Felix and I had a 15 hour layover in Taipei (between our 2 twelve hour flights). Here is part of the Longshan Temple, tucked in between towering, modern buildings.
It poured down rain the whole time we were in Taipei. Felix crashed on his mountain bike and brook his foot a few weeks before he left, so he was on crutches with a cast for the whole trip. But before we left, I made him a cast cover...
I sewed the cover out of an old running jacket. (It's upside down here for some reason).
The cast cover really caught on in Taipei.
We spent 2 1/2 weeks on the North Island of New Zealand, camping on the beaches. This is Tawharanui Regional Park. Most of the beaches were just like this: beautiful and empty.
We visited my friends Jock and Karen Whitley, who I lived with 10 years ago when I did my student teaching in Waiuku. This is Jock at the beach near his house - Whangarei Heads.
Whangarei Heads.
Karen also broke her foot just before Christmas! Karen and Felix were crutch buddies.
Karen has an incredible garden, which spills down the hill behind their house and ends in their own mystical patch of bush.
Fish and chips over the water in Mangonui
Our trusty little camper van and the great empty beach which was our home for the night in Tauranga Bay.
Matai Bay, with a great little DOC campground tucked back in the hills. Only a few dachs dotted the landscape, like this little guy at sunset.
Arai-te-Uru Reserve, near Omapere, New Zealand. This is an inlet from the sea. We're standing on a pretty high cliff and across the channel is a massive sand dune.
Tane Mahuta - "Lord of the Forest". The larges known Kauri tree, 51 meters high, is 1,500-2,500 years old. I'm standing at the base as a reference. Waipoua Forest.
Wide endless beach, packed sand, totally empty...the locals were big on driving down the beach to go fishing. Baylys Beach.
Baylys Beach, where we stayed the night.
Baylys Beach.
Lots of little Portuguese Man 'o Wars dotted the sand.
Hot times in Kerosene Creek, a natural hot springs near Lake Taupo.
Huka Falls and the mighty Waikato River. I'm standing in the far left corner with my arm up, as a reference. This was close to Ried's Park, where we camped by the side of the river for free.
Wellington on Christmas Day - what a great city!
We missed Chelsea and Dave at Cafe Racer, so we went them big hugs through space!
Christmas Day camp on Foxton Beach. Driving on the beach was so popular, there were posted speed limits.
We camped on the beach in Opunake, one of the great surf breaks around Mt. Taranaki.
We woke up to sunshine in Opunake and started driving up the volcano. Here's the road to the ranger station - the impenetrable forest crowding the edge of the road seemed more a wall than trees and ferns.
The forest around Dawson Falls, Mt. Taranaki. Incredibly lush - clumps of moss hanging off every available branch.
near Dawson Falls, Mt. Taranaki.
Crutchie checks out the pools near Dawson Falls - pretty good hike for a guy on only one leg!
Swing bridge!
100m down to the river below the swing bridge...
Waingongoro Hut, Mt. Taranaki - cool little place sleeps 16 people, first come, first served.
Breakfast at Manu Bay, Raglan!
The coast of Raglan.
The coast of Raglan.
The coast of Raglan.
The West Coast Beach along the Awhitu Peninsula - one of my first and most vivid memories of New Zealand, 10 years ago. This was a few km from Waiuku, where I did my student teaching.
Going back to Taipei for another 15 hour layover on the way home was a bit of a culture shock.
Taipei 101 - 2nd largest building in the world - woah!
Taipei Botanical Gardens.
