Post by cooksferry on Feb 9, 2023 8:05:13 GMT 12
Tiki tour a couple of days ago to try and find some fine weather inland and while on a road not traveled in decades we crested a hill to find a spectacular valley view spread before us. Had to stop, break out the thermos coffee plus chocolates and just take it all in for 15 minutes. All too often I fail to appreciate just how fortunate I am . Unfortunately my crap camera phone doesn't do the vista justice .
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Post by Citroen on Feb 9, 2023 12:22:59 GMT 12
Phone cam gives us more than enough of a taste of what you saw in real life.
Looks great and the clouds are stunning!
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Post by cooksferry on Feb 9, 2023 15:19:48 GMT 12
Phone cam gives us more than enough of a taste of what you saw in real life. Looks great and the clouds are stunning! Can't have it looking to good or you'll all be wanting to move south. Roads are still fairly empty and almost no camper Vans👍 Burt Munro week so of course rain sets in and temps plummet...ah but you should have been here last week🤣
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Post by cooksferry on Feb 27, 2023 12:56:46 GMT 12
The Pomahaka River about 12 kms from the West Otago town of Tapanui. Not far from this spot is a monument to what was the settlement of Kelso which had two once in a hundred year floods in 1978 and 1980. After the second it was decided to relocate any salvageable buildings elsewhere. There're two marks on the stone monument showing flood levels and the 1980 level is around 10 feet where the main street had been. There may be a lesson there for some of the unfortunate settlements up north.
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Post by cooksferry on Feb 27, 2023 13:01:19 GMT 12
Not far from the spot in the previous photo we came across a stand of the tallest Pines I've ever seen. Wife stands by one of the big boys which was too tall to fit completely into shot.
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Post by foveaux on Feb 27, 2023 18:09:03 GMT 12
Not far from the spot in the previous photo we came across a stand of the tallest Pines I've ever seen. Wife stands by one of the big boys which was too tall to fit completely into shot. Yay Cooks, Tree-huggers paradise...
"I see music as a lifetime affair." [Rory Gallagher]
"Free - I miss that band, but when I look back, we were very young" [Paul Rodgers]
848 posts
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Post by Citroen on Feb 27, 2023 18:13:16 GMT 12
Not far from the spot in the previous photo we came across a stand of the tallest Pines I've ever seen. Wife stands by one of the big boys which was too tall to fit completely into shot. Jeez, that's about twice as tall as my pine and I thought mine was large.
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Post by cooksferry on Feb 27, 2023 19:44:53 GMT 12
found a photo my wife snapped of me definitely having an intimate moment with the large pine. You can see the whole tree in this one. Photo of the previously mentioned Kelso memorial. The three wave formations show the height of various flood levels in the town. The bottom one is an early 20th century I think(had no visible date) The middle mark is the 1978 flood and the top one 1980.
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Post by cooksferry on Apr 17, 2023 11:58:52 GMT 12
enjoying the great days of autumn with a trip to the Mavora Lakes near Te Anau. Around 35 years since we were last there. Spectacular views(used in parts of LOTR) great weather and a nice 12 km walk around the smaller Southern Lake.
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Post by cooksferry on Apr 17, 2023 12:02:25 GMT 12
A glimpse of the Mararoa River linking the two lakes from the swing bridge crossing the outlet of the Southern Lake. Watched a large trout holding station in the flow just above the weed beds. The water was crystal clear and inviting.
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Post by michaelw on Apr 17, 2023 17:55:16 GMT 12
what a stunning country we live in ! thanks for the pix
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Post by cooksferry on Apr 17, 2023 20:31:15 GMT 12
what a stunning country we live in ! thanks for the pix I love the contrast between the browns and fawns of the tussock and the deep green of the bush. It's 36 km of very dusty gravel road into the lakes which equals me spending an hour and a half today cleaning wife's car inside and out.😩 Better than getting more stone chips on my MX5 though.
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Post by cooksferry on May 1, 2023 9:54:15 GMT 12
A nice bush walk yesterday near Riverton. First pic shows part of the township with the Aparima River flowing through the centre. The beach forms a long curve all the round to Oreti Beach near Invercargill. The bay is feed by two larger rivers, Aparima and Oreti plus smaller streams like the Makarewa and Waihopai. Second pic is over the hill looking into Foveaux Strait and towards the small settlement of Colac Bay which has a popular surf break nearby. Not sure how accessable that is now with parts of the coastal road suffering from erosion and closed.
