Hawke's Bay, North Island...New Zealand (Part 1)

Before I open today's post I have to pass on my best wishes to anyone who has been affected by 'Hurricane Sandy'... 
I hope you are all safe, well and that damage is minimal.
You are in my thoughts...take care ;D
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And so our journey of the North Island of New Zealand carries on....
Our next destination is Hawke's Bay.
A location that is drenched in 2200 hours of sunshine annually! 

With an abundance of sunshine, Mediterranean climate, grapevine covered hillsides and a thriving gourmet food and wine industry, Hawke's Bay is the Tuscany of the South Pacific.
Lying on the sun-drenched east coast this tasty region is paradise and one of New Zealand's top wine and food destinations.
Are you're like me? Because if you are...that sounds like an ideal location right!
So once more we're off on the road south-east to Hawke's Bay.

But first the journey...yet again we were blown away by some incredible scenery along the way.
One being Lake Taupo (pronounced toe-paw) which covers an area roughly the same size as Singapore and was formed thousands of years ago by a massive eruption. 
It is a popular holiday location plus offers a huge expansive water-based activities, but there's also plenty to do on land too.
Jetboat to volcanic air safaris, hot pools to skydiving, and lake cruises to trout fishing. Tramping, bungy jumping over the Waikato river, 4x4 motorbiking, whitewater rafting, horse trekking, mountain biking, abseiling, rock climbing and golf!
Phewph...I'm tired just typing this list. So there's has to be something here for everyone surely?

I think if you can name it...Lake Taupo provides the facilities to enable you to do it!
With hindsight I think we should have squeezed a few nights stay here, but if you've been following this road trip you'll understand that we've crammed in as much as we could, so there's nothing more for it than to ensure we come back this way again!

We did stop off for a few hours to see Haka Falls which is New Zealand's most visited scenic reserve.

The falls are located on the Waikato River, the longest river in New Zealand and the only outlet for Lake Taupo. The power of these falls is incredible to both see and feel...the bridge we were standing on trembled beneath our feet as the water surged beneath.

About 200,000 litres of water plunge 9 metres over the great rock face every second ~ that's enough to fill five Olympic swimming pools every minute! 

Such a momentus flow of water creates a dangerous undertow at the bottom of the falls, this has claimed the craft of many river users who have been foolhardy enough to try to navigate the falls. 

 Upstream of the falls, the Waikato is clear and reflective. After plunging over the falls it picks up masses of tumbling air bubbles which create breathtaking colours and give the falls their name, after the Maori word for 'foam'.

But we must move on to reach our next accommodation.
I have to admit after staying in some wonderful places along the way with superb hosts and brilliant accommodation, I did wonder if our bubble might burst...but I needn't have worried...
Telegraph Hill Villas offered private superior accommodation in a peaceful setting with panoramic views that show off New Zealand's unique beauty. 
As soon as we saw the villa we knew we were in for a special stay.
With comfortable modern interiors, relaxing private surroundings, panoramic views, huge skies, undulating hillsides, nestled within the trees of a working olive grove, but also within easy reach of Havelock North village...positively perfect!
Or as someone described it 'Heaven on a Hill'

This photo shows Villa 2....

We were lucky to stay in both Villa 1 and Villa 2...just so that I didn't miss anything! 

I know but in the interest of research these things must be done...

...you can't say I don't go that extra mile for you ;D

Both Villas provide a quality retreat of style, charm and elegance.

It's difficult to tear yourself away from the view which is constantly changing. 

These changes make it a spectacular stunning backdrop. I can't imagine ever tiring of just sitting and observing.

 I would have been quite content to just stay for the whole of our visit just looking at the view, but then Hawke's Bay has so much more to offer that that wasn't an option.

 The current owners of Telegraph Hill Villas...Rose and Jeremy Gresson upon buying the land researched extensively the history and diaries of Bernard Chambers which makes fascinating reading. 

