Winter Warmth

It's c-c-c-coooold!

Ok, to those New Zealanders walking around in shorts and t-shirts, you are not cold... but I'm feeling it - 4 layers of clothes and a fire in the fireplace every night! (*Note to self - buy more timber)

So what can you do to keep warm here? Believe it not almost every activity you would like to do is indoors!

There are many indoor sports centres, hockey, soccer, squash and so on, there is indoor mini golf, go karting, snow skiing, ice skating, heated indoor swimming pools (complete with indoor water slides), and then the usual movie theaters and great places for dinner.

If you don't want to go out to go indoors, convert your garage and take up an indoor hobby. We visited Dunkley's craft show just recently, and found it very inspiring. Last year after visiting we started scrapbooking and card making, this year we are sewing and knitting... and for the boys... there's always computer games.

The best (worst?) part is TradeMe.co.nz, where you can buy or sell anything, and they deliver it to your door, my fabric box is overflowing!!!! Every person I have spoken to here knows and uses trademe at one time or another, some run businesses on it, it's a fantastic commodity and seems much more widespread than ebay was in Australia.I've made a few things so far, and am planning to do more this winter.

Now if I get carried away enough with the sewing, I may just put some of the things I make back onto Trademe to sell ;)

Amazing Auckland Zoo!

I love Auckland Zoo! It is honestly one of the best Zoos I have ever been too. I equate as similar to Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo, and better than Taronga Zoo in Sydney, or Australia Zoo in Queensland (no offence Australia, New Zealand Rocks!)

The best bits of Auckland Zoo?
The African enclosure sets the whole thing off amazingly, walking around at the same level as the giraffes head is an experience, and hand feeding them adds to it... watch out for the drool tho!

The Meerkats are another amazing exhibit. You get to crawl through tunnels under the meerkat enclosure, then pop up into domes where you can see the Meerkats at work and play, and even have them walk right past your face! Amazingly well done, and so unique.

The rest of the Zoo had real highlights, from the Cafe - Darwin's... to the kids zone with things to climb, and the rest of the animals, well worth a visit, and the absolute best price for any Zoo I have been too, we've been twice so far, and will go again!

Leaves a nice smile on your face :)



Smiling by *KarenDFrancis on deviantART

Autumn in Auckland

Auckland really is quite a beautiful city, and the Sky Tower is so prominent it can be seen from all over the town.

I thought it would be nice to capture some of the city for a season and pop it into a video montage.

So, I present to you, Autumn in Auckland!

Great Barrier Island

A break away to nature, Great Barrier Island can give you a feeling of tranquility... as well as some great fishing!

Some of the members of the family went on a 3 day 2 night fishing adventure to Great barrier recently, on a boat that was big enough to sleep on, they travelled out on a Friday, arriving around midnight, and came back late Sunday.

The trip provided some fantastic family memories, the chance to catch the first fish here in NZ and some amazing scenery and sunsets.

When they got back they spent the next day and a half 'rocking' from being on the boat for so long, but thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience.

If you get the chance to go to Great Barrier Island on something similar, unplugging from technology and taking in some nature makes for a fantastic trip.

And then, Run Around the Bays!

I know, also a few months old, but again worth sharing.

Around the Bays is a 'fun run' with around 70,000 people heading over an 8.4km trek around the Bays of Auckland harbour.

The views were truly glorious, the day was perfect, sunny but not too hot, and the crowds were mind-blowing.

When we gathered at the start line, we literally could not get close enough to it to meet up with friends who were there. Around 200m from the actual start line the sardine effect became intense and we simply had to wait.

Once the starting gun was fired it was a good 5 minutes before we got to cross the start line, the numbers were so thick... and they really didn't thin out until around 6km into the run!

There were some fantastic costumes around as well, I saw Brides, the Flintstones, a full army crew, and some people carrying a large blowup whale. The fastest runner did it in 26 minutes, My husband got in around the hour mark and I was 1 hour 45 doing a fast walk.

Next year, I want to better my time, or take the whole family and do it together :)

Mission Bay Jazz Festival

Yes I know it was a few months ago now, but It's still worth blogging about.

The fantastic thing about this was that we had been to Mission Bay many times already, when it is as normal, a beach, and a park, and eateries and some pretty cool icecream (ha ha).

Going to the Mission Bay Jazz festival was quite an experience!

The first thing as you drive into the area is that the roads are blocked off along the beachfront and parking is extremely difficult. Then you notice all the temporary fencing to create an entry and exit area into the parklands, and then a bunch of stages.

It is a real enjoyable evening, lots of musicians from a variety of background performing at the different stages in the area.

Crowds gather around a stage and dance /sing /hum along to the beat, and eat from the numerous food stalls in the middle of the park, then watch the sun go down over Rangitito Island and while the evening away.

A fantastic evening out, and well worth returning to next year!

West Coast Beaches

So, I heard the sand was black, I saw a black sand sample at the Arataki Visitor Centre, but I hadn't been there myself, until recently...

Did you know the sand is black! Like seriously!!

Coming from Brisbane I am used to white / golden sandy beaches, where you squelch through the sand, having it squeak like a dog toy with every step taken, releasing heat directly into the underside of your feet, and jumping from foot to foot, saying, "Burny, Burny" madly grabbing a towel to put down so you can stand and gain some relief.

I am also used to being able to brush the sand off with your hand afterwards... except of course the sand that invariably ends up in your swimmers.

It's nothing like that here!

The sand here sticks to the feet, and you really need to wash it off, rather than just brush it away, it comes home with you, on your shoes, in the car, on the towel you just brushed your feet with and stuck to the tires of the car.

The beach itself is very different, bigger waves, and the day we were there it was so very windy. All the white caps kept getting blown away, have a look at the piccies below :)

 The sand really is black!

Like... really black!

Yet people still swim and surf - admittedly in full wetsuits...

And they walk the dog...

And fish off the rocks... Just like any other beach I've been too... almost.

 Just a bit more wind :)