New Zealand holiday: week two

So, week two of my trip back to New Zealand, and I'm definitely seeing the place with fresh eyes - maybe because I've been away for 11 months, though I've been away for longer before, or maybe because I've been doing so much photography this year that I've learnt to see more clearly, and look up and down and in every other direction. Here is what I saw during my second week ...

366/98 April 07, 2012

This was taken when my friend Rosie and I went for a long walk around the beaches of the Manukau harbour, There was no one else around so it was wonderfully peaceful and great for fossicking along the tide line and checking out the rockpools for little sea creatures.

I love this image! It was not staged or manipulated in any way - except for a little cropping, this is SOOC (straight out of camera). A sea snail has formed the perfect question mark ... but what is the question?

366/99 April 08, 2012

This is one of New Zealand's iconic symbols - a fern frond.

366/100 April 09, 2012

I've just been staying in Hamilton for a few days with an aunt and uncle (I managed to catch up with 18 relations in 3 days - pretty good going, I think, and so lovely to see them all), and one morning we went out for a long walk along the banks of the Waikato River. It was a beautiful clear day and there were lots of ducks scattered along the river bank. These two were still slumbering.

366/101 April 10, 2012

A sign that winter is coming here in New Zealand - the crab apples are ripening. I love their bright red colour!

366/102 April 11, 2012

Today I had a short drive around my home town of Ngaruawahia (and I challenge you to pronounce that name correctly!). Ngaruawahia is the home of the Maori king and this is one of the carved wooden gateways into his marae (sacred tribal meeting place).

366/103 April 12, 2012

Considering what a lousy wet summer everyone's been complaining about here in New Zealand, I've been really lucky to have enjoyed hot sunny weather during my holiday so far - or, at least, I was until late yesterday and most of today, when it has rained rather a lot. Still, the rain brings its own delights ... like these reflections on the deck here at my friend's house

366/104 April 13, 2012

Auckland architecture, old and new. When I posted this on google+, someone commented that it was like Inception, and the photo got more hits than almost any other photo I've posted. It's the glass wall at the back of Britomart train station in central Auckland.