New Zealand 2009 - Tales of the Camera Sherpa - Part 5

Who says Born Again Aztec ritual won't work in the southern hemisphere?

While Wife was asleep I crept into town to find the local pub and found an appropriate sacrifice. The steps down to the beach made for a makeshift pyramid stepped temple and an offering to the appropriate gods was offered.

So this morning I was up really early and I noticed light. A peak outside the window and low and behold there was blue sky and sun! Wife fortunately was up and we both hustled out so she could get some early morning shots (golden hour time for you photographers). As a good sherpa I was sent to get some bread for breakfast. We wanted to eat fast so we could get on the road and take advantage of the sun.

Our trip south out of the Coromandel Peninsula was much better than the previous day. Although there was some rain there were plenty of opportunities for photo ops so it was a much better day. Our destination for the day is Rotorua which is known for its lake and its geothermal activity.

On the way we stopped in a small town Katikati that is known for its murals. We grapped lunch at a Cafe/Bar/Restaurant. We've seen these all around and they're kind of a cross between all three with the range between just coffee, breakfast, sandwiches, and a full bar. We had fish and chips. The fish was good but the frying wasn't so great. The owner was a treat however. So far we've had great luck with just about anything with fish in it.

When we got to Rotorua we had to find a place to stay. Even though it is the off season, there really aren't a lot of bargains to be found. But there's plenty of good wine in the grocery store so we picniced at the room. Almost all the places have little kitchenettes so it makes it very easy to save a bit of money and not over eat by doing the picnic thing. We bought a chilly bag, the NZ term for a cooler (this one with soft sides) and some freezer packs so we're packing with us cheese, meat, our wine, butter, fruit and veggies, etc. Makes things a lot easier.

Les Photos

Sample of a road side picnic

The Cold Rainy Beach the afternoon we reached Whangaproa

Here is the type of thing you see on a regular basis as a camera sherpa

OMG that's a spot of blue sky...it was gone in 10 minutes

The next day things are better - though you can' tell from this picture :(

The murals of Katikati

And they had this Haiku walk with poems put on stones. There was a bird sculpture walk too but we got rained out on that one.

In Katikati there is a street where all the red headed little girls that can only communicate by screaming unintelligibly are housed.

Interior of the Cafe/Bar/Restaurant

And our fish and chips