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Post by cooksferry on Jun 19, 2023 10:09:53 GMT 12
Another glorious blue sky Southland day yesterday. A brisk walk at Bluff and a coffee enjoying the view from the top of Bluff Hill. Across a quite calm Foveaux Strait to Stewart Island with what looks like a bulk carrier making its way to harbour. Looking towards Te Waewae Bay, the mouth of the Waiau River and in the very far distance the mountains of Fiordland. There are days, quite a few in fact, then I wouldn't wish to live anywhere else.
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Post by Citroen on Jun 20, 2023 17:11:13 GMT 12
From Te Tātua-a-Riukiuta Reserve Mount Roskill this crisp Auckland morning
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Post by cooksferry on Jun 20, 2023 20:10:55 GMT 12
After lunch walk at the Sandy Point reserve along the banks of the Oreti River not far from the mouth. While the weather was generally fine and sunny there was a mist that hugged the river until about 2 pm. as the mist lifted the view across the river towards Bluff still hiding behind the cloud in the distance.
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Post by michaelw on Jun 20, 2023 22:45:45 GMT 12
Woke up a few weeks ago to this
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Post by RdM on Jun 21, 2023 0:01:36 GMT 12
Woke up a few weeks ago to this
Purple Rain? What's that V or L shaped anomaly in the sky, clouds, above the gate? Not suggesting it's a UFO ;=})
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Post by RdM on Jun 21, 2023 0:30:54 GMT 12
From my balcony That last was from 5 years ago ... I have to move in October, and am looking forward to moving away from the concrete jungle.
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Post by cooksferry on Jun 21, 2023 8:36:40 GMT 12
From Te Tātua-a-Riukiuta Reserve Mount Roskill this crisp Auckland morning So. Many. Houses Too. Many. People Not a place for a Southern rustic Nice dog. Thirty years since we had our Doberman. Doubt I have the energy to manage an overweight Pug now.
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Post by foveaux on Jun 21, 2023 18:39:03 GMT 12
Happy Winter Solstice to DL colleagues in Aotearoa! Me? it's 37degrees in DXB @10.30am...phew it's melting ...contemplating a cool one by the pool at our daughter's place, waiting for the sun to get above 'the yard-arm'
"I see music as a lifetime affair." [Rory Gallagher]
"Free - I miss that band, but when I look back, we were very young" [Paul Rodgers]
848 posts
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Post by RdM on Jun 21, 2023 23:10:34 GMT 12
Happy Winter Solstice to DL colleagues in Aotearoa! Me? it's 37degrees in DXB @10.30am...phew it's melting ...contemplating a cool one by the pool at our daughter's place, waiting for the sun to get above 'the yard-arm'
Wow, Dubai.
Marvelous though how the tropical seas act like they have giant negative feedback systems;- as they heat up to 30° then convection, moisture, uprising, makes clouds, blocking the sun and lowering temperature again.
Privileged to get a beer there no doubt. Heineken. Basic selections? Craft beers unlikely in a Muslim country? But they accommodate Westerners to some extent?
Cheers !!!
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Post by cooksferry on Jun 22, 2023 10:30:56 GMT 12
Happy Winter Solstice to DL colleagues in Aotearoa! Me? it's 37degrees in DXB @10.30am...phew it's melting ...contemplating a cool one by the pool at our daughter's place, waiting for the sun to get above 'the yard-arm' You're going to do it hard coming back to the winter chill of Queenstown. Too cold here to enjoy a frosty beer .
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Post by foveaux on Jun 22, 2023 17:30:38 GMT 12
Happy Winter Solstice to DL colleagues in Aotearoa! Me? it's 37degrees in DXB @10.30am...phew it's melting ...contemplating a cool one by the pool at our daughter's place, waiting for the sun to get above 'the yard-arm'
Wow, Dubai.
Marvelous though how the tropical seas act like they have giant negative feedback systems;- as they heat up to 30° then convection, moisture, uprising, makes clouds, blocking the sun and lowering temperature again.
Privileged to get a beer there no doubt. Heineken. Basic selections? Craft beers unlikely in a Muslim country? But they accommodate Westerners to some extent?
Cheers !!!
