Lovely sunny day today and we decided to head up to the volcanoes. We stopped at the view point over lake Taupo and chatted to 2 ladies who had been to all the places we had been to in South Island It was good to compare experiences. They just left Haast before the terrible rain came.

We went up the volcanic loop highway up to the ski fields. The road went up so high with fab views. At the end of the road we got on the ski lifts for half price as we are seniors! The lifts were good fun and as it was so clear we had good views all the way up. In the afternoon we went back to the lake to explore along the other side. There are fissures of steam coming from the hillsides and hot pools. We went down to the water to photo shoot wildlife. Again we had such a lovely day.

Travelling day today. The sat nav took us to Wanganui South of Hawera and then on the highway 4 so we avoided the Forgotten World Highway thankfully, it would have taken ages that way as the roads are windy and steep and not easy.

At Taumarunui we turned right on the national park over the plateau. We then found we were on the volcanic loop highway and yes MORE VOLCANOES.

One is steaming!

The lake is beautiful and we are very happy.
Sent from my iPad

Our last day in Taranaki and we visited the lake Rotorangi, I managed to photograph a blue bird with a red beak a pukeko…..

Also we got our daily fix of the volcano views

We went up the volcano roads but there was low cloud there and we couldn’t see much.

So we headed for the coast via New Plymouth where we had fun again with the mirrors on the art gallery.

we also visited the top floor of the visitors centre

we got some more views of the Cape Egmont lighthouse and the beautiful Tasmin coastline.

In the evening we walked down the lane by our motel and caught the sunset behind the volcano.

Hi we are on the way to Lake Taupo and found an Internet cafe. HOpefully we will have wifi there will post later

Today we went to New Plymouth for the day and found it was an interesting place. On the way we took more pictures of the volcano (got to get our fix for the day!)

We went to the information centre in New Plymouth and it was also a museum and café with free fast wifi!

We ate the most tasty lunch there too.

The photos show the coastline at New Plymouth. It has 4 beaches and a huge port. The tide was coming in and the surf was impressive, due to the tail of the hurricane which hit Fiji. Lots of crabs were on the boulders in front of us, trying to escape the waves.

On the way back we stopped at a coast guard centre with a light house.

It is cooler today but still warm 20c. it is officially Autumn now in New Zealand and they say enjoy the last of the sun as by May it will be very cold!

These 2 and others on the farm wake us up every morning at 5.30am!!!

Hi today we visited the Stratford Pioneers Museum. In the grounds are actual buildings that the first Europeans built in the 1860s. Each building has been taken from its surroundings and rebuilt exactly as it was to make a pioneers town.(A bit like St Fagans museum in Wales).

As you see from our pictures we enjoyed ourselves! In the school house, rules for teachers’ employment were on display. They were so harsh to live by!

After this we went along the Forgotten Highway for about 25 miles. It is an experience! There are 4 natural saddles dividing the rivers and their hill formations and the road twists up and down and around them. It is all farm land and hardly any cars passed us all the time we were driving along.

The clouds lifted by 1pm and we went back to Stratfoed and then to our motel to do our washing!

Our loving  thoughts are with Trevor Alex and the all Forbes family  today. May Hyacinth rest in peace.xxxxx We feel so much part of your lovely family Trevorxx

We left Hawera and travelled along the coast north to New Plymouth. This stretch of the road is called Surf Highway 45. It is a lovely road between the coastal landscape and the mount Egmont national park. ie the volcano area of Taranaki.

First stop was a coastguard look out and we got chatting to a New Zealander and putting the world to rights!

Next stop was at the Cape Egmont Lighthouse. Both these view points had fab views over the Tasmin sea. There were high waves due to the tail end of the hurricane which hit and has reached NZ with humid air.

Loved photographs of the lighthouse with the volcano behind!

All the teletubby bumps are unique to this whole area and are rocks which flew out from the volcano and have been covered with grass.

we stopped at various views along the coast and inland at Lucy’s Gully.

When we reached New Plymouth we had fun photo’ing a mirrored building with our reflections in it. There is a clock tower which features a glockenspiel and a balcony and 4 times a day it enacts the Shakespeare  Romeo and Juliette scene!

On the way back we followed the highway 3 and it took us an hour to get back to the motel.

Today has been hot with blue skies and loads of white and fluffy clouds.

Happy birthday Blandine the hour differences confuse me but I think I got the right time for you xxxxx

The back view of the Taranaki volcano! love it !!!

 

The sunrise was pretty this morning and when we set out the sky was blue with a few clouds. As the day progressed it got overcast and cooler 19c. It rained slightly and was  a bit humid.

We travelled up to Lake Rotoramgi, it is about 25 miles away from our motel. The road takes you up into sandstone and silver mud hills. They are steep at times with sheer drops and also large bumpy hillocks. Like Hobbit land!  Or Otis like Tele tubby land!

The lake is completely protected from predators by secure wire fences totally enclosing and surrounding this huge natural area of bog land wetlands. Traps are set for rats, feral cats, hedgehogs possums and stoats; all these rodents were introduced by Europeans in the 19th century. they have multiplied and killed off most of the native birds and kiwis.

Well we walked all around the lake in the bog land forest, very similar to the rain forest but without sand flies, only a few biting insects. the walk took us one and a half hours and I  found it hard going, but was proud I finished it. I was hot and red faced when I got back to the car.

We took photos of the river further along and saw sheep dog trials in action. In another area a group of men were shooting game.  This was along the high Mangamingi Saddle.

After lunch in the nearby town we decided to see the volcano, it is so mesmerising!

It was mostly covered with cloud today, but just as beautiful. We visited the visitors centre. the last time this volcano Mount Egmont was active was 1666. one day it will spew out ash and lava again. it is only sleeping for now.

Lots of love to our grand children, Anona Lilyana Louis and Otis xxx

lily I have sent you a photo on skype!

These were the words that greeted us as we came to the volcano area.

We woke up to this view this morning before leaving

The journey to hawera was 3 hours through lovely hills and gorges and rivers running through valleys. It looked like hobbit land but I will take photos of this another day!

We passed beautiful surf beaches too.

at Hawera we found the annual procession of American cars and quickly stopped to watch the parade and wander through the streets looking at all the fantastic vintage cars. 

This is our first pictures of the volcano..its lush!

And lastly looking down from the volcano xxxx

Hi 

we arrived in Auckland Airport with no hitches and then we’ve travelled for 4 hours to a stop over motel ,tomorrow we travel on to the volcano area of Taranaki where we will stay for at least one week to Hawera.

we are  a bit tired so one week in Hawera will do us good and we may stay there all the time if we like the area.

Hope you are all ok. Thinking of you mum and dad xxx

view from air over acres of vineyards South Island