Category: Oceania

A region of the world including Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, and the Pacific islands.

Devonport New Zealand in a day trip

Devonport New Zealand

If you would like to spend a few hours in a picturesque seaside village in New Zealand, not too far from the city, then Devonport is the place for you.  Built on the lava flows of a dormant volcano, it is just 12 minutes from Auckland by ferry, yet it is a world away from the hustle and bustle of city life.  Popular cafes and boutique shops fill Victorian buildings, while parks and beaches provide beautiful scenery to be enjoyed.  You can climb to the top of the dormant volcano for some magic views out over the water with the Auckland cityscape as a backdrop. 

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Ramada Suites Albany New Zealand

Ramada Suites Albany

254 Cornerstone Dr, Albany, New Zealand.  

I thoroughly enjoyed my 5 night stay at the Ramada Suites Albany in New Zealand.  My accommodation was on the third floor in a one bedroom apartment.  Located close to the Northern Motorway, it was a very easy 35 minute drive up from Auckland Airport to the hotel.  Reception staff were very helpful, and parking was readily available at the location. 

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48 Hours in Melbourne

Flinders St Station

Melbourne is such an interesting city!  It is the perfect place for a quick city break, with a long list of things that you can choose from to entertain you while you are there.  Situated on the Yarra River, the capital city is a harmonious blend of heritage and modernity.  Bars, plazas, restaurants, cafes, theatres, museums, galleries, 19th century grand old shopping arcades, modern skyscraper buildings, and trams! 

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Melbourne Laneways & Covered Arcades

Royal Arcade is Melbournes oldest covered arcade

One of the things I love about the city of Melbourne is that it has really interesting buildings.  Beautifully preserved heritage buildings coexist with modern constructions in perfect harmony.  Wide streets lined with plane trees are intersected by narrow alleys and laneways, while the ever-present sound of tram bells clanging ring through the city linking past to present.

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Street Art in Melbourne

ACDC Lane

Art can be found in many different forms.  Street art is a form of visual art that has been created in public spaces, such as on the walls of buildings or on roadway infrastructure like underpasses or noise barriers.  It is contemporary art which conveys the artist’s message for the general public to see and comprehend.  It is often a subject of controversy when it is undertaken without the consent of the owner of the walls upon which it is created.  

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The Royal Exhibition Building & Carlton Gardens – Melbourne

The Royal Exhibition Building

The Royal Exhibition Building was built in 18 months for the purpose of hosting Melbourne’s 1880 International Exhibition, and it then held a subsequent Centennial Exhibition in 1888.  Both the building and the surrounding gardens were designed by architect Joseph Reed, and they were inscribed into the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2004.  The building is constructed in the shape of a cross with a majestic central dome, and large archway entrances with fanlight windows on each side.  When it was built it was the largest building in Australia and the tallest building in Melbourne.

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“Do you remember The Shire Mr Frodo?”

Bag End Hobbiton

We had set out on a day trip from Auckland to go and see a thermal village in Rotorua.  It’s a bit of a hike, but there were three of us to share the driving so we took the opportunity.  (We actually hadn’t intended on visiting the Hobbiton Movie set!) About halfway there we ran into some road work and had to go on a detour through the countryside.  As we were driving along we were all thinking to ourselves about how much it looked like the scenery from the Hobbit movie. 

One of us wondered out loud and then we all said we had been thinking the same thing.  A quick search on Google showed that we were, in fact, very close to the Hottiton Movie set!  Since we had no pressing deadlines to meet (the absolute bliss of being on holidays) we changed course and stopped in for a visit at the movie set in Matamata in New Zealand, to see what we could see.

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Street Art in Western Australia

Numbat in Fremantle

As I was walking around the city of Perth, admiring the buildings, I glanced down a laneway and a burst of colour at the end caught my attention.  I went back to the laneway, later on, curious to see what it was.  To my surprise, many of the walls of the buildings in the lane had interesting pieces painted on them.  What a find, and completely by chance, which made it so much fun to see!

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Hotham Valley Railway – Dwellingup

Hotham Valley Railway 945

The Hotham Valley Railway at Dwellingup is a place that you can go to experience what rail travel was like in the golden age of steam.  The team of volunteers work hard to give you an enjoyable day out.  The town of Dwellingup is a 40 minute drive from Mandurah, Western Australia.

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Oahu – Hawaiian Island Infatuation

Waikiki Beach Oahu

Oahu is the third largest Hawaiian Island, after Hawaii and Maui, and is home to the state capital Honolulu.  Oahu is categorised into five regions: Honolulu, Central Oahu, Leeward Coast, Winward Coast and the North Shore.  Each region has a different character – from laidback surf towns to cosmopolitan city life, fine dining and diverse shopping options.

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