Next: Queenstown and back up to Auckland
I spent several days in Queenstown then flew back to Auckland. It is interesting, and endless natural beauty. What is odd is that there are islands of commerce in the cities. And, in these cities there is a lot of tourists. The other 99% is hills, mountains, and water.
What is odd is that there is almost no sense of culture. In Queenstown it seems like 90% of the people are tourists spending money. Many and most are from Australia. New Zealand and Australia are islands floating alone, isolated in the ocean with about 3,000 miles between them. So, where else do you go but across the nearest ocean to have a vacation, in the summer (December). I took a tour and did a lot of hiking in the whole of New Zealand. I will repeat that it is endless beauty. But I miss the culture that you find in many countries.
I left Queenstown down on the South Island and am in Auckland in the North Island waiting for a flight to take me to Honolulu, then on to Los Angeles (LAX). It is still cold at home, so I haven't bought a ticket to go home...
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| Skies are clearing, rolling hills |
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| Park in Christchurch - Stone Bridge |
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| The southernmost outpost for the Antarctic. |
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Antarctic Visitor center and museum
Cool Snow machines |
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From Christchurch there were no trains south so
I jumped on a bus. Maybe even more scenic than the
train ride |
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| A park in downtown Queenstown |
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| From the top of the gondola, the view of Queenstown |
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On a tour to the country where
Lord of the Rings was filmed |
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| Still green, everywhere |
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| Water, mountains, and clouds |
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Glenorchy lake
I've been deep south in Chile
I've been deep south in New Zealand
These two areas are about the same latitude |
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| It is endless. |
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| Another film spot for Lord of the Rings |
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| Another film spot for Lord of the Rings |
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| A country home in paradise |
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California Redwood grows here, and this Sequoia
is also thriving here.
Saving the species by growing them down here |
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| Dog sculpture in the city park |
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Longest day of the year, December 21
It is 9:45 and it doesn't get dark until well after 10:00 |
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I stayed in a POD in Queenstown.
Interesting experience
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Picton (South Island) via Train - continuing south to Christchurch
December 15 -- 19
Moving south it is more rolling hills, fewer trees, some vineyards, and irrigated flat land. More, much more sheep.
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Leaving Picton after two days of sunshine, back to
Liquid Sunshine |
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| Random countryside from the train |
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| The Pacific ocean on the East Side of the South Island |
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| The train and station midway down to Christchurch |
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| Sheep grazing country |
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| Even the mountains shine green in the background |
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View to Christchurch from my first hike
near Westmoreland, on the mountainside next to
Christchrist |
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New Digs
A new house, 1-year old.
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| and a nice deck, way too large for me. Ideas for the cabin. |
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| Hop-On, Hop-Off trolly in downtown Christchurch |
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| Penguin wall mural |
It rained this morning in the fog, but by afternoon it had cleared to a blue and cloudy sky. Tomorrow, more exploring downtown.
Next: Wellington to Picton (South Island) via Ferry across Cook's Strait
December 12-15
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Leaving Wellington by ferry across Cook's Strait
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| Out in the middle of Cook's strait |
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Approaching an inland waterway (Princess Charlotte Sound)
on the South Island. |
Inside the inner waterway/sound
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| The dock at Picton port on the South Island |
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| My new temporary home |
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Just a bed, very basic sleeping quarters
Bath/shower is shared and is
in another outbuilding |
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| Hiking trail - very comfortable space |
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| More of the hiking trail |
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The destination of the Tuesday hike, a small
village. Very peaceful |
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| The end of the hike, now for a return walk |
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| io |
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Wednesday's hike, way up on top of the port village
of Picton. This was a much more challenging hike
though only half as far and the previous day.
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Wednesday night, trying out a local dark beer at a pub.
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Moving On, Again: Auckland - Wellington, New Zealand (NZ)
(North Island)
December 7-11
On December 7th at about 10:00am I arrived in Auckland, New Zealand. It is odd, in a way, to hear anyone, everyone talking in English. If I have a question, they understand, in english, without Google Translate. My interest here in NZ? Well, lots of reasons. First, I've never been here. Taipei, Taiwan was too humid and to me it was not nearly as interesting nor a beautiful as Japan and the island was so small that in just a few days I think I had seen the interesting parts. So I'm closer to the Americas, but it will likely cost me more to fly homeward than I anticipated. So, maybe on to South America, or Australia, or quien sabe...
Auckland, as far as I've seen in a couple of days is just another city, kinda European, kinda Canadian, kinda US American. December 10
But, on Saturday, December 10th, I board a train called Northern Explorer that runs from Auckland to Wellington. It is an 11-1/2 hour ride through the rural middle of the north island. Once I arrive in Wellington I may come back by bus to see more of the island, I may take a ferry to the South Island and see what is over there. Rumors of lots of vineyards, wineries, and a lot fewer people, in a setting with more nature in a good weather climate.
It was Liquid Sunshine All Day...
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| Auckland Explorer Train Terminal |
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| Outside Auckland City Limits |
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| Heading south from Auckland |
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| Caboose around the bend |
Eventually the rain stopped, the fog lifted, and it got very scenic, but still no blue sky or sunshine. I'm traveling by the Northern Explorer train from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the North End today. I'm sitting in my room on a chair and I feel the world moving around me. The train's rocking motion still in my body. |
| Cabras |
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| Rain makes things really green |
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| Even the green is very green |
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| Sheep, cows, domestic Red Deer, pigs, goats |
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| The whole ride is a virtual garden lawn |
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| Lots of water, everywhere |
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| Plowed field in the distance |
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| Good Roads |
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| Harvested grain in the left field |
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Harvested grain in the left field
Running sheep - lots of twin lambs |
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| Replanted trees in the distance for future |
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Middle of the journey - rolling mountains
and hills and very green |
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Too wet to harvest
They wrap green hay in plastic for silage
haulage to feed later. |
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Lots of dairy cows. Brown Swiss, Gurnsey
and these black one |
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| Another River |
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| Flattening out toward Wellington |
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| Arroyo verde |
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| Trees too, and more on hillsides |
Wellington, NZ (North Island)
I finally found sunshine - This is a bit of a mixed city, part capital, part university town, part bohemian. It has some good areas, and a port for taking a ferry to the south island.