Cheers indeed RdM Duty free alcohol into DXB is 4 litres pp. Wife and I sprung for a mix of spirits and wine - as there was a deal of an extra 10% discount for 10 bottles! (staying a while and helping restock daughter and husbands cellar) Plenty of different beers in Duty Free, but limited beers choice in hotels/restaurants /bars. Son-in-law travels in/out of DXB frequently, so has a decent selection of beers at home. Only craft beers I've seen is at a Craft beer bar 'airside' at DXB airport. Western drinkers are well catered for - all good hotels/restaurants/bars have alcohol on their menu, for consumption 'on premise' only. What is noticeable is nil alcohol advertising - a refreshing standpoint. What is also noticeable is the very high ratio of expensive exotic cars on the motorways - perhaps in lieu of alcohol spending, they're 'investing' in wheels
"I see music as a lifetime affair." [Rory Gallagher]
"Free - I miss that band, but when I look back, we were very young" [Paul Rodgers]
848 posts
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Post by foveaux on Jun 22, 2023 17:48:49 GMT 12
You're going to do it hard coming back to the winter chill of Queenstown. Too cold here to enjoy a frosty beer . I'll take the fresh, chill air of NZ, anytime, over desert temps heat oppression - very envious of your treks and photos posted. I'd always poo-pooed AC for cooling. Now truely understand its value when temps are constantly above 30C. Mind you, outside you have to scull your cool beer pretty swiftly - before it warms
"I see music as a lifetime affair." [Rory Gallagher]
"Free - I miss that band, but when I look back, we were very young" [Paul Rodgers]
848 posts
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Post by RdM on Jun 22, 2023 19:35:55 GMT 12
Wow, Dubai.
Marvelous though how the tropical seas act like they have giant negative feedback systems;- as they heat up to 30° then convection, moisture, uprising, makes clouds, blocking the sun and lowering temperature again.
Privileged to get a beer there no doubt. Heineken. Basic selections? Craft beers unlikely in a Muslim country? But they accommodate Westerners to some extent?
Cheers !!!
Cheers indeed RdM Duty free alcohol into DXB is 4 litres pp. Wife and I sprung for a mix of spirits and wine - as there was a deal of an extra 10% discount for 10 bottles! (staying a while and helping restock daughter and husbands cellar) Plenty of different beers in Duty Free, but limited beers choice in hotels/restaurants /bars. Son-in-law travels in/out of DXB frequently, so has a decent selection of beers at home. Only craft beers I've seen is at a Craft beer bar 'airside' at DXB airport. Western drinkers are well catered for - all good hotels/restaurants/bars have alcohol on their menu, for consumption 'on premise' only. What is noticeable is nil alcohol advertising - a refreshing standpoint. What is also noticeable is the very high ratio of expensive exotic cars on the motorways - perhaps in lieu of alcohol spending, they're 'investing' in wheels
Great answer, thanks so much for the information. Friends travel through Dubai annually on their way to elsewhere, they're there now.
I meant to add, after clouds, rain ...
Listening to a bunch of library CDs, some LPs taken out for other posts, some radio bfm concert & segments of national at times too.
Just to keep on topic.
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Post by cooksferry on Jun 25, 2023 16:48:21 GMT 12
Three for Foveaux manly enduring the desert heat while some of us slowly wilt in the cold. Hope your beer is cold enough Along side the Oreti River on the Round the Mountain cycle trail just north of the Lumsden - Te Anau Bridge. We walked, too cold for the bikes. Looking across towards Te Anau and Fiordland. The Oreti was quite low and crystal clear.
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Pundit
Post by papahemi on Jun 25, 2023 17:15:39 GMT 12
No cold beer in desert heat here. Stout at room temp is what is needed. The lake in the front. No crystal clear Ōreti river either: A silt laden Waimatā instead. It seems like the Islands have swopped places!
We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.
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Post by Citroen on Jun 25, 2023 18:32:49 GMT 12
This evening's sunset over Tamaki Makaurau
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Post by foveaux on Jul 6, 2023 5:09:11 GMT 12
Happy Winter Solstice to DL colleagues in Aotearoa! Me? it's 37degrees in DXB @10.30am...phew it's melting ...contemplating a cool one by the pool at our daughter's place, waiting for the sun to get above 'the yard-arm' Headline: "Monday may have set a global record for the hottest day ever. Tuesday broke it." Beijing reported nine straight days last week when the temperature exceeded 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit). 35C...Pussies! you want HOT, heres the 'infernal' forecasted temps here: [we're departing Monday, sneaking out before the upcoming 48C]
"I see music as a lifetime affair." [Rory Gallagher]
"Free - I miss that band, but when I look back, we were very young" [Paul Rodgers]
848 posts
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