New Zealand | An Ongoing Pictorial

Thought I'd just create a thread to post all my New Zealand pictures throughout the year. After 16 months in London, we moved to a small-ish farming town about an hour south of Christchurch. The Pacific is about a 20-min drive to the east and the Southern Alps are about a 40-min drive to the west. In the middle, the Canterbury Plains, where we are.

1. Arrived on a gorgeous day. After a year and a half in the concrete jungle, it's great to be able to see the mountains again.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5291/...0de90845_z.jpg
Sunset over the Southern Alps by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

2. It does feel weird to be in fall again, instead of spring. On the flipside, it means skiing is that much closer (I haven't skied since leaving Colorado).
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7298/...a1089d5f_z.jpg
Southern fall by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

3. New Zealand is unbelievably lush. Everything from ferns to palms to pines, often in the same yard. We have tomatoes, beans, spinach, limes, rhubarbs, and plum trees in our garden. A few neighbours have lychees hanging over their fences. I love having ferns outside the window.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7343/...e4219f1b_z.jpg
Kiwi flora by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

4. The view down our street.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7204/...f1274878_z.jpg
View from the front by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

5. One of the first things we did was drive down to the sea. It's a 20-min drive through farmland until you suddenly hit the water. The "beach" by us is very gravelly and it's too dangerous to swim, but it is pretty. The cliffs stretching away on either side are quite dramatic. Looking south...
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7358/...35124dcf_z.jpg
Wakanui Beach by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

6. And looking north...
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2903/...24d71fd2_z.jpg
Wakanui Beach by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

Coming up next...The Plains of Rohan...

I'll be following this one closely.

New Zealand is the most awesome country on the planet.

What kind of job takes you from Summit County, Colorado to London to New Zealand?

Can't wait to see what you put up here.

Thanks again for your excellent photos! and congrats on living in such varied and wonderful places! :fmicon::fm::fmicon:

Great pics, Fuzz. Thanks.

NZ is a photog's dream. Pretty sure I've been to that beach.

Have fun down there, be sure to update this thread frequently plz

Nice Fuzz! Stoked for this thread.

I went to the south island in 2006 with a friend for two weeks. Planning a return with my family in tow within a couple three years. The most amazing place I have yet been.

Pretty safe to say that this will be a great thread.

Thanks all!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by smmokan

What kind of job takes you from Summit County, Colorado to London to New Zealand?

---

The short version is that my wife is working now in NZ and I've retired (for at least the next year or two).

The long version is that I worked in corporate finance/corporate development for a large professional services company (think consulting, outsourcing). In Colorado I used to work from home 100% of the time (other than if I needed to be somewhere for a meeting/client presentation/etc. We wanted to see more of the world and so I asked for a transfer to London. Unfortunately, I was working a ton more in London and my wife's registration process with the British medical board (she's a family physician) was taking way too long. So she contacted a few recruiters about jobs in other parts of Europe and Asia. This opening popped up in NZ and so we just couldn't pass it up. I quit my job and we moved down here. So she's working now while I take care of our son, the house, and play. Her contract is for a year (maybe extended if both parties agree), so we have absolutely no idea what we'll be doing in a year.

Anyway, some more pictures...

A big selling point for our 7-year old was that Lord of The Rings was filmed in New Zealand -- he's been into the story/movies and has been excited to see some of the sites. So one of the first trips we made was to Mt. Sunday, which is where Edoras and the Plains of Rohan was filmed.

7. It's about an hour and 20-min drive from our house. Once you clear the town just down the street, the view is magnificent.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2939/...7e370558_z.jpg
Road to the Southern Alps by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

8. After about 45 minutes we hit the gravel roads of Hakatere Conservation Area with the imposing Black Mountains in front.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7402/...ae666638_z.jpg
Road to Rohan by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

9. There are small lakes dotted by the side of the road, which provide fantastic reflections.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2903/...52c82ff5_z.jpg
Rohan by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

10. Shortly thereafter, we came upon a point overlooking the Rangitata River plain (also known as Erewhon). The vista is too grand for words. The Black Mountains to the left, the Cloudy Peaks to the right, Mt. D'Archiac in the distance in the center, and the small hill of Mt. Sunday/Edoras sitting on the plain below.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2910/...846000a4_z.jpg
Rohan by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

11. Close-up of Edoras/Mt. Sunday.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5502/...bec3ec83_z.jpg
Edoras by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

12. It's an easy 20-min walk from the road to the top of Edoras through a cow pasture. Mt. D'Archiac is very prominent in the distance.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2904/...c6bf334c_z.jpg
Rohan by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

