01.07.10

Permanent Return Downunder

Posted in Animals, Aviation, Landscape at 12:00 pm by Warren Williams

After spending much of the past two and a half years based in London, I was finally making way to live back in New Zealand. I made an overnight stopover in Melbourne, visiting the house my mum has recently bought, and made great use of the swimming pool! As I was flying Emirates airline, the first ten hours was literally spent flying in a circle. Mumbai to Dubai, and then Dubai to Singapore, and onwards to Melbourne, with the flight path taking us directly over Mumbai some hours later. Alas, more airmiles.

Flying over United Arab Emirates
Mountains in United Arab Emirates

Aerial Fujairah
Flying over Fujairah, U.A.E

After almost 20 hours travelling, we were flying over South Australia as the sunrise over the red desert lit up brilliantly.

A6-ECQ Sunrise Australian desert

A6-ECQ Sunrise Australian desert

Arriving into Melbourne around 8am, I had a day to chill with my mum, one of my sisters Tara, and their partners, around the pool and BBQ dinner. This is the summer I had been missing from UK!


Marlee, the cat my mum has recently adopted after its previous owners had abused her


Beautiful!


Sunset over the back yard pool after enjoying a day with 32ºC


View from the Emirates Lounge, after being upgraded to business class (yet another early rise)


Views from in front of the wing, from seat 8A (front left of business class) – The food and drink available was far superior to what’s normally offered in cattle class.

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12.13.09

Destination India!

Posted in Aviation, General, Travel at 11:59 pm by Warren Williams

With my decision to return downunder permanently, the timing couldn’t have worked out any better, with one of my best friends, Angus, inviting me along for a four week trip to India. Mixing our time up between the busy and chaotic city of Mumbai (Bombay), and to one of India’s finest states of Goa for a very hot winter. Whilst in Goa, our time will also be divided between the Kamat Holiday Home apartments at Calangute Beach, and further inland at the beautiful Santo Estevam village on Jua Island.

As customary on my previous trips, I flew Emirates airline, reserving a window seat to enjoy the views from 35,000 feet in the air.

Emirates 777-300 A6-EMR
Emirates 777-300

Alps 35,000 feet
The Alps

Alps

Sunset over Middle East
Sunset before arriving into Dubai

Twilight Emirates 777-300
Twilight

Check back soon for many updates from India (It’s been a busy few weeks back in NZ)

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08.07.09

Destination Sardinia!

Posted in Aviation, People, Travel at 9:00 pm by Warren Williams

After a whirlwind tour of Europe, what better way to chill than to head to the tropical waters surrounding beautiful Sardinia, Italy. Located in the Mediterannean, I was asked along by Ayla who was finishing off her Middle East/European tour with a week camping around northern Sardinia. The flight was only £15 at last minute, flying directly to the coastal town of Alghero.

RyanAir EI-DCH (737-800) into Alghero, Sardinia
RyanAir – EI-DCH (737-800)
The lack of rainfall very obvious over Sardinia

Alghero Marina
Alghero Marina, after catching the 70cent bus from airport to town (why can’t other cities be this cheap?)

After pitching the tent in La Mariposa, we treaded the few steps to the beach for the ensuing sunset

Ayla Alghero Beach
Ayla on the busy golden sands of Alghero beach

Alghero Beach Sunset
View from the beach access from La Mariposa towards Alghero – around 2km away

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07.08.09

Destination Roma!

Posted in Aviation, Landscape, Travel at 12:00 pm by Warren Williams

With one of my best friends from New Zealand visiting, decided to tag along on a 16 day Eastern European tour with the Top Deck company. We had to rendezvous our group at 2pm in the city of Rome, so needed a fairly early departure from London Gatwick to get there. Flying in with Easyjet to Rome Fiumicino, it was a smooth non eventful ride.

G-EZAN - A319 Cockpit
Cockpit of our Easyjet A319 (G-EZAN)

Flying across English countryside
Flying over English countryside

Alps from A319
Flying over the Alps

Rome from Air
First view of Italy, village on outskirts of Rome

Following this, we caught the recommended train from the airport with the Leonardo Express. This is where our first bit of trouble happened, as we weren’t told we had to validate tickets on a machine, despite just buying them from a cashier next to the trains. The €11 tickets, soon became an extra €50 on the train, after the conductor wasn’t accepting our lack of knowledge as an excuse.


All smiles, about to board the Leonardo Express

Don't travel Leonardo Express in Rome
The resulting fine, and expensive first day!

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06.27.09

Biggin Hill Air Show 2009

Posted in Aviation at 7:37 pm by Warren Williams

After the success of last years Biggin Hill Air Show, plus the addition of the glorious Vulcan returning to the skies, it was a definite no-brainer to attend this years show.

Spitfire OUV
Spitfire


Red Arrows

Glorious Vulcan over skies of England
Vulcan returns!


P51 Mustang


A great way to end the show, two classics against a magical sky

04.16.09

Soaring above Dubai to London

Posted in Aviation, Landscape, Travel at 12:02 pm by Warren Williams

After an uneventful evening departure from Melbourne via Singapore to Dubai, had 16 hours of night time flying to catch up on the lastest movie releases. So sadly there were no Australian desert, or sub tropical Asia to take photos 40,000 feet above.

Dubai at night time
Flying into Dubai at 5am local time – Emirates 777

A6-EBA - 777-300ER over motorway
Departing Dubai on a 777-300ER (A6-EBU)


Mountains of Iran

Sea of Azov
Sea of Azov, Ukraine – world’s shallowest sea

Aerial of Berlin, Germany
Berlin, Germany

03.15.09

Beautiful Flight over New Zealand

Posted in Aviation, Landscape, Transportation, Travel at 7:25 pm by Warren Williams

Thanks to my friend Katie, managed to secure a helicopter flight from Ardmore, tracking north up to Kaitaia along the beautiful coastline.

