Feb
27

KIA ORA ,

snaptra on February 27, 2018

welcome to  New Zealand , called by Maori people  AOTEAROA.  This amazing country  as always  presents  lovely nature of flora , fauna , landscapes and good natured people,  who extend  hospitality to their own people  and visitors alike.  People of New Zealand  are lovely mix of cultures of Maori , white settlers , islanders of Polynesian origin or new comers  who are also very welcomed here.

Normally  south island is considered  the place to visit , but Northland , being the area stretching from Auckland to Cape Reinga present also wide range of spectacular places .468

WHANGAREI , with its dynamic , powerful waterfall set in rainforest with tall Kauri  trees and ancient tall ferns . OTAIHAU sounds so lovely and define  when pronounced , just like these waterfalls.

KAWAKAWA ,  on way to Kaitai base for Cape Reinga , surprises one with colourful unique works of Fridensreich Hundertwasser , world renown Austrian born , who died at sea  on board of RMS QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 19th February 2000 and is buried in New Zealand   .278

KAITAI  central point , as said for Cape Reinga , where Oceans meet . Also for lovely coastal drive via Manganui ,to Bay of Islands . There are 144 Islands , just like pearls adorning the north East coast of North Island of New Zealand.

MANGONUI ,  Great historical  place . Fishing , walking trails and seafood . Staying  on top of the world at Mangonui Motel , where 180 degree vista inspires one fantasies  of nature,  sea  of Neptune powers and land of Hobbits while watching overgrown with trees hills.

PAIHIA called by Maori IPIPIRI , from that extreme beauty one riches places so dear to resent history like WAITANGI,  where the treaty between  Maori Chiefs and British  Crown on 6 February 1840 was signed to pave the  mature , peaceful benefiting all , new , benefiting all history of New Zealand .382

Beside this extraordinary place presenting visitors with wide range of knowledge regarding the Maori and British settlers history .   PAIHIA can be launching place for Russell , very picturesque and also full of historical moments of New Zealand past town  . One can stay in Paihia  for night or two  ,next night in Russell to experience the attractions of Bay  of Islands ,such as visit to grounds of first New Zealand in OKIATO.

While moving between east and west coast , one should visit RAWENE , WHAT IS 3RD OLDEST TOWN IN New Zealand.  Great history reflected in amazing structures of buildings from XIX century , like  one of  US consul James Teddy Clendon who at the Bay of Islands in the 1830s    was a witness to the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840.

TE TAI TOKERAU one can experience wide range of journeys  on TE ARA -Coast to Coast ,  Ancient Kauri Trails or Secret Coast Route , areas to appreciate immense riches of the region .

It can be easily said that Waipoua Forest on the west coast, just north of Dargaville or south of Opononi , presents wide range of amazing walks through the kauri forest  and encountering mighty , ancient as some of  these trees  are 2,500 and 3,000 years old.  In this forest domiciles  Tane Mahuta, New Zealands . It is about  2,000 years old and still growing. Other great representative of kauri trees is Te Matua Ngahere – ‘Father of the Forest .

These few instances of amazing north of the North Island of New Zealand are definitely some of impressions to last for many years in one mind.

Northland easiest way can be reached from Auckland , where many international carriers provide  frequent services and attractive airfares.  Air New Zealand , Singapore Airlines , LOT Polish Airlines  , members of Star Alliance are just only some of carriers worth of considering when travelling to New Zealand.

WMIG

February 2018

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Dec
3

PORT STEPHENS,

snaptra on December 3, 2017

picture pretty , what a jewel of tourist marvels of Australia .Already in days of late xix century this picturesque area has drawn tourists and still does .

 

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Visitors not in conventional sense of xxi century tourism . People who had common denominator with today’s tourist desires, such as simply just relax , see beauty , provide to their lives moments of unsurpssed experiences of being surrounded by nature with variety of visual , physical , emotional elements of human needs to make one relaxed and happy with life . Of course adventure of travel was always present here. When in 1880 wharf at Nelson Bay was build it drawn visitors from Newcastle and Sydney who travelled here by boats . Already pre WWI times of 1910 when Ocean Breeze guest house was build , the “Select Grand Ocean Excursion “ were very popular voyages provided by Newcastle and Hunter River Steamship Company. Of course overland travel was available too. Ferry from Newcastle to Stockton and through bush track to Salt Ash and boat to Tilligerry to reach vast waters of Port Stephens. These were the early days of travel to this area. In 1940,s first tar sealed road evolved as during WWII in Shoal Bay was joint American and Australian forces training and recreation base for the servicemen who were defending South Pacific from enemy expansion.
Port Stephens with its interesting history , natural beauty draws currently many visitors to its lovely beaches , calm waters for sailing and bush with Mt. Tomaree spectacular walks .On the blue sky one often sees sea eagles and pelicans soaring in the south Pacific winds, while the water of Port Stephens is the home to playful dolphins often seen in beautyful colours of magic sunsets. While walking in surrounding greenery one can meet friendly koala bear sitting and chewing on leaves of eucalyptus trees ,which are unique to provide these cuddly marsupials with their diet.
Just about 200 km from Sydney the area of Port Stephens awaits visitors . Be it Australians or overseas travellers ,place is relativly easy to reach . From Sydney train and bus using NSW TRAIN services gets one to Port Stephens. There are also airservices providing flights from Sydney to Williamtown airport . Sydney on other hand can be reached using LOT POLISH AIRLINES SERVICES via Warsaw to Tokyo , Seoul , Beijing and soon Singapore to connect with SINGAPORE AIRLINES services from Singapore to also great city to visit , being Sydney.
WMIG
Port Stephens December 2017

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