Flashback Friday #45

Getting towards the end of the year now and my final post from the past. I couldn’t not show one from this lovely country, visited in December 2014 for the first and only time, I so hoped that I would have been back, but life has conspired against me. Maybe I will, maybe I won’t, but at least I have very fond and happy memories of this beautiful land.

New Zealand Wrap-up #1

A new week, a new country and a totally new destination for me. For 10 days I will be in the ‘Land of the Long White Cloud’, and several smaller rounder ones. Staying near my son’s partner’s parents in-laws  in the Waikato (they got married there in February 2018) home to some of New Zealand’s most stunning landscapes. I may get to explore a little further, but I’m actually quite content to soak in the views from where we are staying and chill out with my new grandson.

Home Sweet Home
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We are staying high above Ngarunui (Ocean) Beach. Located 5km west of town this wide expanse of black sand beach lends itself to lazy beach walks and picnics in the sand. It’s also a popular spot for surfing, bodyboarding and swimming.

Aqua

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Views from the Barn

What transfixes me the most is the colour of the water – a cloudy, milky turquoise, possibly because of the black sand, which is the finest powder sand I have come across and glitters in the sun.

Surfing

Raglan is a small surfer town on the coast and boasts the world-famous surf break Manu Bay. The long, peeling left-hand break, said to offer one of the longest rides in the world, featured in the 1966 surfing film Endless Summer. Situated on the West Coast of New Zealand’s North Island, just a 45-minute drive west of Hamilton or a two-hour drive south of Auckland, Raglan  offers stunning scenery, beautiful beaches, inspiring arts or simply a good old cup of coffee.

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Surf Shop
Typical weatherboard house
Te Kopua Beach
Raglan Roast Coffee
Shops
Aqua Water in the Harbour

 Golden

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You may have eaten Kiwi fruit,  but these are golden kiwi fruit and taste SO much better. Sweeter and without that odd chemical reaction that I and many others have when eating the green fruit. I am becoming addicted!

Christmas Trees

Pohutukawa Tree
Pohutukawa Tree

The pohutukawa tree (Metrosideros excelsa) with its crimson flower has become an established part of the New Zealand Christmas tradition. This iconic Kiwi Christmas tree, which often features on greeting cards and in poems and songs, has become an important symbol for New Zealanders at home and abroad. It is just about to flower so I hope to capture some good shots of trees in full bloom before I leave.

 Happy Days…!

This post is a contribution to Fandango’s Flashback Friday. Have you got a post you wrote in the past on this particular day? The world might be glad to see it – either for the first time – or again if they’re long-time loyal readers.

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Heyjude

I have lived in the UK for most of my life, but when young I definitely had wanderlust and even ended up living in South Africa for several years which was a wonderful experience. I now look forward to a long and leisurely retirement doing what I like most - gardening, photography, walking and travelling.

28 thoughts on “Flashback Friday #45”

  1. That’s a beautiful spot, but I can only imagine the noise of rain falling on those metal roofs.
    Best wishes, Pete. x

    1. I quite like the sound. Worse is hailstones on my Velux windows – kept me awake most of the night on Wednesday!

  3. Beautiful sights. A few years ago, we visited a cousin who lives on the South Island, near Abel Tasman National Park, where the beaches are spectacular. We also visited Greymouth, which has interesting beaches and surfing. And we just loved Christchurch. I hope to return to NZ again someday!

  5. You were there just one month before our first visit, which unfortunately meant we barely saw any pohutukawa flowers. Even without flowers, those are great trees, and they have a habit of hanging on to cliffs that it seems they shouldn’t be able to hang on to.

  6. Great images and cheering on this cold day. I’ve got a nephew living on South Island and there were family plans to visit five years ago but deaths intervened, now I don’t know if I shall ever get there as the thought of long-haul really puts me off these days. But when I look at your photographs I think, Mmmm, maybe ….

    1. The long haul puts me off too, but I would like to do it one more time, with a few stopovers! After covid though.

  9. This gives me so many memories Jude. I love this area and know it well. The Pohutukawa is truly spectacular when in full flower. Hopefully we will be able to visit the family next year. Is this the son now living in Brisbane?

  10. Jude, here I am sitting out on one of patios here in Auckland and wishing for a long beach walk. You transferred back down the line. I know Raglan well, not too far from home. Great spot to stay especially if you’re a surfer, we spent hours watching my brother who was up from Takaka for a holiday. Good memories for you. I do hope you get to see your son and family sooner than later.

    1. Hoping they might be able to get over here next year. I’m not going to be flying long haul until we are over this pandemic.

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