Olympic Park in New Lynn isn't really hidden (it is fully visible from a major arterial route) but I've called it that because I have driven past it for 3 decades without realising that there is more to it than a children's playground and a sports stadium. Recently I had to fill in time while I was waiting for my car to be ready nearby so I took a walk to explore it - and was very pleasantly surprised. Winding through the middle of the park between the playground and the stadium is the Wai … [Read more...]

I was fortunate enough to receive a voucher as part of the Explore Tāmaki Makaurau COVID recovery programme: encouraging Aucklanders to get out and visit attractions and activities. My friend Dominique and I decided to visit Wētā Workshop Unleashed. Wētā Workshop Unleashed was opened in Auckland in December 2020, described as “a fantastical film effects experience”. This sits alongside the Wētā Workshop and Wētā Cave in Wellington and was designed to be able to give visitors a more … [Read more...]

Last year I went on Auckland Museum’s Incredible Rooftop Tour and was blown away by what we saw. Keen to see more, my friend Doreen and I went on the Secret Museum Tour which took us down into the depths of the museum where all the storage and restoration happens and have just taken the Hidden Heritage Tour that shows you all sorts of fascinating insights into the 100 year history of the museum. Secret Museum Tour This was described as a ‘once in a lifetime chance to explore the underground … [Read more...]

We visited the Sculptureum at Matakana back in early January but I am only just getting around to posting about it. Matakana is usually about an hour's drive north of Auckland but on the day we went a combination of holiday traffic, road works, and goodness know what other delays it took us over 3 hours to get there. We had booked our tickets online for 1.00 and left around 10.30 with the intention of stopping in Matakana for lunch. We didn't get to the Sculptureum until after 1.30 - but they … [Read more...]

7 August 2021 The skies have stayed clear overnight but there is a very strong wind, which means that with the wind chill factor it is exceeding cold this morning. We have planned to go up to the Astro Cafe at the Mt John Observatory for breakfast and hope that the road hasn't iced up. It doesn't open until 10.00am so we have a leisurely start enjoying a cup of tea/coffee while enjoying the view over Lake Tekapo. Our luck holds and the road is open. At the top the wind is so strong that we … [Read more...]

6 August 2021 Today is forecast to be the best day of our stay so we decide to drive to Aoraki Mt Cook National Park - about an hour's drive away. As we head across the plains we encounter huge bands of clouds and banks of fog, which make for interesting driving particularly as we encounter a large herd of cows that have got through a gate and are about to cross the main highway. We drive past and flash our headlights at people coming the other way, and others stop to try to convince the cows … [Read more...]

5 August 2021 We had been expecting it to snow today so it was a pleasant surprise to see the sun come up over the mountains, even if struggling to peak through the clouds. Our holiday home was positioned on a hill looking out over Lake Tekapo and we indulged in having our morning cuppa enjoying the view whilst trying to decide what to do for the day. It was still very cold (0C plus wind chill) and the ever-changing clouds gave the day a very moody feel to it. We decided to head down … [Read more...]

4-8 August 2021 Winter is a great time to go stargazing and choosing a time when there is a new moon (and clear skies) maximises the chance that you will see the stars. And if you are far enough south (or north) then there is always a chance that you might be able to see an aurora as well. I have been fortunate to see the Northern Lights (Aurora borealis) on my trip to Greenland but I am still keen to see the Southern Lights (Aurora australis) as well. So, with friends Margot and Chloe, I … [Read more...]

I was fortunate enough recently to go on a Waiheke Island weekend escape. For those of you who aren’t from New Zealand, Waiheke Island is an island in the Hauraki Gulf around Auckland. It has about 10,000 permanent residents and 3-4 times that over the summer. It is well known for its beautiful beaches and subtropical climate, and for its wineries. I was going over for a wedding (being held at a winery) and lucky to be able to stay with a friend Chloe who lives on Waiheke. I decided to take … [Read more...]

I've just been to the Van Gogh Alive Experience and was blown away by the huge number of paintings Vincent Van Gogh had painted. There are the main ones of course that I was familiar with but it wasn't until I saw this exhibition that I truly realised quite how prolific he had been - over 2000 works, around half of which were paintings. It was fantastic to see them displayed in a way that showed the various themes, subjects and locations of his work, making them all seem familiar. I really like … [Read more...]