Hibiscus

Spider's Catch II

I leaned out of the window to take this picture and pointed the camera back at myself. It was only when I looked at the photo afterwards on screen that I realised that the spider had disappeared. I anxiously checked the front of the camera to make sure that it hadn't hopped on board.

Spider's Catch I

I think the prey is a stink bug - bad for vegetables, good for spiders.

Starfish

Tern Tantrum

At Muriwai, last weekend, we happened across this mother tern and tern chick. I suspect that mother tern had banned baby tern from going out on its own.



After some very bad-tempered squawking, the chick stalked off, striking a blow for independence.

Can you tell what it is yet?

Clue 1:

Clue 2:

Clue 3:

Clue 4:

Moody Muriwai

The rocks in the foreground are black volcanic rock - but they're also covered in tiny mussel shells, making them jet black.

Growing Gannets

Peer closely at this picture and you should be able to see at least three ages of gannet.

The Hermitage

Look at this little creature that we found in the rock pools at Muriwai... Definitely not a soft shell crab.

Muriwai Surf

Sun, sea, sand and shells

Cruising By

Late Evening at Long Bay

Tumbleweed on the tideline

Headed down to the beach after week and found these strange plants rolling around on the sands.

Weird Weather

Back home after our trip home - from heavy snow to torrential rain...

Hong Kong Highlights II

Felt a little more lively today and so we hopped onto the Star Ferry to cross the harbour and visit Hong Kong Island.


Still a little lazy though, we took the lift to the 46th floor of the Bank of China Tower...



...and then rode the mid-level escalators to the Jamia Mosque and the Manmo Temple...



We wandered back to the ferry terminal via the dried seafood street...



...and had a bit of a sleep before going to the Super Star Seafood Restaurant for dinner. James was feeling daring and so ordered duck's webbed feet and abalone and shark's fin soup. Tut tut tut.



More photos online...

Hong Kong Highlights I

Arrived into Hong Kong this morning and after dropping our bags, headed up Nathan Road to explore Kowloon. We checked out the electronics and visited the goldfish market but managed to make it back to the YMCA empty handed.

After a bit of a nap, we went next door to the Peninsula Hotel for cocktails in the penthouse bar and then nipped back to our room to take up our front row seats for the Sound and Light Show.

Tuning our radio to the relevant channel, we sat back and admired the skyscrapers across the harbour as they targeted laser beams and searchlights at the cloudy sky, trying not to think about the resulting carbon footprint.



You can find more photos of our adventures online here.

Frost

Leaving the cold behind tomorrow to head east to Hong Kong...

Waterloo Sunshine

London from the Air

No snow left down south.

2009 Space Odyssey

We had a remarkable end to the decade - a lunar corona. Let's hope that the 2010s are just as special.

Happy New Year!