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Category Archives: New Zealand
West
On the plane flying north from Wellington to Aukland to catch my flight back to Shanghai, I caught this pic of the sun setting in the west, out toward Australia.
Posted in Aukland
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Shift
Okay, there’s this weird thing that happened in the history of the English language called the Great Vowel Shift. It’s the reason English pronounces vowels differently than all the other European languages. (It’s also the reason in Shakespeare plays where … Continue reading
Gallipoli
There was a superlative exhibit on World War I’s battle of Gallipoli at Te Papa. Each “room” of the exhibit was dedicated to story of someone connected to the war. The Weta workshop crafted giant oversized statues of each war … Continue reading
Posted in Wellington
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Palace
The Embassy is the Wellington movie palace where all of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films premiered. I loved the decor, especially the hallway leading down to the bar area. The seats & service were much like an … Continue reading
Ugly
Peter Jackson named his FX company after a truly hideous indigenous New Zealand insect called a “weta” (which a Maori word meaning “ugly”.) Had a chance to go to the Weta Cave and a tour of their shop. Photos weren’t … Continue reading
Shire II
Nerded out and took a tour of Wellington film location for The Fellowship of the Rings. Here on Mt. Victoria is the road where the four hobbits come tumbling down the slope out of Farm Maggot’s crop. And the spot where (under … Continue reading
Kids
Was able to meet up with five of my favorite ex-ODW coworkers. They were all TDs back in Shanghai. I call them “the Weta kids” because they left en masse for Weta. More slightly bizarre Kiwi Mexican food, but the … Continue reading
Posted in Wellington
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Comfy
Stayed in this comfy, apartment-like hotel in Downtown Wellington my last couple of nights.
Posted in Wellington
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Indy
My New Zealand Air flight from Christchurch back to Wellington was in a prop plane! I felt like Indiana Jones! The crew, however, did not appreciate it when I yelled “Nice try, Lao Che!” out at the tarmac and slammed … Continue reading
Simulacrum
Back in Christchurch, I was in a bad way. It had been nearly two whole weeks since I had had any Mexican food and I was jonesing hard. I found a place with the promising name of “Mexicano’s”. Yeah, um, … Continue reading
Castle
This spooky outcropping of rocks is called Castle Hill. Undoubtedly haunted.
Posted in Arthur's Pass
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Skid
I saw this road sign all over New Zealand. (And this was the best picture you could get? Well, I’m sorry for the potato quality, but if you don’t like it why don’t you go to New Zealand and spend … Continue reading
Watershed
From the South Island’s west coast, I headed east, straight through the mountain range at the heart of the island. It felt very much like driving through the Rocky Mountains. A rainbow ended a the small town of Arthur’s Pass … Continue reading
Posted in Arthur's Pass
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Aviary
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the birds. Now, IANAO (“I am not an ornithologist”) but even I was gobsmacked by the sheer variety of birds throughout New Zealand. I saw more species of birds in two weeks in … Continue reading
Posted in Hokitika
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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
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