Exploring the Bay - Part Two - The Mount

 The conditions were perfect for walking up Mt Maunganui.  The path gently winds around the hill.

 Great views of the bay, and the blues were all different.

 The view at the top is always fabulous, and Papamoa beach beckoned for the afternoon.

 I was suprised that the pohutukawa was still in flower.

 I always like these rock formations, and today a base jumper opened his parachute just above us.

The steep steps down to the beach.  The water fountain at the bottom was really useful, and we all filled up our water bottles before heading off to Papamoa beach.

Exploring the Bay - Part one The Waterfall

 

 Waterfalls, Mountains, and Beaches, all in one day.

 First on the list was Kaiata Falls, at Welcome Bay, Tauranga.  The urchins explored the stream and managed to stay dry.

 The urchins like how the rocks have been eroded by the water.

 A quick walk down the steeps to the waterfall.  Some hardy children were swimming.  It was too cold for my urchins.

Arboria, Luminarium

 Sensory overload in a pneumatic structure.

Arboria is a luminarium: an inflatable sculpture of light and colour.  It's built like a bouncy castle, but you are inside, and the light comes through.  Very cool, and different.

Green tunnels, blue tunnels, yellow tunnels, pink tunnels, and the red dome was intense.

The main dome is extremely colourful.  We lay on our backs, and just watched the intense colours.

Looking up

The sides of the main dome

Main dome from the outside

The lower maze that comes out at the main dome.

Quinn liked the blue dome.  I found it interesting how our clothes changed colour.

Erik's red shirt turned brown in the green dome.

The Architects of Air (England) create these luminariums.  They are tunnels and mazes.  An escape from real life, and just absorb the colours.  Magical.

Quinn in the green dome

Tighe in one of the tunnels

Oscar in one of the tunnels

I didn't like the red dome.  The colour was too intense.  We could see the blue veins in our arms.  All the colour was sucked out of us. 

The Blue dome

Oscar and Anneke enjoying a "corner" in the green dome.

After about an hour, we ventured back into the real world.  The weather was perfect for a picnic at the beach.  Spent the rest of the day at Papamoa.  Found some huge jellyfish washed up on the shore.