islands | Hello from the Five Star Vagabond

New Zealand Holiday 1991

September 22, 2020 by David Herd

This is not a travel blog just a personal photo collection from 1991.

New Zealand Holiday 1991 in Auckland & the Bay of Islands in the north. My girlfriend at the time Karen Greenwood was a kiwi, we travelled with her mother & enjoyed beautiful countryside.

In the shot above I’m wandering around Auckland looking for a pub. 🙂

New Years Eve 1991

As you can see Karen was a beautiful looking lady with a gorgeous smile. We knocked around together for a year or so, our reasons were a little different. I was happy having a gorgeous babe on my arm, Karen stuck around because I loaned her a car. 🙂 🙂 🙂

The lovely seaside village of Russel.

Russell, known as Kororareka in the early 19th century, was the first permanent European settlement and seaport in New Zealand. It is situated in the Bay of Islands.

The jetty in Russell

This is where we boarded a charter boat for a couple of days cruising around the islands.

What a fabulous boat.

I could be very happy living on this with a bert at Marina Mirage on the Gold Coast. 🙂

What a fabulous babe. 🙂

Absolutely beautiful.

We caught up again in 2017

Here we are at Frank’s seafood on Chevron Island. It’s amazing that these photos were taken 26 years apart yet Karen has hardly changed at all.

Three generations

Karen’s Mum & her daughter Natasha.

Happy faces on the boat.

The ship’s captain was Karen’s mother’s boyfriend.

New Zealand Holiday 1991

Right at the top of this beautiful country.

Thanks for visiting my New Zealand Holiday 1991 photo blog.

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Split Dubrovnik Croatian coast

May 10, 2015 by David Herd

Leaving Split

Split Dubrovnik Croatian coast

Split Dubrovnik Croatian coast, five hours hugging the coast by bus. You must cross Bosnia around the coastal town of Neum just north of Dubrovnik.

The fleet

The coastal route takes a little longer but I’m guessing it is more interesting.

Mountains hug the coast

I’m certainly glad I decided on the coast road to Dubrovnik, the scenery is excellent.

Split Dubrovnik Croatian coast

Lots of small villages squeezed between the mountains and the sea.

Halfway between Split and Dubrovnik

So far no traffic problems and the bus driver seems quite competent. 🙂

Small rail big drop

That safety rail does nit seem high enough for my liking.

Neum in Bosnia

Neum is the only coastal town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It comprises 24.5 km of coastline, the country’s only access to the Adriatic Sea. In 2009 the municipal population was 4,605 and in 1991 the population of Neum town was 4,268.

Neum

Neum has steep hills, sandy beaches, and several large tourist hotels. Prices tend to be lower than in neighboring Croatia, making it popular with shoppers. Tourism, and the commerce it brings, is the leading contributor to the economy of the area. Border formalities with Croatia are relaxed at peak times. Neum has around 5,000 beds for tourists, 1,810 in hotels with the remaining capacity in motels, villas, and in private accommodation. Tourism in Neum is active only in the coastal region. The inland area behind Neum has a rich archaeological history and untouched wilderness and is starting to develop agricultural tourism.

Lunch break in Nuem

Time for a sandwich and a coffee before the final leg to Dubrovnik.

Neum in Bosnia

The scenery so far has not varied too much at all. It seems like a nice quiet place to live.

Franjo Tuđman Bridge

On the edge of Dubrovnik is this wonderful structure. The original bridge design was developed in 1989, however construction was stopped at the onset of the Croatian War of Independence.

Franjo Tuđman Bridge

This bus trip will finish a couple of kms over the bridge.

Dubrovnik

My first glimpse of this ancient city, I’m getting excited.

Pile gate Dubrovnik

Well here I am, now if I can only find my apartment. Many thanks for visiting my Split Dubrovnik Croatian coast photo blog.

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Ha Long Bay Vietnam is magic.

October 17, 2013 by David Herd

Halong-Bay-Limestone-islands-boats-caves-Vietnam

Ha Long Bay Vietnam is a magic place.

Ha Long Bay Vietnam

Ha Long Bay Vietnam is magic, only 3 hours from Hanoi, there are many boat trips available however I suggest you spend at least one night aboard to enjoy the mystical atmosphere of one of the great travel destinations. If you try to do it in one day too much time is wasted traveling to & from Hanoi, so take your time and enjoy this wonderful part of Vietnam.

Ha Long Bay is around 1,553 km², including about 2,000 islets, most are limestone. The limestone in this bay has gone through 500 million years of formation in different conditions and environments.

Ha Long Bay Vietnam

The evolution in this bay has taken 20 million years and was formed by the forces of their tropical wet climate.

Tour boat on Ha Long Bay.

The boats are comfortable and spacious.

Floating school on Ha Long Bay.

One of the most interesting schools I have ever seen.

The entire community lives, eats, sleeps on the beautiful emerald coloured water.

The bay consists of a dense cluster of over 3,000 limestone islands each topped with jungle vegetation, rising spectacularly from the sea. Several of the islands are hollow, with enormous caves. Hang Đầu Gỗ (Wooden stakes cave) is the largest grotto in the Hạ Long area. Its three large chambers contain large numerous stalactites and stalagmites. There are two bigger islands, Tuần Châu and Cat Ba, that have people permanently living there, there are tourist facilities as well as hotels and beaches.

Our guide on Ha Long Bay.

The guide was more of a deck hand. 🙂

A lonely rower on Ha Long Bay Vietnam

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David Herd on Ha Long Bay Vietnam

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Living aboard

It’s obviously washing day.

Life on Ha Long bay is fascinating.

Thien Cung grotto

Thien Cung Grotto is at the height of 25 meters above the sea level. Visiting the grotto, tourists will feel like visiting an art museum with variety of sophisticated statues and reliefs. In the center of the grotto, there are four big pillars propping against the roof.

The grotto has been recently discovered by explorers. Thien Cung Grotto is considered to be one of the most beautiful caves on Ha Long Bay.

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