Roadtrip time!

Finally restrictions have eased to a point where inter-regional travel is no longer illegal.

I took the opportunity and went for little road-trip all the way from New Zealand's Far North district down to the Wairarapa, just north of Wellington. Which happens to be the only region of the North Island I haven't seen yet. I've banked up more pictures than I expected, so here's a long one! 

Rainbow Falls, Kerikeri after some serious rain.

Te Wairere Fall

Secret Waterfall

View from Duke's Nose, Totara North.

Unnamed Waterfall

Rock Formation at Wairakau Stream Track

Base of the unnamed waterfall. One of the most scenic spots in all of New Zealand.

Monarch Butterfly. One of the more attractive 'pests' introduced to NZ.

Just off the Island visible in the back of the picture lies the wreck of the "Rainbow Warrior".  Bombed and sunk on July 10, 1985 in the Auckland harbor by the French DGSE.  It was subsequently refloated, towed to Matauri Bay and scuttled. Here it turned into an artificial coral reef and is now a popular spot with scuba divers. A fitting end for a ship that spent it's life protecting the marine environment.

The propeller of the "Rainbow Warrior" and the memorial, commissioned by a local Maori tribe and New Zealand China Clays Ltd. A reminder of yet another senseless act of violence and terrorism, committed by greed and unscrupulousness. Let this be a symbol of the only thing on earth really worth fighting for: the earth itself.   

Waimangu Volcanic Valley near Rotorua. One of the youngest geological features in New Zealand. Created by the eruption of Mount Tarawera in 1886. The eruption significantly changed the landscape of most of the North Island. 

Small Geyser. Nearby lies the site of the Waimangu Geyser, which erupted from 1900 to 1908, when it became extinct. It regularly erupted to a height of 450 meters.

Lake Rotomahana and the remains of Mt. Tarawera.

Steam rising from the overflow of the many hot springs along the valley

The mouth of the river is very popular with wildlife and boasts a rich ecosystem thanks to it's warm temperature.

Black Swan, introduced from Australia in the 1860s.

Frying Pan Lake, the largest natural Hot Spring in the world with a surface of 3.8 Hectares. With an average temperature of 55 Degrees Celsius and a Ph-Level of 3.8 it is not suitable for swimming in.

Kaimanawa Wall, thought to be a natural rock formation.

Mount Tongariro

Sunset and Rain

Tararua Ranges in Sunrise

And after a good snowfall

And early in the morning. I just can't get enough of that view!

Putangirua Pinnacles.

A great example of Badlands erosion

A large area of Hoodoos, pinnacles, tight gorges and other spectacular rock formations.

Created over the course of about 7000 years and accelerated by deforestation in the last 1000 years -

- by rainwater washing away the conglomerate that once was the floor of the sea.

I've rarely been so impressed by, well, anything!

Cape Palliser Lighthouse. The southernmost point of the North Island.

Sleeping Seal Pup

Very majestic animals

Except this one who had to sneeze just in the right moment. As much as is known about seals, the one thing nobody talks about is just how bad they smell!

Uncle Wayne's Geyser, actually a blowhole.

Yes, I got a bit wet taking these pictures.

Old machinery at Ngawi 

It's definitely a blessing to live in a country where even in the middle of winter one can drive with one's roof open!