RAIN

After a relaxing two night getaway in Whangamata with the gal pal, Emily, we decided to stop at the Karangahake Gorge on our way back, since it's one of my favourite places and she had never really stopped there before. The weather was a bit drizzly and cold but we put on our rain jackets and set off to capture some shots of the stunning gorge anyway. As we walked on the weather got worse and we ended up running back to the car soaked through. No regrets though. Wet weather makes for some beautiful glassy water and I tried out some long exposure shots without a filter. Keep an eye out on my next blog post for some more photos of a waterfall we found ;) 

ANAWHATA

Even though Winter is here it doesn't mean you have to spend all your time indoors. Sometimes you get blessed with a gloriously sunny day, and when you do, make the most of it. That's exactly what we did a couple weeks ago, when we visited Anawhata Beach. Anawhata Beach is another West Coast beach, with the turn off just before Piha. It isn't as easily accessible as Piha, but I think that's part of it's secluded charm. A relatively short but steep walk down a bush track leads you to this vast and mostly empty beach. It's worth stopping and soaking in some of the incredible views overlooking the beach at a look out which is approximately 100 metres down the gravel track. There's a small gristly track leading up to the right which takes you up to a wooden bench and was where we managed to capture these spectacular views. Also to be aware of are Anawhata's best kept secret rock pools, definitely going to hunt for them in Summer! 

WELLINGTON COAST

Day Two/Two: We decided the night before that on Sunday we would go on a walk to the Red Rocks which feature the aptly titled red rocks and where apparently you can get pretty close to some seals! Since the weather was so good on Saturday we figured we'll take our chances. Well, we figured wrong. The day started out overcast but fine, only some light drizzle off and on until about 45 minutes into our walk. The drizzle showed no sign of stopping anytime soon and only got heavier. With no signs of seals and the rain pouring down we decided to turn around. Did I mention we didn't have any raincoats? Well I have to say the scenery was still beautiful and well worth the adventure. Stormy days make great photos don't you think?

WELLYWOOD

 Day One/Two: I arrived in Wellington Friday night, not allowing much time for activities except a quick visit to one of Wellington's many burger places, so official touristy activities started Saturday. The weather was wonderful, a bit chilly (as to be expected) but the sun was out, making it perfect for walking around the city. Our first stop was Victoria University. Since my brother moved down there this year to complete his Honours Degree, I felt an obligation to see where he has been spending most of his time. We managed to avoid the steep incline up by catching the cable car up to the top. The views of Wellington's Harbour from the top is spectacular. You can also get a similar view from Vic Uni Library (as pictured below), a sanctuary for stressing students. 

No trip to Wellington is complete without a visit to New Zealand's parliament building. We planned to do one of the free tours inside, however with limited time and lovely weather we decided to spend more time outside walking. I know a lot of people have different opinions about The Beehive, I personally think it's a bit unsightly but the photos below do make it look quite unique. What do you think? 

Next stop was Te Papa Museum, of course, walking along the harbour for more magnificent views. I'd been told my many friends that I HAD to visit the 'Gallipoli, Scale of Our War'  exhibition and I was not disappointed. Filled with lots of interactive activities, stories, facts and figures, the real show stoppers were the giant figures dotted throughout the exhibition. The attention to detail was incredible, you could feel the sweat and tears dripping off the soldiers. I particularly like the last one (pictured below), the facial expression says it all.

Day Two/Two post coming soon!