New Zealand 2000
For years New Zealand fascinated me, a country out in the middle of the South Pacific that I had rarely heard of growing up. Researching the country for a school project I became very interested in this place with roughly the same size geography as California, but with twice the coastline, and one tenth of the people.
Not satisfied with a one year exploration as an exchange student while in University, and a brief visit a few years later, I have returned for an extended six months holiday to see all the areas I missed, and partake in mountain biking, learning to whitewater kayak and become a paraglider pilot. Here are a few pictures of the first three months. My girlfriend Kim has been a great companion on this trip, and is pictured in many of the photos.
Wellington viewed from Mt. Victoria
The Mountain at the left is called Mt. Taranaki, or Mt. Egmont, and rises 7500 feet from the sea which surrounds it on three sides. Kim and I climbed to the summit and back down in about 8 hours, although falling down is more accurate, as our legs could barely operate the last two hours. The above photo is from the very small glacial field at the top, looking down at the top of the cloud cover.
This country has every recreational opportunity imaginable. Kim and I took a double sea-kayak around the north end of Able-Tasman National Park, and were lucky enough to paddle beside a curious seal for a time.
The mountain to the above left is Mount Cook, taken from a small plane while flying to Queenstown.
At the very tip of the North Island, at Cape Rienga,we drove from our campsite for an hour to catch this great sunset.
At the northern tip of the South Island are two great climate areas, Nelson and Golden Bay. Very warm and perfect for all kinds of fruit crops, the surrounding hills and population reminds me quite a bit of Northern California's Santa Rosa valley. Whakareiki Beach (above right) was one of the most pristine and pretty a beach as I have seen. South of this beach about an hours drive is Pohara beach, where Kim and I stayed in this luxury housebus at the Nook, a very nice hostel about 200 meters from the beach.
