There's a reason for everything..!

There's a reason why we have this....

It's the same reason why we have these installed...

It's also the same reason the dogs are eating ice cubes!




Why the sky is so blue!

This is the reason for them all....over 100f today!!
Louise and her friends cooling off...

Cape Kidnappers - The Gannets

At Cape Kidnappers there is a huge colony of Gannets (approx 20,000)living there. You can get close to the Gannets by either going on an 'overland trip' or as we did via the Beach on the Gannet Beach Adventures via tractor and trailer.



The trip along the beach was entertaining and informative as our guide pointed out various geological features as well as letting the trailer catch the odd wave!



The first picture above shows the erosion from the rain water falling from the clif top. The second picture shows a shift in the layers of the earth following an earth quake many many years ago (I forgot how many 1000's!). The last picture shows where a waterfall runs in the winter and the way the surrounding rock face has been erroded by the water as it is blown around.

It took about 1.5 hours to reach the Gannets. Once the tractors had parked up we were able to either stay at the beach or head up a track to view more of them. Not sure if this is mother or father and baby!





More Gannets....



We opted to stay at the beach.



View from the DoC Hut (department of conservation)looking back to the beach where we stopped...



End of the day, looking back to where we'd been...

A week away (Tauranga)... 1135k's covered

Thursday (8th) - We left Auckland around 10am for our drive to Tauranga. Back on the Auckland motorways, it seemed so strange to be travelling in 3 lanes of traffic again! and leaving the big tall city buildings behind! We arrived late afternoon checked into our Hotel and went on a walk about! This was to be a beach stop for a few days!

Friday (9th) - We spent at the beach, or at the cafe! Keeping out of the sun!

Kids mucking around at the beach!

Saturday (10th) - We left Tauranga for our 4hr drive back to Napier. We stopped at Huka Falls on the way back to Taupo, and then stopped in Taupo for Coffee before the last leg of the drive back to Napier.

We arrived home around 2pm, and then collected two very excited foodles from the kennels!

A week away (Auckland)... 1135k's covered

Tuesday (6th) - After visiting Te Puia we drove to Auckland in just under 3hrs. I didn't keep track of how many k's it was. We checked into our CBD (Central Business District) Hotel and then went on a City Walkabout so that the kids could check out the shops, and see how far thier $$$$'s would go!

Wednesday (7th) - We booked on a Harbour Boat Cruise to (brochure speak now!) 'Cruise the sparkling waters of Auckland’s beautiful Waitemata Harbour'..

Then we visted the Sky Tower, at 328 metres it is the tallest man-made structure in New Zealand and offers great views for up to 80 kilometres in every direction.

Some Did you know facts -
It's taller than the Eiffel tower..
It's the 12th tallest tower..
It's as tall as 37 buses end on end..
It weights 21 million kilo's - equvialent to 6,000 elephants!

For those feeling adventerous, you can skyjump (base-jump by wire) from 192 meters down or skywalk around the 1.2 metre wide platform 192 metres up. We chose the lift instead! Some view pictures!

Lots of vistors wouldn't do this!

After the Sky Tower experience we did some more 'retail therapy'! Headed back to the hotel to get ready to leave for Tauranga the following morning.

A week away (Rotorua)... 1135k's covered

We spent the previous week away. We visited Rotorua, Auckland and Tauranga. Rotorua is approx 3 hours drive from Napier.

Monday (5th) afternoon we took the skyline skyride set high on the side of Mount Ngongotaha so that the kids could do a spot of 'lugeing'

The kids then spent the afternoon whizzing around the various Luge tracks..

There are several tracks to take from Scenic to Advance. The scenic track is 2k's and runs through a forest. All the routes wound their way to the bottom of the mount where you had to take a chair lift ride back to the top.

Whilst the kids whizzed around on bits of plastic a few cms off the ground we took in the views and had Tea..!


Tuesday (6th) morning we spent at Te Puia. It is a Center for Maori culture and Geothermal activity.



We watched a Cultural show, which included a Maori welcome, various songs and dances and the Haka!

Louise was enticed up to the stage to perform the Poi dance..!

We left Rotoura at lunch time for our 3hr drive to Auckland. I'll post that update in a few days!