Rangitito Aerial
Rangitoto Island


Cliff between Mairangi and Rothesay Bay – North Shore

Kawau Island, Mansion House, Aerial
Mansion House, Kawau Island


Stunning clear waters, just south of Bay of Islands

Cape Brett Lighthouse Aerial
Lighthouse at Cape Brett, Bay of Islands

Hole in the Rock - Cape Brett - Aerial
“Hole in the Rock” – Cape Brett, Bay of Islands

Cape Brett HDR - Aerial
Cape Brett

Urupukapuka Island, Bay of Islands
Urupukapuka Island, Bay of Islands

Motuarohia Island, Bay of Islands
Motuarohia Island, Bay of Islands

Taupo Bay Aerial
Taupo Bay Aerial

Taemaro Bay, Aerial Photo, Northland New Zealand
Taemaro Bay


Matai Bay


Matai and KariKari previously seen here

Filling up at Kerikeri
Filling up 416 litres of A1 jet fuel at Kerikeri airport

ZK-HMA
The Bell 206L on Pakiri beach, (l-r: Warren, Kate, Katie, Mark – our Pilot)

Katie & Warren
Katie & Warren enjoying the view from the rear

Whangaparaoa Rainbow aerial


Rain over Whenuapai

Auckland / Eden Park aerial
Eden Park and Auckland City

Auckland City Aerial Sht
Beautiful Auckland City, with Albert Park

Hunua Dam - Aerial
After some great fish and chips in Kaiaia – Firth of Thames, flew back north over Hunua Ranges

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01.04.09

Melbourne to Auckland Flight

Posted in Aviation, Landscape, Travel at 2:10 pm by Warren Williams

The Emirates flight from Melbourne to Auckland was uneventful, although the dirty windows on the A340-500 didn’t help in getting clear shots of Auckland.


Bethells/Anawhata/Muriwai


Hauraki Gulf – Rangitoto/Motutapu/Browns Islands

12.18.08

Hobart to Melbourne – Circle Rainbow

Posted in Aviation, Nature, Travel at 6:27 pm by Warren Williams

Seven Mile Beach, Hobart
Just departing Hobart over Seven Mile beach

Circle Rainbow
Circle rainbow only seen from above, with moisture in the air and the sun behind you

12.08.08

London to Melbourne

Posted in Aviation, Landscape, Travel at 10:20 pm by Warren Williams

Flew Emirates again to Melbourne, where I’ll be based for the next month, before a further three months in NZ.


Shortly after leaving Gatwick (777-300ER)


Sunset over Germany (777-300ER A6-EBK)


Sunset over the Arabian Sea, West of India (777-300 A6-EMV)


Sunset between Indonesia and Australia

08.02.08

London Motor Show

Posted in Aviation, Motorsport, Transportation at 10:35 pm by Warren Williams

The London Motor Show at the Excel events centre was my first taste of a true large scale motoring show. Filled with plenty of concepts, exotics and test drives, enough for everyone to enjoy.


Lexus LF-A Concept


Bugatti Veyron


Drift Demos


Ford GT – remake of the classic GT40


Chevrolet Camaro


Nissan GTR – supercar performance for a reasonable price


Meanwhile outside, the Red Bull London Air Race qualifying was happening

07.06.08

Race Day – Silverstone Formula 1

Posted in Aviation, Motorsport, People at 3:15 pm by Warren Williams

Typical English weather greeted Silverstone for the climax of the weekend at 1pm. For sixty laps, twenty racers dodged heavy rain, and caught brief moments of sun. Lewis Hamilton in front of his home crowd, put in a scintillating wet weather drive, beating Nick Heidfeld and Rubens Barrichello by over a minute. Full gallery: www.warrenwilliams.co.nz/f1


Red Arrows, prior to the race


Hekki Kovalainen leads Hamilton and Raikkonen at the start


Fernando Alonso entering the start/finish line straight


Heikki Kovalainen


Lewis Hamilton receiving the support from fans after the heavy downpour


Felipe Massa heading straight, for a change


Mark Webber also had a disappointing race


Kimi Raikkonen


Kimi Raikkonen, leading Heikki Kovalainen both from Finland


Lewis Hamilton winning, by 1min, 8 seconds

Full gallery viewable here:

www.warrenwilliams.co.nz/f1

06.07.08

Biggin Hill Air Fair

Posted in Aviation, General, Travel at 7:10 pm by Warren Williams

Celebrating a birthday the day before, decided Biggin Hill, Kent, was the place to be. A variety of aircraft both old and new made up the exciting air displays over the large crowd.


Best vantage point?


P51D Mustang and Spitfire


RAF Typhoon / Eurofighter

Click for Full Gallery

02.24.08

Flying Dubai to Europe

Posted in Aviation, Landscape, Travel at 1:03 pm by Warren Williams

After a long 14 hour night flight from Sydney to Dubai the final leg, Dubai to London was a lot more interesting. Conditions in the morning departure were pretty bad with low visibility as winds stir up the desert sands, and haze lingered around. Flying Emirates, Boeing 777-300ER, A6-EBJ.


Desert civilisation below


Motorway viewed from above


Aerial view of Istanbul, Turkey with Ataturk airport in foreground


Entering the Alps over Austria

02.23.08

Sydney with Emirates

Posted in Aviation, General, Landscape at 5:00 pm by Warren Williams

Leaving Auckland back for London, the first stop was in Sydney, with a peaceful early evening flight. The view into Sydney is very similar to Auckland, surrounded by clear blue water. Flying Emirates, Boeing 777-300ER – A6-EBI


Wedding Cake Island in the foreground by Coogee Bay, leading up to Bondi beach in top bay

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