Tag Archives: New Zealand

New Zealand – Rotorua & Wai-o-tapu

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On day 5 of our trip, we headed to Wai-o-tapu Thermal Park, a place of extraordinary geothermal activity.  After getting our tickets and going in, we were told we could catch the geyser show, they do this once a day, where they add soap and cause a crater to look like a volcano. Wouldn’t you know, we “just” missed it, and only caught the tail end.

Lady Knox geyser

Lady Knox geyser

Continuing around the park, we (of course!) stopped at The Artist’s Palette, with such lovely colors, I was unable to do them justice with my paints.

Colors of the Artists Palette

Colors of the Artists Palette

Sketches at Wai-o-tapu Park

Sketches at Wai-o-tapu Park

The Artist’s Palette

The Artist’s Palette

The rock formations and colors were spectacular, again, challenging to capture on paper.

Wai-o-tapu rock formation

Wai-o-tapu rock formation

Got in a quick sketch at Rua  Ōwhanga

Rua Ōwhanga

Rua Ōwhanga

Another pool was Roto Kārikitea, also known as The Devil’s Bath, an eerie bright green phenomenon caused by a toxic mix of sulphur and ferrous salts   combined with minerals from the Champagne Pool.

Roto Kārikitea

Roto Kārikitea

Ending this supernatural visit, we went to a local spa on Lake Rotorua, with geothermal hot springs, with pools of alkaline or acidic baths in varying temperatures. A superb finish for the day!

 

Rafters at Okere Falls

New Zealand – Okere Falls & Maori wood carvers

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Before I get too far ahead, on our way to Cathedral Cove, here’s a cute New Zealand quail who walked along with us for a bit. Many NZ birds have little or no fear of humans, and some have even evolved to lose the ability to fly. New Zealand quail

 

We traveled quite a bit on the following day. In the morning, we passed by kiwi and avocado orchards, sustainably harvested tree farms, and stopped to pick up lunch in an old gold mining town, Waihi.

Old pumphouse in Waihi

Old pumphouse in Waihi

From there, we stopped near a river to enjoy our lunch, and then on to Okere Falls.  I had trouble managing the colors and trying to sketch the water, so I did this quick color layout for reference on site. Quick sketch Okere Falls We were lucky to see several rafts pass by, and sketching the rafters was more my speed than water, as you can see here, sketched from my photo. Rafters at Okere Falls

Later we stopped at Tikitapu (Blue Lake), a very serene place to take out our paints. Finally, we went to see two Maori wood carvers, where they work, their tools and how they decide what to carve. We then enjoyed a home cooked dinner with them, very delicious and a great end to a busy day!

Maori wood carving tools

Maori wood carving tools.

Photos of Maori wood carvings

Photos of Maori wood carvings

Maori sketches for wood carvings

Maori sketches for wood carvings

 

Cathedral Cove

New Zealand – Cathedral Cove

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We stayed at motels in NZ, surprisingly comfy, clean and with kitchen facilities. It’s a very friendly country for hikers and campers.  Breakfast was typically groceries purchased by Phil, our guide, that we could take and each enjoy in our rooms before leaving for the day.

This day we headed to Cathedral Cove, accessible only on foot or by boat. Of course, the ferry wasn’t running the day we went! A beautiful sunny day, but I guess the sea wasn’t cooperating.  So it was on foot in and out, up and down around the hills, about 2 miles with an elevation change of 500 ft. People swam, took selfies for social media and enjoyed the gorgeous beach and rock formations. One of our group was upended by the strong surf! Glad she was okay!Cathedral Cove

Cathedral Cove

There were also perfect places to rest and sketch on the return walk. Cathedral Cove return Cathedral Cove return

We all enjoyed a well-deserved ice cream on our return!

When you spend time in the sun with footwear like this, Sandals

you can end up with a Maori-inspired tan! (More about Maori art later. 😉)Weird tan lines

Rangitoto Island

New Zealand – Auckland & Whitianga

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Finally getting down to the business of sharing this amazing trip with you! Looking back on it, every day held new and inspiring views.

Note: this trip began the last week of February, just as the first cases of the corona virus were starting in the US.  Arriving home last week, as a safety measure, I decided to self-quarantine for 2 weeks, even though I have no symptoms.

In case of any jet lag, I arrived a day early. Went across the street to walk around Parnell Rose Garden in Auckland.  Reminder to self:  They drive on the opposite side! Be extra careful crossing streets!

I could tell it was a magical place when I heard a unique sound in a cemetery on a hill, as if it was whispering to me. Stopped to sketch this tree, and then a few flowers in the gardens. Tree in Parnell Gardens  Parnell Garden flowers

The next day, the rest of the group arrived. There were 6 of us plus Karen, an Art Safari tutor, and Phil, a guide with Wrybill Bird Tours. We left to get lunch at a local bakery, to Parnell Park to enjoy our lunches in the warm sun, and then off to Devonport’s north shore to walk and sketch at Torpedo Bay. All in all, a very good start!

Rangitoto Island

Rangitoto Island

Rangitoto Island

Rangitoto Island

Auckland skyline

Auckland skyline

We sketched from here, a former military fort.

The next day, we headed to the Coromandel Peninsula, stopping at Tairua for lunch and a sketch, then on to Whitianga, in Mercury Bay.

Whitianga

Whitianga scene

Glad to have Phil as our guide, he knew where to find the birds!