(Details are available in the villa)

(A little snippet....The property known as Te Mata block was purchased from the Crown by John Cambers in 1854. John Chambers landed at Napier with his wife and 3 children in 1852. 

He had been in Australia since 1840 where he had met his wife and had 3 children. 

His 4th child ~ a girl was the 3rd white child to be born in Hawke's Bay)

Rose and Jeremy bought their block of land at auction in 1993. 

They started building their home in August 1994.

The 100 olive trees between the house and Villa were planted in April 1995. 

 The second planting of 600 olive trees in the bottom paddock took place in April 1997. The next two years 1998 and 1999, 1200 more were planted. 

Villa 2 was opened in 2003 and at the same time Villa 1 was altered to become a 1 bedroom villa. 

 

Jeremy and Rose pressed the first olive oil in 2001. 

After this first pressing Telegraph Hill Ltd was born in Rose's kitchen....and oh my... its grown!

Take a peek into their website through the link above to see their extensive products.

You can also see Rose in a video clip demonstrating one of the recipes she created using a combination of cream cheese with date olive and orange Relish.

The Olivery offers a fresh gourmet food experience where you can view production, taste products, have lunch, and purchase their full range of products. 

Yep we left with rather a large selection pondering the question would they fit into our luggage, what our weight allowance might be and would Australian customs allow the products into the country?!?!!

 During the next 10 years the business grew to be the largest producer of table olives in New Zealand with products sold all over the country.

Rose is not only a perfect host she's an amazing woman, who I personally feel privileged to have met.

She is such a dynamic, driven woman that you can't help but be inspired by her outlook on life! 

 

Along with lots of other interests Rose has a passion for golf....hence she willingly offered to invite us to spend an afternoon at her golf club. 

Her patience must have truly been tested to the limit with someone (I'm saying nothing here on the grounds that it might incriminate me) that at every opportunity whipped out the camera for yet another shot...

Bless you Rose ;D 

And so we returned to 'heaven on a hill'...

How amazing is that light?

I knew I'd be in the picture with my shadow, but then I wanted to capture the photo without stressing too much about little incidentals like that! ;D

Everywhere you looked there was something to be captured....

The cattle and sheep to the side of the property often came across to stand and stare back at us....

....especially when I had classical music playing loudly across the hillside.

There were also pheasants, blackbirds and thrust constantly busy about the garden area. 

Oh yes and lots of hawks flying aroung the hillside enjoying the thermals...

I was a little worried for all the bunnies but thankfully never saw any mishaps!

The sky darkens with lengthening shadows as the sun begins to set....

Then as if that's not enough there's something extra special thrown in...

A double rainbow! 

Surely that's a sign we're in a 'happy place'?

I have to tell you that the view stretched for miles and miles across the hillside.
Through vineyards and orchards down to the sea...plus up away to the snow-capped mountains which surround the food basket of the North Island as Havelock North is know.

And so on that note it's time to call it a day...until tomorrow that is when I'll probably be up at dawn just to sit and look at that view once again.

Because the light and shadows where quite remarkable I couldn't resist entering this post into Jenn's Artist Play Room because this week's theme happens to be shadows! 

Take a peek at some amazing artists through the link above and see their interruption of shadow.

I'll be carrying on with our tour of Havelock North, Napier and Hawke's Bay in my next post...

(Don't worry we're almost there...our holiday is coming to a close...sigh...)

In the meantime have a wonderful weekend everyone wherever you are.

Rotorua, North Island....New Zealand (Part 1)

Hey...did you think I'd gone missing in action? 

I know it's been some time since my last post but we've been busy checking out some great places for you.

And so we reluctantly wave goodbye to Whangamata on the Coromandel Peninsula ...and those views!

 (This view was from the cliff top of Cathedral Cove)

Yet again en-route we were privileged to spectacular sights that took our breath away...

We drove south towards the centre of the North Island and onto Rotorua, the geothermal paradise where you can stand on active volcanoes, peer into massive creaters and see boiling mud and erupting geysers. 

