Santa has arrived!

Every year around this time of the year, Santa arrives in Auckland. And every year he brings his nice warm red suit. Even though you don’t really need that in summer.

Santa!

Christmas in Summer. Even after three years, it feels weird. Celebrating the first day which is shorter than the previous day. The light of the day is finally going away again.

Santa comes with a big parade, and my girlfriend and me were watching on Mayoral Drive, right were the parade started.

It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year. I couldn’t hear that song any more. Note to Farmers Guy. Find a play list with more than one song. At least for the people who hear it at the beginning for 20 minutes.

And next up, a pipe band. Oh I like those. The bagpipes accompanied with the staccato sound of the snares, and the big bass drum. The first of several. All of them were playing either We're No Awa' Tae Bida Awa, or Scotland the Brave. And the brass bands? We heard Jingle Bells a couple of times. The unintended effect of everyone opening with a classic.

Lots of colourful floats and revellers and cuteness pass by. Of course, a Santa parade in New Zealand wouldn’t be complete without the national icon, the kiwi. A big inflatable kiwi came by, hovering a few meters above the road. But still, officially kiwi’s can’t fly.

Ok, not much pictures this time. Busy watching a parade.

And afterwards? Time for a stroll on Queen Street. By the time we reach Aotea Square, a brass band is marching by, playing You can call me Al. Aha. Note to self. Find spot later on the parade and I’ll probably hear the marching bands play different songs.

Today Queen Street is for pedestrians only.

That’s a lot of people.

It will take a while before cars can return to their natural habitat here. First, the cleaners have to come by. Note to council. Need more trash cans today.

What if one Santa is not enough? No problem. The following Thursday you can join the Santa run. Or, given my physical condition (ahem), a Santa walk. You’ll get a Santa costume, and then you can join about 1000 other Santa’s on their tour on the waterfront.

 And guess what. If you go out for dinner in a Santa costume, people will smile at you.

Welcome to Auckland

So, a few years ago I arrived in Auckland. The city of sails. It was March 2011. My first impression of Auckland? Warm. I boarded the plane in Brussels in around 0°C, to arrive in Auckland in around 25°C. Apparently we were having a hot early fall.

Rotorua

Yesterday after visiting the silica terraces at Orakei Korako we continued driving to Rotorua. There was time for one last stop before sunset, at a place called “Mud Pool”. And when they say mud pool, they mean it:

Taupo

Hi again,

Last weekend was Queen’s Birthday weekend, and I decided to go South, to Rotorua and Taupo. The Queen of England doesn’t actually have her birthday this weekend, but at least on the Northern Hemisphere it should be nice weather this time of the year. Not that the weather over here was bad, but it was quite cold outside.

Hot Water Beach

After the previous post we have arrived on the camping at Hot Water Beach. And the plan is going to the beach tomorrow morning.

The Coromandel Peninsula East Coast

One very famous natural attraction in New Zealand is Hot Water Beach. So, at the weekend of Auckland Anniversary day, I decided to finally go for it. So off I go, first exploring the east coast of the peninsula, and then put up my tent at Hot Water Beach.

Down Under

So, how’s life in New Zealand?