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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
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    New Zealand
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    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.

    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).

    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.

    Kiwi flora by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

    4. The view down our street.

    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...

    Wakanui Beach by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

    6. And looking north...

    Wakanui Beach by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

    Coming up next...The Plains of Rohan...
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  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2007
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    Juxtaposition
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    5,733
    I'll be following this one closely.
    Life is not lift served.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
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    Sector 7G
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    5,667
    New Zealand is the most awesome country on the planet.
    This is the worst pain EVER!

  4. #4
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    Apr 2004
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    Three-O-Three
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    15,417
    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.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
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    1,411
    Thanks again for your excellent photos! and congrats on living in such varied and wonderful places!
    what's so funny about peace, love, and understanding?

  6. #6
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    Oct 2009
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    Crested Butte
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    440
    Great pics, Fuzz. Thanks.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
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    12,609
    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

  8. #8
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    Apr 2012
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    ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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    11,698
    Nice Fuzz! Stoked for this thread.

  9. #9
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    Jul 2005
    Location
    Moose, Iowa
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    7,926
    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.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    New Zealand
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    1,495
    Thanks all!

    Quote Originally Posted by smmokan View Post
    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.

    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.

    Road to Rohan by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

    9. There are small lakes dotted by the side of the road, which provide fantastic reflections.

    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.

    Rohan by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

    11. Close-up of Edoras/Mt. Sunday.

    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.

    Rohan by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

    13. The Ben McLeod Range looked fantastic.

    Rohan by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

    14. My son loved the hike up "Edoras".

    Exploring Edoras by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

    15. He climbed every possible prominence and wanted to keep going for more.

    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.
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  11. #11
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    Sep 2009
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    1,633
    Super awesome.

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

  12. #12
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    Oct 2007
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    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.

  13. #13
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    Jul 2005
    Location
    Moose, Iowa
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fuzz View Post

    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.
    Last edited by uglymoney; 05-14-2014 at 09:20 AM.

  14. #14
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    May 2009
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    inpdx
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    20,197
    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!

  15. #15
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    May 2009
    Location
    BFE
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    551
    Awesome photos. I would love to see New Zealand. Have you seen any wild Hobbits?

  16. #16
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    Oct 2003
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    Haxorland
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    7,103
    Man I miss NZ. I was there 11 years ago studying in ChCh and it is absolutely amazing.
    I've concluded that DJSapp was never DJSapp, and Not DJSapp is also not DJSapp, so that means he's telling the truth now and he was lying before.

  17. #17
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    Jun 2006
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    Quote Originally Posted by shredgnar View Post
    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.

    Pacific mist by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

    17. Looks like Iowa (or Wisconsin!):

    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.

    Road to Tekapo by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

    19. The lake is spectacular in colour -- an amazing turquoise more reminiscent of the Caribbean.

    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.

    Lake Tekapo by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

    21. Will definitely be returning for a longer trip sometime soon.

    Lake Tekapo by FuzzSummit, on Flickr
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  18. #18
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    On the road
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    96
    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.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
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    Colorado
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    2,054
    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?
    All I want is to be hardcore.

    www.tonystreks.com

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
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    Bozeman
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    1,302
    Great thread Fuzz! Have a great time and keep the images coming.

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    New Zealand
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheElk View Post
    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

    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.

    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.

    Walk to Sharplin Falls by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

    25. Moss growing on every surface.

    Walk to Sharplin Falls by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

    26. Did I mention grow green it was?

    Walk to Sharplin Falls by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

    27. Being a relatively popular trail, it was quite well-maintained.

    Walk to Sharplin Falls by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

    28. The stream running next to the trail was crystal clear with a turquoise sheen.

    Walk to Sharplin Falls by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

    29. Lot of rockfall warnings.

    Walk to Sharplin Falls by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

    30. Felt like Hawaii.

    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.

    Walk to Sharplin Falls by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

    32. The falls.

    Walk to Sharplin Falls by FuzzSummit, on Flickr
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  22. #22
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    boulder
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    614
    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 View Post
    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!

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    The dark side of Lone Peak, MT
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    116
    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.
    Originally Posted by nickwm21
    "hitting rocks ain't normal use in their eyes..."

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    New Zealand
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    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.

    Canterbury Arch by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

    34. Did go on my first proper bike ride in almost 2 years the other day.

    Canterbury plains by FuzzSummit, on Flickr
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  25. #25
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    Nov 2003
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    Stuck in perpetual Meh
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    You shooting on a Nikon?

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