But first let's check into our accommodation....

When you arrive at your location and are greeted by the welcoming aroma of freshly baked scones still warm from the oven, then you know you've made a good decision.

The charming house is located literally on the banks of the lake. It belongs to Ken and Carol our friendly hosts who welcomed us into their home...

The Lake House

Once again I rose at dawn to capture the house in a good light...I tiptoed across the back lawn of the house...can you see my footprints on the dew covered lawn?

You can't fail to be wowed by the extensive northern lake views from all of the rooms which take full advantage of all day sunshine.

 How's that for lemon growing? 

Produce from the garden feature highly on the breakfast table...in the form of jams and chutneys. 

Carol introduced us to the feijoa! 

(Feijoas originated in the forests of South America and are fragrant smooth-skinned green tropical tree fruit that have creamy sweet jelly centres. They are part of the Myrtle family, which includes other fragrant plants such as eucalyptus, allspice, guavas, and cloves.Their distinctive complex flavour has been likened to a mix of strawberries, pineapple and guavas, with undertones of quince, lemon and mint. In Australia they are sometimes known as pineapple guavas. The unique complexity and fragrance of the feijoa is the reason they are so versatile and addictive, with uses ranging from just munching them by the dozen to making beautiful perfumes. 

Feijoas are an extremely versatile fruit with very little wastage, being scooped out and eaten as fresh fruit and in fruit salads, used in juices, smoothies and ice creams, wines and vodkas, jams and chutneys, salads, in savoury dishes, salsas and especially in baking.  They are also easily frozen for future use, and are even used in perfumes and skin care ranges. The question should really be "What can't you do with a feijoa?")

Here's the room we stayed in...The Tahi room ~ photo courtesy of  Lake House website

This is the view from our room....not bad eh?

 Just a step along this path leads to the luxurious, purpose built spa room perfect to relax and unwind after a full days sightseeing and activities...

Ken and Carol have travelled extensively and lived in the Middle East for a time, so we had lots in common to talk about. Carol is also a very talented artist and some of her work is exhibited throughout the house.

She is also an exceptional cook and breakfasts were very relaxed and enjoyable.

Our time in Rotorua was to be limited so we asked Ken and Carol to advise us on how best to use the time we had to maximise our stay. 

So would it be rafting, jet-boarding, luging, soaring through the sky in a giant swing, tumbling downhill in a plastic bubble called a Zorb (I kid you not!) or blazing through the forest on a mountain bike, Rotorua certainly knows how to give you an adrenalin rush. 

Rotorua has a staggering 16 freshwater lakes. All are of volcanic origin; filling craters, calderas or valleys blocked by lava flows, and many are ringed by forest and farmland with fantastic lakeside walking trails. 

The lakes are teeming with trout too but there are regulations to adhere to for fishing.

And so well fed with walking shoes on and plenty of layers for any weather eventuality, we set off for the day....The Hamurana Springs Reserve was first on our list.
I've included the notice below for anyone who might like more information about the springs.

This place feels special from the moment you leave the car park and enter the walkway....

We have never seen water this crystal clear....

Alongside the springs is a grove of towering Californian coastal redwoods. These impressive trees were planted in 1901, and now reach heights of around 60 metres. The Redwood Memorial Grove track that winds its way between the redwoods is the forests most popular walk, although there is a range of other great walking tracks throughout the forest, ranging from 30-minutes strolls to all-day treks. There are also a wide range of both exotic and native trees too.

If you look closely or zoom in on the next pic you can see the trout.

 He is right in the centre of the photo...

I've taken lots of video footage throughout the trail with trout clearly in view. I'm afraid I'll have to edit at some stage because they are just too large to use here...that's another job for another day.

I've never seen trout so clearly in the water!

There are also dancing sands which don't show up on camera nearly as well as I would like...but the sand has little eruptions happening which give the appearance of mini volcanoes under the surface of the water. 

