Day two saw us up in the snow line. Enough to through a snowball or two. The afternoon took us over to Wanaka and a familiar walk, and while I was excellently prepared for the wind, rain and cold temperatures that New Zealand can throw at you, we had blazing sun and clear skies.
The man enjoying taking photos
Me enjoying standing in snow
When we realise hats add to our photogenicness
OK, when I said snow line, I was stretching it slightly, but we honestly did do the snowball thing
Wonder
The man waiting for me to catch up
That will be the spot
Walk number two, and hello Diamond Lake
The blazing sun not helping with the photos, but I have seen what he took and they are amazing. Will the world ever see them - who knows.
At this point, I just kept walking and snapped as I walked
Happy man
Happy view
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Extra happy view. Lying in the shade of the man, I take it all in, oh and have a little nap.
Not sure how this happened. But I have created a spinach tower. Volcanic soil, lots of rain, some warm winter sun and heh presto. The veggie patch may be a little neglected. I look out the kitchen window and plan the spring work to come.
Out of time, out of sequence. Down but not out. A belated post from September. The walking continued.
I think they call it urban transformation, or reclamation. Either way the waterfront that had no appeal unless you like bulk liquid storage tanks is being transformed. There are still a fair few of the large tanks around, but the place has over recent years morphed into a place to visit, play, eat and walk. We parked in the city and crossed over the bridge before walking into the area know as Wynyard Quarter. The sun was out, New Zealand was still in the running for the Americas Cup and red socks were selling fast. It was a great day to explore. It was a camera day too and I decided to shoot in black and white and focused on people and what they were doing. It was a day of scooters and basketball it seems. There was a interesting exhibition on women in architecture, we took the stairs and looked down on the action. We walked to the end and admired the boats, watched the fishers. Of course we ate, we didn't do the whole lunch thing, just a rather good coffee and biscotti. If you are in Auckland for a few days, need to stretch you legs in a slow people watching not many shops kind of way, this is the place. If you have kids, this is defiantly the place as the play ground looks amazing. Remember there is coffee, there is always coffee.
On a real mission here and have pulled out the joker. I was hoping to leave this till much later in the challenge but here we are. 27 days left to pull out another 21 walks, it's gonna be close. This walk is a favourite and much repeated (so if I get really desperate expert to see repeats). I have written about One Tree Hill many a time, I still don't know enough about it's history and when I have taken visitors there I am totally embarrassed as to what to say other than hello another volcano with a great city view. I do know it's a soul restoring place in the middle of the city, farm animals, walkers, cyclists, runners, strollers, in fact all sorts of people all the time. A place that sells great ice cream, or a coffee, or if you really fancy sit a while at the restaurant in the park. (There may be a theme developing here). At this time of year there are lambs jumping about and you find yourself contemplating vegetarian recipes for a while. This was a walk to the summit, an easy walk using the road. When I say easy, I'm still puffing and panting. This is one of those places I can track my fitness by how well I manage the walk up and is also the place I'd love to be able to run all the way around (waiting on my neck to resolve a bit before I contemplate that malarkey - in fact should a 70 year old neck be running at all, maybe not). So the summit walk this time, very popular Sunday morning spot with swarms of folks everywhere, the place was alive (maybe not the best description for a volcano). One Tree Hill is a room full of outside in the middle of a city and I love it.
Traditional lamb/sheep shot
Funnily enough Adam ahead
Trying to capture the 'crowds'
This is New Zealand remember
The feet that walked
The steps at the summit
Trying my best with an old iPhone
Is it time to upgrade I wonder
An interlude from the recent holiday walks, this is a local walk. From my door to my doctors. Google thought it would take me an hour, I managed it faster than that so while the news of the neck wasn't great as least I can still walk. A spring walk with signs of the new season along the way, that and the birds, they competed with the traffic, doing a fair accompaniment given the constant drone of the cars, vans, trucks....Viewing a well driven route at walking pace with the sun warming my face was refreshing and thought pondering. The faces of drivers that I held up as I used the crossings disturbed me, is it that bad to be waiting a few minutes, and remember I walk fast (ish). Then the litter became more and more obvious, then I started seeing it everywhere. I have a litter thing, it would be my super power. I would swoosh down on litter droppers and that would be the end of them, or maybe that's too violent for me. I could make them eat the litter, or really just take it home, recycle, or just put it in the bin. I became a little angry. Walking does gives you thinking time, raising more questions than answering and an added bonus from my walking speed meant a little time in the library before the appointed time with the doctor.
My neighbour I guess
Lots of crazy walls and gardens
Spring signs
Petals and litter
Well placed litter - seriously take it home
For my godson. I take a strange pleasure from road names!
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