13. The Ben McLeod Range looked fantastic.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5280/...41e8d5d5_z.jpg
Rohan by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

14. My son loved the hike up "Edoras".
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5444/...d8b2709e_z.jpg
Exploring Edoras by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

15. He climbed every possible prominence and wanted to keep going for more.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5524/...bd78e720_z.jpg
Exploring Edoras by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

A few impressions of NZ so far...
- NZ seems to be a mix of Iowa (the farmlands) and Switzerland (the mountains rising straight up from the ground).
- I still do a double-take when I see people going barefoot. I've seen people in stores, parents dropping kids off in school, and even school kids at the end of the day coming out of the classrooms.
- Been pleasantly surprised at the diversity, especially for a small rural town. Granted, it's not like London, but it's a lot more than many places we've lived before (e.g. Iowa).We're an interracial family and were not sure what to expect.
- Love the variety of residential architectural styles. Houses that look like they could be in the American Midwest, or in an English village, or in California. One that looks like a Frank Lloyd Wright design. Some like a New England clapboard style. I'll try to take pictures of the neighbourhood once we've unpacked and everything.

Super awesome.

I'm always to happy see your shots pop up on my flickr feed.

It's amazing how easy it is to get off the beaten path there (If you have 4wd). Around every corner is a new vista.

So are you near Methven and Mt Hut I'm guessing? Do not miss the club fields this winter.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fuzz

A few impressions of NZ so far...
- NZ seems to be a mix of Iowa (the farmlands) and Switzerland (the mountains rising straight up from the ground).

---

Agreed because when I went through the area I think you are in I had basically the same impression! With all due respect to Iowa which I have a love/hate relationship with I thought it looked like Wisconsin diary country - which I think most will agree is a bit more picturesque than most of Iowa save for NE Iowa which with its limestone and larger bluffs doesn't really ring NZ the way Wisco did to me.

and all this time, we thought you were a dentist in texas...




totally jealous that you're a world travelling kept man living in an outdoorsman's paradise
but i subscribed to this thread because of the sweet photos...keep it up!

Awesome photos. I would love to see New Zealand. Have you seen any wild Hobbits?

Man I miss NZ. I was there 11 years ago studying in ChCh and it is absolutely amazing.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by shredgnar

It's amazing how easy it is to get off the beaten path there (If you have 4wd). Around every corner is a new vista.

---

Absolutely. And I'm just getting started exploring. Bought a Subaru Legacy last week (holy cow, I thought Colorado had a lot of Subarus -- it's nothing compared to here!). Got my bike unpacked and re-assembled today.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by shredgnar

So are you near Methven and Mt Hut I'm guessing? Do not miss the club fields this winter.

---

Yes, Hutt is about 45min-1hr away. This winter we're just doing the Hutt pass since it's easiest + my son gets a very discounted pass from school.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by uglymoney

I thought it looked like Wisconsin diary country

---

Since I've only been to WI twice (and the last time was over 12 years ago), I'll take your word for it. :-)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by acinpdx

and all this time, we thought you were a dentist in texas...

---

Well, that's the ultimate dream, but I'm not that lucky!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by crashtestdummy

Have you seen any wild Hobbits?

---

Not sure -- I've seen some people with long unkempt hair + bare feet wandering around the streets and stores, so...

16. Went to the "beach" again a few days ago but it was shrouded in fog/mist, making for a different atmosphere.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7411/...4371659c_z.jpg
Pacific mist by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

17. Looks like Iowa (or Wisconsin!):
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5566/...98882254_z.jpg
Canterbury plains by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

After dropping my son off at school I decided to drive down to Lake Tekapo for a quick recon. It's a 1hr 45min drive. It's part of the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, so I'm super stoked to visit it at night.

18. After a long drive through honestly not-that-impressive foothills, the land suddenly opens up dramatically.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7400/...4b9c9193_z.jpg
Road to Tekapo by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

19. The lake is spectacular in colour -- an amazing turquoise more reminiscent of the Caribbean.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2915/...552412e2_z.jpg
Southern fall, Lake Tekapo by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

20. I drove down a dirt track for a bit to get a different angle on the lake.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2906/...abf5caff_z.jpg
Lake Tekapo by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

21. Will definitely be returning for a longer trip sometime soon.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2926/...efb9112a_z.jpg
Lake Tekapo by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

Great photos, Fuzz. My wife and I will be in Castle Hill for the season starting on 5 July. If you feel like getting any touring in, shoot me a PM.

Sounds like a great adventure, and a really cool experience for your boy. What's the story with the mountains an no trees? Any ideas?

Great thread Fuzz! Have a great time and keep the images coming.:)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheElk

Great photos, Fuzz. My wife and I will be in Castle Hill for the season starting on 5 July. If you feel like getting any touring in, shoot me a PM.

