Photo Journal-our trip to India a few years ago. We finally got round to selecting some of the photos for you to enjoy. We hope to visit this amazing country again soon and with a better camera!!

The pyramids of Giza and the mighty sphinx

The temple of Karnak

The temple of Luxor

Impressive

The West Bank

Sharm El Sheik! Love it here!

Our first port of call was Picton which is at the northern end of the South Island, in the Marlborough wine area. The port is minute and completely dwarfed by the piles of tree trunks on the quay.

We were lucky enough to be meeting relatives whom we had never met before so it was a particularly interesting day! We also were driven to the wine growing area and I was excited to see the Cloudy Bay vineyard home of one of my favorite wines. The countryside is beautiful, so green and lush…..obviously because it rains quite a bit!

Another place we visited was Napier a well known art deco town on the North Island. Due to a massive earthquake in the early 1930′s much of the town was rebuilt in this style. We did not in fact see much of the town because we decided to go on a Gannet Safari tour with Gannet Safaris Overland Tours. I definitely would recommend this tour. We drove in small 4-wheel drive buses through the verdant countryside towards Cape Kidnappers.

Once on the peninsula the road becomes more tricky to drive which is why they utilize 4-wheel drive buses.

The cape is home to sheep and cattle farming plus more recently a golf course, designed by Tom Doak, has been built. The views of the coastline were magnificent and it was a joy to see the hundreds of gannets nesting on the cliff edge.

They return every year and seem to not mind at all about us humans staring at them at very close quarters.

They are quite stunning birds and it was fun to watch them building their nests, sitting on their eggs, greeting each other when one returns to the nest and also swooping at incredible speed into the ocean.  The photo below is of one of the gannets flying back down to his mate with a piece of weed for their nest!

Tauranga was our next stop. We opt for a nine hour tour. First we go to the Wai-O-Tapu “thermal wonderland” driving through agricultural areas of predominantly kiwi orchards and other fruits, plus some sheep and cattle rearing.

It was interesting to see the immensely high hedges that are grown around the kiwi orchards to shelter them. I had not realized kiwis needed so much protection.  As we drove higher forest products dominated the agricultural scene and then we arrive at the volcanic area with its numerous hot pools, steaming vents and colorful deposits of different salts etc.

After this area we go to the town of Rotorua where we board a lake paddle steamer, to view the lake and have lunch. This area is very much dominated by the smell of hydrogen sulphide which takes some getting used to by the way!  It’s pretty stinky!  Next stop is Te Puia in the geothermal valley of Whakarewarewa. The highlight here is the famous Pohutu geyser which luckily for us was shooting water high into the air just as we arrive there.

We saw a number of hot pools, steaming vents and one huge bubbling mud pool.

Last on the agenda was a “show’ by some Maoris, demonstrating their war dances and other traditions.

It was quite a long day but at least we did get to see quite a lot….I think the lunch on the boat was a bit of a time waster but that would be my only negative comment.

Our last port of call before returning to Auckland, was the Bay of Islands. We anchor just of the coast close to Paihia and Waitangi. The Bay of Islands has to be a yachtsman’s paradise! There are so many islands, little sheltered bays and beaches plus the water is wonderfully clear and the weather is generally great for sailing. We took a ferry to Russell the original capital, now a very small picturesque town.

Paihia is also a very typical seaside town with a distinctly laid back character. We play golf at the Waitangi Golf Course which is reasonably priced and very scenic particularly the back nine.

We also do a boat cruise so we can take a closer look at the islands of the bay, sailing as far as the Cape Brett peninsula and actually sailing through the Hole in the Rock.  This area has to be paradise if you are lucky enough to own a yacht.

We land on the largest island, Urupukapuka where there is resort, al be it an extremely small one!! A quick hike to the high look out point and we are rewarded by superb views across the bay.

Just one more treat was in store because as we were sailing back we spotted a school of dolphins in one of the bays so we paused for about 10 minutes to watch them play.

We were very lucky to have seen as much as we did on our trip to New Zealand because it was more about rugby than sightseeing. However, we shall definitely return to see more of the North Island and a lot more of the South Island. It is a beautiful country with so much to see and do, and the people are super friendly and easy going so all in all it makes an idyllic vacation destination.

The excitement of the New Zealanders was very evident where ever we went. Flags, signs, people wearing all their team colors and of course the visitors wearing their colors too and some amazingly crazy costumes some of which I managed to photograph.

Eden Park, where the games were held was packed with people as was the “Fan Trail”, the approximately 3 mile stretch of streets that many walked from down town to the stadium. On the Fan Trail there were ever present volunteers in their turquoise uniforms to assist with directions; there were about 5,000 of these helpers throughout the country helping to run the event.

Also on the Fan Trail were numerous fledgling bands on corners and in bus shelters, playing their music to entertain the fans on their way to the games.

It was altogether a fun event and extremely well run. I was particularly impressed by the vast number of buses that arrived at the end of the games to ferry the thousands of people back to the town center. It must have taken a lot of organization.

Robust Barolo and Barbaresco wines, hyper expensive white truffles, steep hillsides covered with vineyards as far as the eye can see and time worn medieval villages standing guard atop every mountain top. That is Piedmonte, a province in northwest Italy. While not well known among American travelers it has much to offer for those interested in the finest food and wine as well as in the interesting blending of French and Italian cultures.

I am always looking for new areas in Italy for which I can design itineraries for those who have already seem the wonders of Rome, Florence and Venice. Piedmont is just such a place and has much to offer, especially at this time of year when the vendemmia is in full swing and the scent of crushed grapes perfumes the air. Rivaling the fine wines in taste and aroma are the white truffles which are also harvested in the autumn and sold to chefs from around the world at the annual truffle auction held in Alba in November.

My base for this trip was the small medieval village of Serralunga d’Alba situated in the heart of the Langhe Valley. Time seems to have passed it by and save the cars passing through, it is easy to believe that you have been transported to another century , especially when looking up toward it’s castle and tower. From here daily excursions were made to other similar towns with evocative names like Castiglione Falletto, La Morra, Montforte and Santa Vittoria. They all have their own personalities and medieval towers but one thing you will find in each are excellent tasting rooms and family run restaurants where the local fare is proudly and expertly presented.

A few days in Piedmont can easily be included in any Italian driving itinerary and one is sure to come away with fond memories of the pastoral beauty and culinary delights of this region.

Recently we had a lovely stay at the Four Seasons Manele Bay on Lanai, Hawaii. Excellent weather and great dining made this a very enjoyable experience. Here are just a few photos of the island which is very different from the other Hawaiian islands.

This is an amazing place for lunch with a superb menu of tantalizing options!!! Don’t miss out next time you are in Lanai.