Grandad's photos

In the last two days I was with a group of business people from USA, Australia, Holland, UK, who were all part of a group that share ideas to improve their lives and businesses. This trip was all unplanned, for people whose lives are always totally planned. They didn't find out what was happening until about an hour before it happened. The first day I took them to remote Karekare beach, near Piha where they went surf-boating with the surf club, walked in a rain forest, were ambushed by Maori warriors and had hangi and spit-roasted lamb.



The next day I took them to Ardmore, where they had rides in the Warbirds Yaks and Harvards, off in formation for simulated bombing attacks on a Gulf island.



Due to crosswinds, the 'tail-dragger' Harvards could not be used until about 3pm when 4 of them also did the bombing runs. There were some pretty big smiles after each plane returned, pity 'busso' didn't get a go. Then it was out to the airport for a ride into Wellington on a bad weather day, in a chartered Boeing 737 with motion-sickness pills in demand.



The Warbird pilots get their weather information from this stone.

The bus tour had a free day in Paihia today so I took the ferry to Russell and walked up Flagstaff Hill, (the one Hone Heke cut down four times). Great views towards Paihia and out to sea. A nice chat to a camper-vanning Dutchman and his wife, from Haarlem.



Some seagull shots around the Russell wharf. The brown gull is a juvenile black-backed gull, they take 2 years to get the adult colours. But what a great dragon shirt that guy has, I had one just like that with red dragons....





Back in Paihia I walked up to the lookout in the hills, more good views and I came upon this little bird, I thought it was a fantail but I think it maybe is a wren.

I took a busload of Japanese students to Muriwai for the day, and had the chance to take a few snaps.



Surfers were having fun, except for this guy.



Rock fishing is safe, isn't it?


Ready ... ... Go!