---

Will let you know for sure. Have you been there before? Are you working at one of the fields up there? I'm hoping to head that way in the next few weeks for some shooting near Arthur's Pass.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hitek79

What's the story with the mountains an no trees? Any ideas?

---

I don't think there's anything special -- the eastern slope is mostly grassland/prairie, so not many trees in general. Even the base of the mountains (and those valleys) feel like alpine tundra.

Socially, NZ seems to be a mixture of US and UK. It's more car-oriented like the US. People are quite friendly (like in the US and unlike in the UK). Like in the UK, religion plays a very small part in everyday life and it's generally quite progressive (big plus for us). Grocery stores have a lot of British goods and brands. The Queen's birthday is a national holiday. Food portions in restaurants are similar to America (i.e. large).

One of the things I'm also liking about NZ is how Maori culture is relatively well-integrated into the wider society/culture. It's not shoved away isolated into a few areas or museums. Maori greetings are on many/most signs, billboards, magazines. At our son's school, instead of having standard English colour names for the houses, the house names are the Maori colour names. So my son is in the "whero" (red) house. They also weave a few Maori words and phrases throughout their lessons (he sometimes says "Kei te pai" in response to "How are you?"). Although the Maori population as a whole may not be doing as well as the pakeha (e.g. obesity rates among the Maori are sky-high), in general they seem to be less marginalized, less..."beaten down" (if that makes sense). Of course, I've only been here a few weeks, so maybe I'm just talking out of my ass!

Went for a short hike (more like a walk actually) to Mt. Somers (about a 40-min drive). New Zealand has a whole network of trails and huts, but for this outing we kept it easy.

22. The walk to Sharplin Falls
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5235/...40bdb560_z.jpg
Walk to Sharplin Falls by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

23. It was very, very, green. Coming from Colorado, where greenery can be limited, it was quite a change.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5550/...91031046_z.jpg
Walk to Sharplin Falls by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

24. And unbelievably wet. It reminded us a lot of hiking in Hawaii. So many different types of ferns.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7456/...5bb7d6ca_z.jpg
Walk to Sharplin Falls by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

25. Moss growing on every surface.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7388/...88d0d1a9_z.jpg
Walk to Sharplin Falls by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

26. Did I mention grow green it was?
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2916/...3e3a758d_z.jpg
Walk to Sharplin Falls by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

27. Being a relatively popular trail, it was quite well-maintained.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2895/...7ce96486_z.jpg
Walk to Sharplin Falls by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

28. The stream running next to the trail was crystal clear with a turquoise sheen.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7429/...473aeb93_z.jpg
Walk to Sharplin Falls by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

29. Lot of rockfall warnings.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7406/...c4ee230c_z.jpg
Walk to Sharplin Falls by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

30. Felt like Hawaii.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7451/...788ebc21_z.jpg
Walk to Sharplin Falls by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

31. Finally, the falls themselves. Small but pretty. I didn't bring my tripod, so had to shoot hand-held and hope for the best.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5499/...2dd712da_z.jpg
Walk to Sharplin Falls by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

32. The falls.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5535/...8055e8cd_z.jpg
Walk to Sharplin Falls by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

Thanks for the pictures! The ferns and greenery look amazing, that's the one thing Colorado is really lacking. Living here I always feel like a need to vacation to the PNW. I'm going to spending the winter near Christchurch. I'll have my touring gear but likely no car.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheElk

Great photos, Fuzz. My wife and I will be in Castle Hill for the season starting on 5 July. If you feel like getting any touring in, shoot me a PM.

---

Sent!

Great Photos. I've been following this thread for a while. I'm leaving for Wanaka and Treble Cone in two weeks for the ski season. Pretty danm stoked! This will be my first time down south. I have friends in Queenstown and the Craigieburn Range, so I hope to travel around and tour a bit.

Fuzz, Daver and Elk- Send me a PM if you are down my way and want to ski.

Looks like quite a few mags will be down here shortly.

Although ski season is only a few weeks away, it's been quite warm, at least here on the plains. Temps have been hitting 20-23C (68-73F) regularly for the last few days. This is due to a strong hot northerly wind called the Nor'wester, which results in the Canterbury Arch, a sheet of clouds over a blue sky. Noticed it for the first time the other day and missed my turn on the drive back home.

33. Canterbury Arch just outside town.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5498/...d19cea53_z.jpg
Canterbury Arch by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

34. Did go on my first proper bike ride in almost 2 years the other day.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2908/...d2e336f9_z.jpg
Canterbury plains by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

You shooting on a Nikon?