The next morning we picked up the rental car and drove straight to Gibbs Farm. It is a 3000 acre working farm filled with life sized sculptures. Only about 200 people are allowed on the farm for 2 days a month so Maggie was very diligent in checking the website regularly to catch when they opened bookings. It was sold out in less than 24 hours.
The people give you a sense of scale.
We sayed at Arcadia Lodge in Russell in the Bay of Islands area north of Auckland. This is the view outside our bedroom window.
We took a ferry out to one of the islands and had a lovely hike around much of the island. This is a camping beach. Not crowded as you can see. New Zealand is not a crowded place.
The little blue dot at the bottom of the tree is Maggie. It is a Kauri tree, which is now protected. NZ used to be over 85% forested but now is only 29% .
A beach that went as far as the eye could see. Very few people. Looking into the sun is appeared very hazy. The next picture is the same beach with the sun at my back.
The same beach with the sun at my back. Lighting is such a hugely important element of photography.
We were past the prime bird migration season but still lots of birds about. We do not have equipment for birding so took few images.
Maori sculptures.
So many multi-layered views.
Much of the coastline is rugged but there are also some beautiful beaches.
Check out the person at the base of this wind/water sculptured rock.
As we walked along the beach we saw what looked like a huge cave but it turned out to be an archway through to another beach.
Beach hot pools. People bring a shovel (or rent one) to dig their own hot water pool on the beach. The hot water percolating through the sand shifts so you have to hunt to get a good spot to dig you pool. Here is a couple reading a book and soaking up the heat.
Sunrise at a B&B near Tairua on the Coromundel peninsula. The entire peninsula is beautiful.
View from B&B
Amazing hot springs near Rotorua. The city that smells of sulphur.
