Orbiter bus

This is the Orbiter bus, which "orbits" around town! This one is passing through a roundabout in quite a hurry.

Sport fields

Rugby is very popular in New Zealand, but it has been a difficult season to play the game. The continuous rain has made the fields virtually unplayable.

Protea

Protea is both the botanical name and the English common name of a genus of flowering plants, sometimes also called sugarbushes. It is the national emblem of South Africa. This photo is of a protea bush in my garden here in New Zealand!

The egg of magic

I discovered this egg in my garden. It's an unusual colour, so maybe it's a magical egg?

Yesterday the sun, today the moon ...

Hamilton sky & sun

After the incessant rain, the open blue skies and piercing sun are very welcome!

It looks like spring!

We've had two lovely sunny days in succession. Even the plants in my garden are appreciating the sun!

Symmetr(ee)

I think the post title and the photo speak for themselves ...

Spot the bird!!

Can you spot the little bird?

Car spotting

I love to stand on the foot bridge and watch the speeding cars below.

Action!

This reporter and camera person were covering the kayaking event that I showed in yesterday's photo. She appeared very animated and enthusiastic whilst reporting about the event, although you wouldn't say so judging by this photo!

Kayaking

These youngsters were participating in some sort of outdoor pursuit programme which required them to do some kayaking! They didn't appear to be enjoying themselves very much, but perhaps they were just determined to get the job done without losing their balance. The boy standing up was easily overtaken by the boys in yellow. It seems that standing up is not the best way of kayaking!

Of planes and cows

I love the fact that in New Zealand, cows and planes can co-exist in such close proximity to each other. This is a photo taken at Hamilton Airport.

Hamilton Peace Wall (2)

This is a photo showing where the Wall is located in Garden Place, Victoria Street.

Hamilton's Peace Wall

This is a shot of some of the individual squares making up Hamilton's wall of peace. It was erected and opened in 1986 in commemoration of the International Year of Peace.

Swollen river

Because of the rain, the Waikato river had risen to near record levels a while back. The situation is much better now, but this photo shows that the river is still swollen!

Sudoku at the airport

This is a snapshot of me waiting for my plane back to Hamilton. On the desk is a copy of my newest Sudoku acquisition. I am crazy about it and complete a large number of grids every day!

Is spring in the air?

Although it's still raining, it would appear that spring has sprung! This plant is blooming in my garden. The yellow and white colours contrast beautifully.

Reading the paper

This young lad seems very interested in what's in the newspaper. Maybe he's the editor of the paper ...

What, no horses allowed?

I find it hilarious that it is necessary for a sign to stipulate that horses and motorcycles are not allowed on a foot bridge that leads over a motorway! Are there really people who would actually attempt to cross a foot bridge on horseback?

Charles the younger

This young kitten's name is Charles. He belongs to one of my colleagues, who has a whole menangerie of animals, including ducks, cats & dogs. She sometimes brings one or more of them to work on her way to or from the vet. Here is Charles on her desk.

Walkway

The sun peeking through the bare branches of these trees is a beautiful sight. It is one of my favourite walkways in Hamilton.

The Queen's hive

I am in Wellington at the moment, and thought it appropriate to post a photograph of the seat of government, the Beehive. Hello Helen!

Social commentary or vandalism?

This was written on the side of a study cubicle: "God gives and forgives; man gets and forgets". Social commentary or vandalism?

Fetch!

This Rottweiler was having the time of his life playing fetch with a tree branch. He was just loving it!

Hamilton vista

Today was a beautiful rain free day in Hamilton.

A pastoral scene

Sometimes, when one needs a pick-me-up, a pastoral scene like this one is just the ticket.

Souvenir spoon

I love my morning espresso, especially if it's served with a cute souvenir spoon!

Pizza!

Sometimes, one is not in the mood to cook, and then one has ... PIZZA!

A lovely brook

There is a lovely little brook close to my house. When I go for my daily walk, I always try and go past there. I find the sound of the water very relaxing and soothing.

Winter sky

The sky and the bare branches of this tree tell the cold and wet tale of winter.

Coffee a la Che

I bet his coffee has a "special" edge to it ...

I want to go on holiday!

I feel like a holiday, but there's no chance of that happening any time soon, so I'm posting one of my favourite photos of Hong Kong, which is one of my favourite holiday destinations!

The beautiful Waikato sky

The sky over Waikato is always so fresh and blue, except when it rains! The colours are amazing.

Only in New Zealand

Honestly, only in New Zealand does a stuffed lamb feature next to a car advertisement in a shop window. I love this place!

Elevator footprints

The footprints on the floor of the elevator made me wonder about the people who had been in the elevator before me.

Horse and rider

I went for long walk and discovered that there are horse stables just down the road from me! Here, one of the horses is put through its paces.

Hole in one!

A young golfer completes his follow through at the golf course just across the river from my house.

Colours of autumn

The colours of autumn was very vibrant, as evidenced by this tree in Hamilton's Centre Place - essentially the town square.

Pimp my ride!

I wonder whether the flamed rims make the car go faster?

Which way?

Which way to go? For someone not familiar with the area, these signs could potentially be quite confusing!

Misty river

A view of the Waikato River upstream towards the Claudelands bridge.

Dirty Harry!

I spotted this sign on one of my walks. I didn't see the dog, but I certainly heard him! I intend to never make his day.

Bridge jam

One of the greatest problems of a town that is bisected by a river is that it can take ages to get across to the other side. There are only five bridges that link the western side of town with the eastern side. This is the roundabout just before the Fairfield bridge.

Moving house

I moved house this week. It was a bit crazy, but I'm all settled into the new place now. Broadband was installed yesterday. Goodness, what did we ever do before the internet?

Cigar Room

I had lunch at an interesting buffet restaurant the other day. I was intrigued by the sign that read "Cigar Room" and walked closer to inspect. Great was my surprise upon discovering that the cigar room was in fact the alley way! (Note the EXIT sign below the Cigar Room sign.) I couldn't help but chuckle.

A Perfect Mess

It is the title of one of the books I am reading, and also the state of my house at present. I am moving house and chaos reigns. I have another day to get everything sorted out before the removal truck comes. Wish me luck!

Entrance hall

My walking stick has pride of place in my entrance hall. I don't use it as a walking aide, but I enjoy swinging it about when I walk, especially late at night. The cat head is part of an ornament that doubles as a seat - provided you don't weight more than a pixie fairy!

August Theme Day: Metal

This atom ball is located outside the entrance to one of the buildings on the Waikato University campus. It is a permanent fixture. The photo below gives a better indication of its real size. I love the reflection. On sunny days, the rays of sun bouncing off it make a magnificent spectacle.

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