 4 Days of March in the South Island, Part I: New Zealand Photography: Photos 21 to 42 |
AfricaAntarcticaAsiaCentral America CaribbeanEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaOceaniaSouth AmericaOceans and Seas
4 Days of March in the South Island, Part I: New Zealand Photography: Photos 21 to 42
Oceania » New Zealand » South Island
March 6th 2006 by Stephen Paul
Day 1- Wellington to Picton over the Ferry. Drive to St. Arnaud
Day 2- Alpine Hiking in Nelson Lakes National Park
Day 3- River Rafting the Buller River, Maruia Hot Springs
Day 4- Driving West Coast from Pancake Rocks to Fox Glacier
Day 1- Wellington felt strikingly like San Francisco. If I knew nothing about its long history of earthquakes, maritime climate or its lively arts scene- I would still feel the same way. The people I saw were either young professionals or students. Everyone was trendy and lots of people were on the streets, giving the feeling of being downtown in NYC or SF. The skyscrapers of Central Wellington are crammed in between steep hills and the ocean. The surrounding geography lends itself to this layout as well, causing Wellington to have the highest property prices in the country. As the areas suitable for house building are harder to come by and farther away from the city center, traffic congests freeways and the property prices skyrocket- compounding the traffic problems further as more commuters settle in cheaper areas to raise their families. I approached Wellington from the North, and passed through many of these suburbs. It had a
Full Text Entry: 4 Days of March in the South Island, Part I: New Zealand Photography
7 Comments - Add Public Comment or Send Private Message
Add Comment
All Comments
May 17th 2006 - Janet Villadsen: Amazing
I am so impressed with your pictures, travel descriptions, and the way you made it feel like I was there. You are very talented, Stephen. I wish I could travel with you sometime.
May 17th 2006 - Todd Davis: Spot On
Janet is right, Stephen you do have a real gift. Your photography tells me you have the eye. Your narative is inviting as well. I feel like I'm there or at least want to go. Many thanks.
Thank you both so much for your kind words. I look forward to posting, and travelling, more!
December 3rd 2007 - Ed:
As a homesick Kiwi living in California for the last 21 years, your travelogue Steven made feel strongly connected to New Zealand again. The photography is beautiful and you have captured that amazing New Zealand light, thanks Ed in Alameda, California.
I wish I was a homesick Californian living in the South island! Thank you so much, compliments like yours are the best I could ever hope to receive...
August 4th 2008 - leigh: Hi from Blenheim
Hi there Steven, came across your blog while looking up an image of Beech. I am blessed to live in Blenheim (the boring place! lol). I'm a Kiwi, New to the South, and love the Place's you describe, the majistic sky at the lake I was lucky to experience, I have never seen so many stars, I am off there again soon to tramp and can't wait.
The more I reflect, the more I realize I would like nothing more than to settle down in Blenheim! One of the top 3 places with the most sunshine, less than an hours drive to the ocean and the alpine mountains, good wine... :) Boring? Perhaps. A fantastic place to live? YES!
All Comments
Nelson Lake High Country
Nelson Lakes National Park is at the Northernmost tip of the long and rugged Southern Alps that comprise the backbone of the South Island.
St. Arnaud, Nelson Lake
St. Arnaud is at the mouth of the right arm of Nelson Lake. The ancient glacier carved two notches, and the Buller river begins to the left(west). You can see the history of the forest here, as the ... [more]
Headwaters of The Buller River
Lake Rotoiti drains West through the dense Nothofagus Forest. The trail alternated between hot and open views with swithbacks to long, cool walks through the forest. The sillouette of the Southern Bee... [more]
Moisture
Like Pine, Spruce and Fir trees of the Northern Hemisphere Mountains, the character of the Beech forest is unique. Instead of pine sap and wood you smell earth and moss. The Beech trees are contorte... [more]
Heavenly Father or the Forest?
There were different kinds of trees, New Zealand has some native Cedars and Conifers, living relics that look nothing like their North American counterparts.
Bushline
When the winds, chill and precipitation cut off the Beech Forest from going any higher, this is Bushline. Like the Treeline of North America, the Bushline marks the boundry of Alpine Landscapes. Unl... [more]
Ski hut
Winter ski huts(no lifts) were nestled among the Tussock grass and glacial pools. The 5500 foot ridge in the background looked much higher.
Alpine Plants
The alitude was friendly to the plants. They were furry, beautiful, grotesque and harmless all at once.
Relax Shelter from the DOC
The Department of Conservation has built hundreds of Shelters in the backcountry of New Zealand for trekkers.
Shelter from the DOC
A quick siesta in the rustic comfort of sturdy wooden room with graffiti from all the travellers who had been there was very refreshing.
High Country
The tarns and lakes kept getting larger. I wanted to visit one but was a bit behind on water and time. The exposure was getting to me! Now I know why every year scores of foreigners find death in N... [more]
Incoming Storm?
The rolling clouds made things very moody, causing the flipping tussock grass to give the appearance that the whole landscape was vibrating.
Valley Floor
Here you can see the 3000 foot depth of the canyon, and the 6000 foot high country deep into the Park.
7 Comments - Add Public Comment or Send Private Message
May 17th 2006 - Janet Villadsen: Amazing
I am so impressed with your pictures, travel descriptions, and the way you made it feel like I was there. You are very talented, Stephen. I wish I could travel with you sometime.
May 17th 2006 - Todd Davis: Spot On
Janet is right, Stephen you do have a real gift. Your photography tells me you have the eye. Your narative is inviting as well. I feel like I'm there or at least want to go. Many thanks.
Thank you both so much for your kind words. I look forward to posting, and travelling, more!
December 3rd 2007 - Ed:
As a homesick Kiwi living in California for the last 21 years, your travelogue Steven made feel strongly connected to New Zealand again. The photography is beautiful and you have captured that amazing New Zealand light, thanks Ed in Alameda, California.
I wish I was a homesick Californian living in the South island! Thank you so much, compliments like yours are the best I could ever hope to receive...
August 4th 2008 - leigh: Hi from Blenheim
Hi there Steven, came across your blog while looking up an image of Beech. I am blessed to live in Blenheim (the boring place! lol). I'm a Kiwi, New to the South, and love the Place's you describe, the majistic sky at the lake I was lucky to experience, I have never seen so many stars, I am off there again soon to tramp and can't wait.
The more I reflect, the more I realize I would like nothing more than to settle down in Blenheim! One of the top 3 places with the most sunshine, less than an hours drive to the ocean and the alpine mountains, good wine... :) Boring? Perhaps. A fantastic place to live? YES!
All Comments
Copyright notice.
The text and photos of this article remain the copyright of the Author (o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o). Under no circumstances should the photos or text be used without the express written permission of the Author (o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o). If you wish to use or publish photos or text from this article - please
Contact o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o.