Aotearoa: Land of the Long White Cloud

New Zealand is also known as Aotearoa-it's name means Land of the long White Cloud in the indigenous Maori language which is our second language.

We have just been plunged into total lockdown as the Delta variant of Covid has finally got thru our border control from Australia, where in Sydney the pandemic is causing havoc-with over 600 new community cases yesterday-and getting worse. We in N.Z. have enjoyed six months since our last low level lockdown and thought we had the virus under control with our vaccine roll out and strict border control. How wrong we were!
So here we are restricted to our houses with no contact to others except for food, medical needs or exercise only in our neighbourhood.Masks must be worn everywhere.
I know lots of you will have been or continue to be in some form of lockdown. It is a depressing and anxious time when we don't know how long this enforced constraint on our freedom of movement will last.It is unnatural to live like this but it is the only way to beat the Delta variant.
People have to work from home and businesses have to shut. Economic uncertainty puts a strain on everyone and people with kids suddenly have to keep them occupied as schools are shut.
So I have a lot of time on my hands, and I have decided to go thru my images and post a few to keep me active and pass the day. This keeps me positive and this post is roughly based on the theme of Aotearoa, Land of the Long White Cloud-there will be clouds in most images which I hope show how we got this name.

This is a view of Rangitoto,the dormant volcano in the middle of Auckland's beautiful harbour.It's name means sky blood which is what the Maoris saw when it erupted 800 years ago. Being dormant means it could blow again-which would mean goodnight nurse for Auckland!The mushrooms are actually painted air vents for underground bunkers built for a communication centre used during the second world war.

Karekare Wilderness Reserve an hour west of Auckland. Seeing images like this reminds me of how beautiful N. Z. is and how precious places like this are.In lockdown we can only dream of being out in the wild which is so close but so far.It also makes me grateful that I took the time in the covid free time over our Summer to get out there and savour the freedom we has while it lasted.

Kawa Kawa bay,a popular fishing wharf an hour south east of Auckland.

The west coast an hour west of Auckland is a place of rugged beauty and wild beaches.This image captures the mood of the coast on a stormy day.

The Tasman sea between N.Z. and Australia-two hours away by plane,fondly called crossing the ditch.Taken on a cliff track in the Waitakere ranges west of Auckland.

Morning mist at sunrise at Bethell's beach west coast.

Downtown Auckland at the harbour waterfront district-full of cafes,bars and restaurants that look out onto the harbour.

A kite surfer at Orewa beach,40 minutes north of Auckland on the east coast.Auckland lies on a narrow isthmus which separates the two ocean coasts by only a few kilometres in places.At some spots you can view the two oceans which border New Zealand only kilometrees apart.

A walking track with spectacular views of the west coast beaches of the Waitakere ranges near Auckland.Note the unusually covered soil of the west coast cliffs.

Another view of Rangitoto volcano in Auckland's Waitemata harbour.The volcano is almost perfectly circular and so looks almost identical from wherever you view it.

And finally some of the clouds which rise up before storms and help give Aotearoa it's name. I hope you enjoyed these images of New Zealand and some of it's beautiful landscape. If you are in lockdown I know how it feels, having been there three times already myself. Keep active, be kind to each other and maybe look through some photos you have to create posts or make you appreciate the freedom you had when you took them. We will have those times again...eventually. This virus will always be with us,it is a matter of vaccination and patience. God bless!