These are photos from my trip to Auckland, New Zealand in November of 2011.
Click on the photos to see full-sized versions (1200 x 797). Once a photo has been opened, you will be able to view all of the photos in a lightbox viewer, using arrow keys or your mouse to navigate. 30 photos.
Just an ordinary day in Auckland Harbor. Wait, what’s that over there?
Oi!
I was working only a few blocks away in a building that overlooks the harbor. On that morning, I noticed several people suddenly rush to the windows to look out. One of them said, “Did you hear? A helicopter has crashed!” I tried to see, but a building was blocking my view. So, I grabbed my camera and rushed down the street. I was on the scene just a few minutes after it occurred.
This stunning video shows the accident. It looks like it is a special effect from a movie, but it’s not. Thankfully, the pilot (and bystanders) walked away.
2011 Auckland ITU Triathalon World Cup.
Andrea Hewitt, the eventual winner of the triathlon.
Occupy Auckland.
Occupy Auckland prepares for a protest march.
A pretty girl walks in front of my lens and proves why I could never be a serious photojournalist.
And now back to coverage of the Occupy Movement, possibly the most substantial sociopolitical protest movement of my lifetime. I wonder where that girl went. She sure was pretty.
The new Whitcoulls Santa stands 20m over the intersection of Queen Street and Victoria Street. The old version of Santa was a tragic thing named the Most Unintentionally Creepy Christmas Ornament in the world.
Finally going INTO the Sky Tower for the first time to have dinner with my team at Orbit, the tower’s revolving restaurant.
But first, a stop at the WETA display – basically, geek heaven featuring a life-size Na’vi.
Tintin at the WETA display. This was months before the release of the movie and I’m ashamed to admit it, but the first I had even heard of it (the movie, not Tintin – I have been a Tintin fan, since I was a child).
Going up into the tallest tower in the Southern Hemisphere.
Myself, Joe Terahata, and Jainendra Kumar enjoying ourselves after dinner at Orbit.
Joe takes advantage of the SkyScope fixed viewers on the observation deck of the Auckland Sky Tower.
The view of Auckland City Hall and the Occupy Auckland camp through the SkyScope.
My neighborhood in Auckland. Vodafone, two of my apartments, Victoria Park (Taste of Auckland Food Festival, Audi A1 Arena), and Auckland Fish Market can be seen here.
The WETA exhibit was so cool, we went back again after dinner. Joe takes a closer look at a life-size Nazgûl.
A game of bocce at the Alcatel-Lucent Christmas party.
A very competitive game of bocce.
The Bay of Islands.
Get Fudged in Kerikeri, Bay of Islands.
The candy shelves at Get Fudged.
My rental car at Te Oneroa-a-TÅhÄ“, or Ninety Mile Beach.
The Cape Reinga Lighthouse near the furthest northern point of New Zealand. The lighthouse stands over Te Rerenga Wairua, where the Tasman Sea crashes into the Pacific Ocean.
Distances from the Cape Reinga Lighthouse.
TÄne Mahuta, the largest tree in New Zealand. This ancient kauri tree is likely to have been alive before the birth of Christ. Despite my efforts, I could not capture the enormity of this tree with my camera. It is so massive that it would be easy to believe that it was a model that WETA created for Avatar. It didn’t seem real. But being in the presence of a living thing that big and that old inspired a hushed awe from the visitors as we breathed-in its ancient oxygen. The numbers? This tree is 45m tall and 15m wide. For the Americans – this tree is 50 feet wide! Tree nerds can go here.
My first fish – a beautiful Red Snapper.
This is one of things it turned into.
Look at that lovely sign.
Please pin, tweet, and share! Most importantly, let me know what you think in the comments below.
