Newcastle-under-Lyme

New Zealand. Last so many others it came to my notice as the gorgeous and breathtaking backdrop in the cinematic Lord of the Rings. That was 15 years ago and then after all that time the actualOkumaya devam et
Heathrow Airport

After a very convoluted taxi ride via Keele Services and many Cheshire back roads we made the the short hop from Manchester to Heathrow on the first of our nearly 24 hours we would be in the air.
AtOkumaya devam et
KLIA

After that there was nothing else to do but get through the long 23 hours of flying which included a transfer at Kuala Lumpar airport. Still all the hours of flying helped me catch up my film viewingOkumaya devam et
Auckland

Arrived at around 1.30pm and after a long wade through security and baggage reclaim we met Barry our taxi driver. As he drove us to our hotel he gave us us a guide to Auckland's history including it'sOkumaya devam et
Auckland Domain

First full day in New Zealand and after a fabulous breakfast we set off to go to the Sky Tower only to be blocked by protesters. They follow me everywhere, they tried to stop me going to the ColosseumOkumaya devam et
Auckland War Memorial Museum

Inside Auckland Domain is the Auckland War Memorial Museum which despite its name is a museum of New Zealand history. The war memorial itself is a sombre reminder of all those who have lost theirOkumaya devam et
Auckland Art Gallery

Daniel loved going here even though he was still in mourning for his sunglasses.
Introduced to some great work by New Zealand artists such as Louise Henderson and Colin McCahon and his paintings ofOkumaya devam et
... in Auckland

We strolled from the museum back through Auckland stopping at The Occidental, a Belgian beer cafe, on the way. It was at this time that I first hand started to observer the horror of wifi addictionOkumaya devam et
Sky Tower

So the protesters having moved on we ventured back to the Sky Tower. Taking the express elevator up we were soon drinking in the view. With the sea and the volcanoes and helped by the clear blue sky,Okumaya devam et
Our New Home

So repacked and ready to go. Barry came and picked us up and gave us another tour as we headed back out to the airport to pick up what was to be our home for the next 2 and a bit weeks.
GettingOkumaya devam et
Hobbiton

And so to Hobbiton which was pure magic. There was no overt commercialism and strolling around looking at all the Hobbit holes and the attention to detail like small ladders, axes, clothes on linesOkumaya devam et
Waiteti Trout Stream Holiday Park

And so off to our first camp site where we met lots of flies and lots of rain!
Daniel made a friend of the owner as he (Daniel that is) ran around the campsite banging on doors begging people toOkumaya devam et
Lake Rotorua

The rain kept coming down but this did not put us off going on a walk to Lake Rotorua. Plenty of birds were braving the horizontal rain with us and though the conditions didn't allow for prolongedOkumaya devam et
Rotorua

After braving the rain on our walk to Lake Rotorua we headed in town itself. Despite the rain we wandered around this former spa town with its eerie sulphur pools which bubble and steam away. You getOkumaya devam et
Rotorua Museum

We visited the museum which was the site of the former bath house where people would travel from all over the world to experience the miraculous curing properties of the water that had run throughOkumaya devam et
Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland

A very wet morning as we visited the sulphur beds that make up the magical Waiotapu Thermal Wonderlands. If they ever wanted to reboot Blake's Seven then this would be the place to film it. AsOkumaya devam et
Huka Falls

On our drive down to Lake Taupo we stopped at the Huka Falls. The sheer power of the falls is incredible and hypnotic. A short walk up Waikato shows the width of the river before it is forced theOkumaya devam et
Lake Taupo

Where I found paradise...
The campervan parked by the lake edge and I sat watching the sun go down over the lake. Some of the most perfect moments in my life, close my eyes and I am back there.
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