18 December 2007 It's Dark Outside






It's really tough to take pictures when traveling on the shortest days of the year. Yesterday evening I was riding in a taxi somewhere between Cincinnati and Louisville as a perfect sunset waved good-bye. This afternoon I was glancing out my office window as the afternoon wound down and a really nice sun slowly dropped below the horizon. I was thinking of the two or three great looking parks just a few miles from the office. Each of them laden with two or three caches waiting to be found. Oh well, there's work to be done.

These two pictures are a few more of the sights of New Zealand. The one flower looks a lot like turtlehead, except it was really large. The second flower I only saw once along a boardwalk by one of the bays. The plants were in an area that would normally be really wet. I hope you enjoy. By the way, here's a few things I learned while in New Zealand.

scones: Delightful biscuit pastry made even better by those wonderful people in New Zealand when it is served with whipped cream and jam (raspberry or strawberry) on top. YUM!!!!!!!!!

mossie: That nasty critter that we here in the states know as a mosquito.

cheap as chips: This is self explanatory in one of the lands of fish and chips. It does just roll out.

12 December 2007 Going Home








It was time to leave the early summer of New Zealand and return to the winter of Ohio. I took one last walk out to find a few caches, to find a few souvenirs and to visit one last park. My trip had been a success.

11 December 2007 Early Morning Wellington












I actually woke up early enough to head out for a few caches before going to the day's meetings. I headed back to the wharf to start my adventures. It was strange being out this early in the day. The call box was on a deserted plaza near a busy intersection. I got a glimpse of the South Island ferry and wished I were on it. The only other people stirring were some early morning runners, the local rowing teams, and a young couple that had spent the night on the stairs near the museum plaza. I could have cached all day. My stay in Wellington was too short.

10 December 2007 Wellington







My second and last stop in New Zealand was Wellington. I really liked this town. It had a big city feeling and was a comfortable place to walk. I was able to grab about an hour after the meetings to walk around the area. The big, round building is the parliamentary building. It is called the Bee Hive by the locals. The name seems fitting.

After the walk, I was able to walk a little along the wharf and find our first cache in Wellington while my colleagues stopped for a beer before dinner. I also grabbed the information for a playground that would become our first New Zealand Waymark.

8 December 2007 - Playing Tourist - Lawn Bowling








Two summers back this nice cacher in the area placed a geocache at the local lawn bowling club. His goal was to attract new bowlers to the sport. He was successful with Ali and our friend Kathy just finishing their second year with the bowls.

When I saw the sign for this club in Auckland, I had to stop in. I expect the lawns are rather posh by Northeast Ohio standards. There were no matches taking place. Only a single bowler walked back and forth practicing a game to which he is most likely devoted. When we return here in the future, I expect Ali will be bringing her bowls with her and maybe she can visit this club.

8 December 2007 - Playing Tourist - Mount Eden









This was cool. Mount Eden is the highest volcano in the city of Auckland. It is a tourist and local haven. On Saturday bus after bus climbed the steep hill to the top of the mountain. It was pretty impressive walking the edge of the crater. The views were amazing. I would have stayed longer except I was almost three miles from the hotel and the ever present mist and rain started while I was at the site. Most New Zealanders seem to be in good shape. They also seem to have no problem walking up the paths at places like Mount Eden.

8 December 2007 Playing Tourist - Eden Gardens













Eden Gardens is a five-acre garden started over 40 years ago. The gardens cover a portion of the northern edge of Mount Eden. The Gardens start with a small cafe serving lunch and beverages. From the cafe trails wind off toward higher elevations on the northern side of Mount Eden and lower trails winding through igneous rock. The trails are filled with lush flowers and as you reach the higher elevations, there are great views of Auckland and the sea. There are many quiet, isolated paths with benches for stopping and enjoying the surroundings. The place was very crowded, but there are so many nooks and crannies to walk and explore it is a very private place.

8 December 2007 Playing Tourist

I didn't want to join my colleagues for a 14-plus hour day traveling outside Auckland so I put my feet to work and tried to experience as much of Auckland as possible. I'll break the posts so they are a little easier to view.

One of my stops was to see a real live cricket match. I still don't understand the game's rules or scoring despite tutoring by many friends who know. This group was quite spirited in the play, but not up the the standard of the professionals that show up in video clips on the nightly news. There were no hard, powerful swings and long, arcing hits. Nor were there long graceful runs followed by acrobatic, bare-handed catches. There was just a lot of enthusiasm for a sport they really seem to enjoy. I did think the sofa under the awning was interesting. The took away all the items on the pitch after the match including the sofa.

7 December 2007 Waiatarua Preserve







Between traffic and a long day at the office, I didn't get outside until after 7. I though the best place to stop was a return to this outstanding wetland preserve. I explored a new area, stayed until sunset, and got to see a new duck.

5 December 2007 Caching in the Rain










There's a great connection between lush vegetation and rain. So far, it has rained two of the three days I've been in Auckland. I went out this evening after work. I had a great time walking around even though I came back soaked. I also got to see my first parrot. :-) The rain this evening really seemed to bring out the birds. I hoped for a better shot of the black and white birds in the photo, but as I was getting closer another park visitor's german shepherd decided the birds were really interesting too.

Yes, it saw me first so there's no picture. I also found my first New Zealand benchmark. I had seen two covers for underground monuments, but didn't have the courage to lift the cover. This was a surface one on a rail over pass near the hotel.