Monthly Archives: August 2016

Feast

Before venturing through Arthur’s Pass back to Christchurch, I spent the night in a small coastal town called Hokitika.  Grabbed a bottle of New Zealand Pinot Noir from a liquor store and a pepperoni pizza from Fat Pipi Pizzas before … Continue reading

Posted in Hokitika | Leave a comment

Glacial

Didn’t have time to get very close to Fox Glacier.  Took this shot looking through the valley with the glacier in the distance. I was able to get much closer to the Franz Josef Glacier, but it started raining and … Continue reading

Posted in Josef Franz Glacier | Tagged | Leave a comment

Gnarled

I reached the west coast of the South Island, looking out over the Tasman Sea.The landscape often struck me as looking like a particularly well-watered version of San Diego.  But then there were these strange, gnarled trees everywhere which made … Continue reading

Posted in Haast | Tagged | 3 Comments

Decor

Had a surprisingly tasty venison lasagna at the Hard Antler Bar & Restaurant in Haast. In my head, Gaston kept singing “I use antlers in all of my decorating!”

Posted in Haast | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Riparian

Cutting through the mountains driving westward to the coast of the South Island, I kept crossing and recrossing crystalline rivers like this one.

Posted in Haast | Leave a comment

Postcard

Every inch of the Sound Island felt worthy of a postcard.  This was just some random mountains by some random lake.

Posted in New Zealand | Leave a comment

Avalanche

The road to Milford Sound was treacherous.  It had just been cleared of the snow which blocked the road and kept me in Glenorchy those extra two nights.  The mountains were so steep, so snow-covered that the entire area was … Continue reading

Posted in Milford Sound | Tagged | Leave a comment

Remarkable

This imposing range of mountains south of Lake Wakatipu is named “The Remarkables.” Apt.

Posted in Remarkables | Leave a comment

Majestic

It snowed overnight. The mountains encircling Glenorchy were blanketed with snow.  Every view from every angle from every spot in the Glenorchy Lake House was majestic.

Posted in Glenorchy | Leave a comment

Schemes

Rabbie Burns was right, of course.  “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men / Gang aft a-gley.”  And a-gley my scheme did gang. I had planned to spend a single night in Glenorchy and then burn the next day … Continue reading

Posted in Glenorchy | Tagged | 1 Comment

Scars

The scars of World War I are visible in all parts of the British Empire.  Even in sleepy lakeside towns half a world away from the trenches.

Posted in Glenorchy | 2 Comments

Albion

The lake is fed by a muddle of streams and rivers flowing down from the mountains to the north.The landscape is a dead ringer for Scotland.Cold……and lonely……and beautiful. I was amused by this stile over a livestock fence. A storm … Continue reading

Posted in Glenorchy | Leave a comment

Encouragement

I found these compost, recycle, and trash bins amusing.  Can’t decide if, as a child, I would find them delightful or if I would find them feeding my nightmares.

Posted in Glenorchy | Leave a comment

Lost

Part of what I enjoy about traveling is intentionally becoming lost.  In Glenorchy, I had the chance to look up at the Southern sky.  I picked out the Southern Cross but other than that — not knowing any other constellations, … Continue reading

Posted in Glenorchy | 3 Comments

Top

The north end of Lake Wakatipu tapers off at a small, sleepy town called Glenorchy.  This is the “top of the lake” where acclaimed New Zealand filmmaker Jane Campion set her television show Top of the Lake (which I haven’t … Continue reading

Posted in Glenorchy | Tagged | 1 Comment