More Photos

I'm not missing this opp to post photos.  Hope you enjoy!

This wind wand is a sculpture in New Plymouth.  It moves with the wind, hence the name.

First night in Taupo (pronounced Toe-paw) I had roasted chicken, beet salad and these tiny and delicious yams.  And cheese for dessert.

An expensive yet surprisingly tasteless lunch at the Prawn Farm in Taupo.  Prawn pate, steamed prawns over salad with no dressing and deep fried squid and prawns.  Squid was the best item on the plate.  Ironic since it's a prawn farm.

Huka falls.  I was going to take a jet boat right up to the falls but was afraid I'd freeze to death.  Taupo was the coldest place I visited by about 10 degrees, Celsius.

Beautiful lake Taupo.  Largest lake in New Zealand.  It was a bit foggy.

That's better.  Same view, different day.  There's a wonderful Maori legend about these mountains and Mt. Taranaki.  In a nutshell, Taranaki fell in love with the mountain in the foreground but the mountain in the background also loved her.  They fought and Taranaki lost and had to move to the other side of the island.  He cried so many tears along the way it created a mighty river that is still there today.

Love Intercity Buses.  Convenient, cheap ($1 for a six hour ride!) and a comfortable way to see the countryside.  Notice the guy in front of me was not wearing shoes.  It was 32 degrees, F.

Restaurants and homes serve water in these bottles.  I like it.  This was an Italian place where I got delicious lasagna, to go.  The woman didn't have change so as a gift just took what I had.  I love Kiwis.

My hotel was near the University in Auckland.  Everyday on this same spot was always the leftovers of a tiny little party the previous night.  I just thought it was funny.

Would you pay $30+ for cereal?  Standard size container.  I'd pay if Ewen Mac Gregor served it to me.  In bed.

I made most of my dinners in Auckland.  Lamb, roasted kumara, sauteed zuchini and greek salad. 

Another dinner.  Fried Haloumi cheese, roasted red pepper, marinated olives and veg, mussels.  Absolutely delicious.

Cheese enchiladas are hiding under all that rice.  I put all the salsa on the rice.  Very tasty.  Mexican Cafe, Auckland.  $15.

I did not jump off the Sky Tower but watched other people do it.

View from my balcony in Auckland.  Last night and there was a full double rainbow.

A little blurry...Betsey (mom of Mika) and I at Le Vasa resort in Upolu.  I'd just flown in from Auckland and she was flying back to the States that night.  Yes, I look like I ate New Zealand.

Manonouta in Upolu.  The tropics have a way of taking over everything.

If cock roaches were a cash crop, I'd be rich.  This was what I swept up this morning.