"My mind sees that I am nothing, my heart sees that I am everything, between these two poles my life unfolds."

Monday, May 21, 2012

As The Crow Flies

Monday greetings, I trust your weekend was enjoyable - it was a long weekend here and a lot of people are still off work today - hopefully you're one of them :) I thought I'd share a few more pics today from our recent trip. When we were on our flight out of Sydney, Australia to Auckland, New Zealand, I was able to quickly snap these. 




These next eight are from when we were approaching New Zealand. 
Needless to say, I was pretty excited (& overtired) by this point!  





The scenery was truly magnificent.




This grassy mound (about 5 kilometres from downtown Auckland) caught my eye at the time. I've since found out that it is Mt. Eden, a dormant volcanic cinder cone whose summit (196 metres above sea level) is the highest natural point on the Auckland isthmus (narrow strip of land with water on both sides). A cinder cone or scoria cone is a steep conical hill of tephra (volcanic debris) that accumulates around and downwind from a volcanic vent. The bowl-like crater is 50 metres deep. This volcano last erupted some 28,000 years ago.


Mt. Eden (one of about 50 volcanoes in the Auckland volcanic field), is one of Auckland's most famous landmarks and is a great viewpoint for 360* views arond the city. Apparently because of the type of volcanoes in the this volcanic field, Mt Eden and any of the other existing volcanoes in the area will not likely erupt again.


Mt Eden, or Maunga-whau (the 'Mountain of the Whau tree' in Māori) was one of the most important Māori sites in the Auckland area. They lived here from about 800 years ago, building a pa (fortified village site) which was eventually abandoned in the 1700s. The cone and crater of Mt Eden are protected by law and visitors are asked to respect the sacredness and geological significance of the area by not climbing down into the crater.

32 comments:

  1. Lovely pictures. I always find it so exciting coming into land at a place I haven't been too before. Catching those first glimpses of land is such a thrill.

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    1. So true Tracey - when we were flying over the mountains from Vancouver to Edmonton on the last lag of our trip, I was thinking just how incredibly beautiful the world is from on high.

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  2. How breath taking! But so far away. I wonder how the first Europeans felt when they settled in NZ? Actually now that I think about it, I've just realized I don't know who they were. Some dim grade school memory suggests they were Scots. Maybe from the Highland clearances??

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    1. It was the good old British Empire - doing that thing they did so well - invading, lol!

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  3. Great photos, Jane! It's very exciting as the plane gets ready to land, isn't it? I love that the area is surrounded by water like that; makes it that much more beautiful. It must be comforting to the citizens that the volcanoes in the area are not likely to erupt again.

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    1. Thanks Martha - they turned out better than I'd hoped. I was pretty fired up, I must say. The fact that the volcanoes are not likely to erupt again would be a good selling feature, lol!

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  4. Fantastic Jane...wonderful looking out the plane window and seeing down below and even better if you get a good photo as you have, well done.

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    1. Thanks whiteangel, I was really pleased with how they turned out.

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    1. I agree, I love all the colours in the water in that first one best of all.

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  6. What a thrill you must have felt, to see such a beautiful place coming into view, after all those hours of flying. You got some excellent shots as you approached for landing.

    I was wondering if the round storage buildings in the first two pictures are a refinery.

    The colour of the water and the lay of the land are just beautiful. Interesting about the extinct volcano that likely will never erupt ever again. That would be comforting to me if I lived there. I can only imagine the view from Mt. Eden!

    I'm sure the first colonists thought they were in Eden when they saw the beauty of the place.

    More pictures are now a must Jane.....lol

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    1. I was even more thrilled to get my feet back on solid ground, lol! It's an amazing achievement if you think of how far & fast we are able to travel - & watch a movie all at the same time!

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  7. So cool, Jane! I'm green, positively green, with envy that you got to go to New Zealand!

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    1. Debra, I feel exactly the same way about your recent trip to Japan. That must have been a dream come true for you and your Rare One :)

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  8. What a beautiful country. Though not likely is not enough assurance for me to buy a house next to a dormant volcano!

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    1. Hehe, I think the whole country is basically a dormant volcano... we saw geysers, mud pools and steam rising everywhere we went. I just tried not to think about it.

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  9. Hi Jane - oh my, amazing pictures - fascinating journey. I was thrilled to go with you :-)
    Love Gail
    peace....

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    1. Ahhhh, Thanks Gail. If only I could have taken you along with me :)

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  10. Such amazing view from the plane! I always try to take photos from the plane when we are getting close to landing, but never turns out as good as your photos, Jane! So glad that you had such an amazing trip!

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    1. Hi Elisabeth, I usually try to get a few shots if I'm on a flight. The world looks so amazing up there - I especially love the patchwork of farmer's fields.

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  11. Mt Eden is beautiful - stunning views across the city :D Great photos Jane :D

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    1. Thanks Annie, I was quite intrigued by that large green mound when we flew over - you really can't miss it! The green everywhere we went was so brilliant - and considering NZ is just heading into winter, I can only imagine it during spring and summer months.

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  12. Your photos are always breathtaking, Jane. And all I can ever come up with to say is WOW!! It is fun to look out of the plane and look down at the the clouds, to me. I know you must have had a wonderful time! Thanks for sharing your beautiful pictures.

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    1. I really appreciate your kind words Dorothy and thank you for stopping by to see them :)

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  13. I am so impressed by your photos taken from the airplane!! There is always an adorable person behind me kicking my seat, or someone jostling my elbow or a baby throwing up on me, can you tell how much I love to fly?
    That Mt. Eden, WOW, I would love to see that, I can just imagine the views.
    Thanks for this post. Makes me want to go to New Zealand!

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    1. Hi Kay, I have to admit that I was very pleased with how all of the colours turned out and considering how fast we were moving - how clear things are.

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  14. Wow...absolutely gorgeous..such spellbinding beauty!These photos are so entrancing..thankyou for sharing these Jane!! FABULOUS!
    Victoria

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    1. Thanks so much Victoria! I appreciate your kind words :)

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  15. Love these photos!! It's so interesting to watch the topography out a plane window!!

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    1. Hi Dianne, Isn't it though? I especially love to see how the farmland is all divided up - it looks like a quilt.

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