The View from Oz: New Zealand

Nina, me, my dad and his girlfriend Pat all just spent the last week driving around the south island of New Zealand.

Wow.

Never before in my life have I seen such dramatic natural beauty. It is impossible to convey the scenery in words as it is on such a dramatic scale. Not even photos do it justice. It was simply breathtaking. Our neighbour in Melbourne is a Kiwi and he has a favorite quote regarding his home: "When God created the earth he had lots of pieces left over and he made New Zealand out of them."

The land is as diverse as it is glorious. Untouched mountains and rivers, valleys and forests, beaches and meadows, and clean, safe, vibrant cities. No guns, terrorism, or desperate poverty. It is a sane, safe, and beautiful land.

Nina and I did a boogie-boarding excursion down the Kawarau River (where the Fellowship of the Ring rode their boats past the huge stone Pillars of the Kings. It was like whitewater rafting but holding onto a three-foot board instead of being in a boat. It was awesome. There were whirlpools, and at one point Nina got sucked down into one and shot up a few seconds later.

We walked within meters of the Fox Glacier, went kayaking through the Milford Sound fiords, stood in valleys where wildflowers bloomed and the mountains filled the backdrop, sat on the shore of Lake Tekapo where microscopic debris from glaciers make it nearly glow blue, drank crystal clear water from streams that wound their way down from the mountains, and the list goes on.

We fell in love with the place and wondered why anyone would leave it.

Instead of trying to convey in words any further, I am including some images from our holiday. These give an idea but it is a land that simply needs to be seen to be believed. Click to get bigger versions.

Us at Queenstown