Here is the head of the spring (named after Hangarua a chieftainess) the rock around this spring is volcanic (rhyolitic) in origin. The spring water travels down from the Mamaku plateau through underground aquifers. This journey takes an amazing 70 years!

This spring is the largest in the North Island and where on the 9th January 1957 more than 5,000 pennies dating from 1860 were recovered. All of these were distributed to children's charities. The water from these springs flows into Lake Rotorua.  The height of the spring above sea level is 280 metres (920 feet). The depth of the spring is approx.15 metres (50 feet) The temperature is a constant 51°F (10°C) The volume of water is approx. 4,500,000 litres (1,000,000 gallons) per hour!!!

Once again we could see the huge trout gently circling and enjoying their special place....

I'm now becoming aware of how big this post is turning out to be...

So I've decided to split it into two parts...

This is part 1obviously, but I hope you'll join me in part 2 shortly...

We're off to 'Hells Gate' (an active geothermal park with mud spa) and a Maori cultural experience.

See you soon...in the meantime have a great weekend

Eden Park Bed and Breakfast...Auckland, New Zealand

If you mention Eden Park in Auckland the natural assumption might be that you're talking about the Eden Park Stadium, New Zealand's largest stadium...the home of Auckland Cricket and Rugby.

The stadium that hosted the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

But not in my case...Eden Park to me means luxury bed and breakfast accommodation in an historic Edwardian villa.  

We've stayed in hotels of various ratings throughout the world, but for this trip we wanted a more personalised touch, so we decided to try boutique Bed and Breakfast Hotels. 

My initial thoughts of B&B brought back childhood memories...not always good ones but let me tell you B&B accommodation has certainly moved on since then. 

Eden Park Bed and Breakfast is located in Mt Eden, in central Auckland. 

Built in 1905 by a wealthy banker, the house has been immaculately restored to it's former elegance, yet sympathetically combined with modern comfort.

  Our room (featured in below photograph) was the premiere queen size room with fireplace and luxurious en-suite bathroom. All the beautiful linen and towels plus the cosy soft robe made it so easy to relax and unwind.

   The decor, ambience, personalized service and mind-set of both Marlene and Anthony McAnulty make your stay a memorable one. They are the perfect hosts.

Marlene is also an incredible cook and the gourmet breakfasts we sampled were exquisite. 

Her scambled eggs are sublime and I don't even like eggs!

The perfect spot to sit for a while...

Oh and did I mention Mr Darcy lives there...?

Mr Darcy has his own apartment and won't bother you...

oh boy could he teach Muffy a thing or two.

(in his younger days...courtesy of  Marlene and Anthony's Website)

(Photograph courtesy of Marlene and Anthony's Website)

I should state here and now that I'm not receiving any remuneration/rewards for posting this information...

I just think when people go to great lengths to ensure such a great service

 then they deserve credit.

If you don't believe me then just read the 250 trip advisor reviews!

Much as we enjoyed our stay there it's time to move on...

Off once more on the road to our next destination...

But taking in all the spectacular scenery and views can build up an appetite...

So coming across a sign for fresh oysters meant there was nothing for it but to take a quick pit stop.

The shop is located on Clevedon-Kawakawa Bay Road 9 km from Clevedon.

It was great to read their information board inside that had photographs and details about the oyster farm.

I really have only recently become a fan and certainly didn't know how they were farmed. 

The oysters have been grown in the clean, clear waters of the Hauraki Gulf for over 21 years. 

They cultivate, harvest and process only the juiciest, ripest oysters from their two farming areas on the Clevedon Coast and Waiheke island.

 They take great pride in being recognized as an international leader in the production of natural oysters and I have to tell you these were the most delicious freshest oysters I've tasted. 

A nice chilled bottle of wine would have gone down very well but with travelling on these roads that's not recommended...(well drinking and driving anywhere for that matter is not recommended)

  So enjoy the ride and hopefully we'll meet again soon..... ;D