RoadTrip NZ

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Dear diary, I've come to know, after anxious anticipation, the answer to why it burns when I pee... with unfortunate luck they tell me it's from... Who-ha, err uhm, sorry about that... wrong diary. Where was I? As I was finishing living out my last three days in Picton without any real agenda other than to move on, I found myself agreeing to a car rental with two germans and a frenchie whom I met while living at the hostel. My time is nearing an end here in kiwiland, so I thought it a good idea to hit the road and see the sights 'roadtrip' style or as they say in german, 'roadtrip!'. 17 days, 15 campsites, and 50 stops of intrigue later...

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Photos

Sand and a Stone
Standing Alone (Purakaunui Beach)

The West Coast Crew
(front seat clockwise) Henning, Ileana, Aline and 'allow myself to introduce... myself'.

I swear, doc! I slipped in the shower.
Destination: Puzzling World, a museum of illusion.

A subtle reminder of how far away home is
and how easy it is to find my way back. (at a seal colony, Westport)

Kiwis of the Mist
-- on the road leaving the 30person town of Okarito.

Sea Changes
-- reflections off a moist shore.

Earth's Nightlight
-- overlooking Wanaka.

Pancake Rocks (Punakaiki)
-- perspective -- center top white dot far distant is a t-shirt.

"Just sitting on the dock of the bay."
-- Wanaka

The West Coast Sandwich
-- for 17 days our diets consisted of a varying combo of peanut butter, lettuce, corn chip, banana, cucumber sandwiches. Living on the cheap has it's price.

My first sighting of seals in NZ from way on high.
-- a surreal moment at sunset on the cliffs of Cape Farwell.

Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.
-- Lake Moke, Queenstown.

Pebbled Earth
-- Fortrose.

The endangered Royal Albatross
-- with a wing span of 3m, these flying giants are an impressive sight (Dunedin).

Milford Sound
-- Mitre Peak (center) dominates the skyline as the world's tallest sea cliff @ 1642m (you do the math).

Excuse me, could you spare a square?
-- Puzzling World, Wanaka.

Fox Glacier
-- within 10 kms, we drove from the beach, hiked through a rainforest, and found mountains and a sea of glacier.

I, Too, Was Here
-- my own insight to this fluxuating monument of passerbyers.

Color on a Gray Day
-- a rainy evening camping on the coast. (Punakaiki)

Ascending Trees
-- coastal camping. (Punakaiki)

City Leaves.
-- Christchurch

"We named the dog, Indiana."
-- west coast somewhere...

Lone Kayaker.
-- view from our campground on Lake Gunn on Feb 14th, 'singles' awareness day'. How apropos.

Layers of Earth, Water, and Sky
-- "Onions! Onions have layers. Ogres have layers." (Lake Tekapo)

Milford Sound
-- Perspective -- the center waterline white dot is a 24m, two story high, tour boat.

Comments

[Rob]

Raymondo the Great
AMAZING pictures Ray, I think the best yet.., so beautiful...keep em coming! Glad to see you're still alive and well.

[Elaine]

jealousy abounds
I agree with Rob - these are the best pictures so far. I'm glad you are developing some skills in your drifter life. I going to start planing my trip to NZ today.