Only in New Zealand...

Would they have a milk flavored candy:

Eye Candy part II

Bay of Islands
Driving from Christchurch to Queenstown
Hiking in Queenstown
About to take flight from Queenstown
From the air, as we head to Milford Sound

Eye Candy part I

I'm finally getting around to sharing some more photos from when my parents came to visit; my dad took so many beautiful shots that I had a hard time picking which ones to post. But here are a few of my favorites:

Mom in Albert Park
Karekare
Karekare
Bay of Islands
Bay of Islands

Stay tuned, I'll post more soon

The worlds best places to live 2008

Auckland was ranked 5th in this years round up of the worlds best places to live. Mercer consulting used a variety of factors that measured quality of life to determine the top bunch. While this list may be subjective, I'm inclined to agree with its assessment if Auckland ranks towards the top; it's taken nine months, but am feeling more attached to our new city than I thought I ever would be.

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons why:
http://realestate.msn.com/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=7992217

The Haka

The haka is a traditional Maori dance rich in history and legend. Today, the haka is a vibrant New Zealand cultural icon most well known for being performed by the All Blacks before kick off at rugby matches. It is said to unsettle even the most steel hearted opponents.

Last night we attended the All Blacks match in Auckland and saw the haka for the first time. The intensity and fervor of the performance combined with an arena of charged fans was one of the most memorable tourist experiences I've had since moving here.

The you tube clip below will give you a better idea of what I'm talking about...

All Blacks

Farm Gear with the Wow Factor

As I read in the NZ Herald today, "The Ag Art Wear and Possum Fur Fashion Design Awards, which began 12 years ago, give rural designers the chance to showcase their wearable art from things found on the farm.
Among this year's entries are bodices made of clay targets and dog biscuits, outfits made of shotgun shells, hats fashioned from barbed wire and pretty necklaces of artificial insemination straws."

Well this, you gotta see:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/multimedia/image.cfm?c_id=1501080&objectid=10516078



My personal favorite is 'horny lady' designed by Rebecca Jones.

A late autumn sunset in Auckland