maori battle canoe	It's a bird. It's a kiwi.	Replicas of traditional Maori homes, a food chamber on the left	Maori Crafts Institute, open for tourists to watch their work


Treaty signing, artistic view	Supposedly the most beautiful house in New Zealand	Agrodome presentation - all the sheep of New Zealand	Shepherd dogs at work


Morning traffic jam in Auckland	Drive-through landscape	Waitangi, the place where the treaty was signed between native Maori and conquesting English, making New Zealand British.		Treaty House, as originally owned by James Busby


A Maori temple, a gathering place and history keeper for the whole village		Nicely arranged flowers on the premises	Replicas of war canoes


A trunk of a large kauri tree, used to make one of the canoes.	Arriving to Paihia	The evening was free, and a three of us went on a dinner cruise up the river with Darryl and Jenny.		Landscape by the river


Our destination for the evening, waterfalls.	Dinner time. Enjoying Darryl's prime steak or fish, fresh from the grill, and a beautiful sunset landscape while slowly floating back towards the sea.


The next day, we are heading back to Auckland tracking by the west side of the Northern Island. Golf is a popular game in New Zealand.			One of the smaller towns we were passing through.	Sandy dunes on the way to Waipoua Forest, a home of kauri trees.


More sandy dunes	Tane Mahuta, God of the Forest. The largest kauri tree in New Zealand. It is hard to see from the photos how large it really is, nearly 14 meters all around it.


On the way back, we stopped at a local winery to try out New Zealand's wines. Weren't impressed.		Most known beach in Auckland, it will be full in a month or two	Our bus, taking us around New Zealand


Auckland landscape from the Sky Tower, visited on late afternoon after returning from Paihia.				Unique view from the tower through a glass floor


Leaving Auckland for the airport in the afternoon next day, after having a day off for shopping and individual sightseeing.		A B-767 waiting to take us back to the warm islands, this time to Fiji.