Hong Kong day 2

We got up early and caught one of the tall, narrow trams into central, then got the tram to the top of Victoria Peak - it goes up at a really steep angle.  It was very cold at the summit where we did th circular walk, about 1 and 1/2 hours.

Wearing all our winter layers, the wind was biting!

Finally the sun came out hazily.

At the botanical gardens.  Warmer back down from the mountain and we began to take our layers off.

Not a giant red kiwi -ibis.

The zoo was within the botanical gardens and mostly consisted of caged monkeys

...whereas at the old prison complex there were cells that had once caged people.  The whole complex is now an arts and heritage centre with lots going on.

At the heritage and arts centre

We also checked out more markets with strange food...

...and meat sold in alleyways.

And now for something completely different...Hong Kong

We arrived in Hong Kong after an 11 hour flight and bought oyster cards at the airport (seniors!) which covers our travel on trains, trams, buses etc while in Hong Kong.  Leaving our luggage at the hotel until check in time we headed over to Kowloon where we visited the flower market, the bird market, the ladies market and the jade market. 

The flower market extended over a long street with florist shops and stalls...

there were all kinds of flowers

The bird market was full of all sorts of birds in all sorts of cages...

The jade market was interesting - they have jade of different colours.

Near our hotel the street is full of shops selling weird and wonderful things...

The view from our hotel window.

Summer is here!

A beautiful, sunny weekend.  A group of us went to Matapouri this afternoon and walked to Whale Bay.

The track goes through bush along the clifftops.

Pohutukawa were flowering at Whale Bay.

Then we walked back to Matapouri for ice creams :-)

Kaipara Harbour Cruise

Today we went for a cruise in the Kaipara harbour.  It is the largest harbour in the Southern Hemisphere and is an hours drive from Whangarei on the west coast.

We left from Pahi and travelled along the Arapaoa and Otamatea Rivers

 This is the old Pahi boarding house built back in the days when kauri trees reached down to the water's edge.  The dense forests were all milled and disappeared.

Across the river from Pahi is Whakapirau.  The old wharf and dairy factory.

Our friends Jo and Allister

Jo and Elaine

Batley, a historic homestead, once part of a thriving community.

Chilling on the river

We stopped for a drink on the drive home at a pub called the Thirsty Tui.

Waiheke Island

For a change we didn't travel by bus or campervan - just by car (and ferry).  We went to Waiheke Island in the Hauraki Gulf.  We stayed in a little back in the bush with a beach view and a beachy vibe.

We went for a walk in the late afternoon the first day, walking around the point from Blackpool to Surfdale.

The next morning we walked the Owhanake Bay and Matiatia Bay loop, having lovely views of the Gulf and looking at the flash houses we passed.

Sculpture beside the track

Matiatia Wharf

Next we strolled along some beaches.  This is Palm Beach...

...and this is Onetangi.

We had lunch at this vineyard...

...it had Gaudi-style mosaics and sculptures.

In the afternoon we did a bush walk to the cascades.

Before leaving for the ferry the next day we did another headland walk which then went beside a winery with this mural.  Then it was back to Auckland for lunch at the viaduct, then on to Whangarei.