Coromandel Ocean View

1 - 2 - 3  Versions of the same Scene....

I'm Back!

We have been so busy this past month with missionary work and travel, that I've been a very poor blogger.  We've had some amazing spiritual experiences and some fun experiences while our two sons and their wives were visiting.  This month we've been to Tahiti (on missionary work), and Queenstown three times, both for missionary work and pleasure.  I have so many photos to sort, edit, save, delete, post, that it will probably take me years!  We don't have any traveling scheduled for the next month so I'll try to catch up and post something daily.  Just to warn you, however, that my posts for the foreseeable future will be random and in no particular order of time, place, or subject.  I just want you to see some of the wonderful and interesting sights I have seen during the first part of this year, so my goal is to just get them up.  So here we go........ 

  Cheerful Colors, Sad Face

A few weeks ago, on a Saturday, Jeff FINALLY found a car show.  (He really had fun talking cars when our sons were here as I'm less than adequate in that department.)  Anyway, while he walks around looking at cars, I usually observe the people and photograph those that interest me.

I've posted photos of the Maori people with their distinctive tattoos on body and face, but tattooing in general, is big time here in NZ.  I think I see almost as many women with tattoos as men, not just cute little flowers on the ankle, but elaborate body designs.  It is a bit sad to me.  I am always drawn to stare at these elaborate tattoos, especially on women, and it dawned on me that I rarely ever look at their faces.  When I do look, as an afterthought, they are often beautiful young women, but I usually never notice that because I'm so curious to discover what they feel is so important to them that they have chosen to spend the time, money, and pain to have it permanently embedded on their bodies.

I thought this young woman was particularly interesting because despite her bright and colorful clothes, make up, (and tattoos), she seemed quite sad in her expression and demeanor.  I'm certainly not implying this was because of the tattoos, I just thought it was an interesting contrast.

 

 Sexy??????

I was sitting in the shade fairly close to this purple car with this license plate, and this woman walked past.  Do you think her tattoos make her more sexy looking???

New Zealand Beach Fun

Early morning walk on Tapakuna Beach

Just hanging around!

Huia overlook

Whatipu Reserve

WE HAVE VISITORS!

Tyler & Emily

Dalin & Emily

Two of our sons and their brides came today to visit us.  And no, I didn't make a mistake, they both married beautiful young women named Emily!  We are so excited to have them here and show them some of the beautiful places, local culture, and wonderful people here in New Zealand.  

(Photos are VERY posed engagement shots)

Baldwin Street - The Steepest Street in the World

Baldwin Street - Dunedin, New Zealand

According to Guinness World Records, this is the steepest street in the world, at least that's what the sign says at the bottom. 

Making a photo look like what one actually sees is sometimes a real challenge.  It is often hard, for example, to capture the grandeur and vastness of a mountain scene.  If you use a wide angle lens, you will get a wide shot, but the mountains look small.  If you use a telephoto, the mountains look big, but you can't get much of the scene in the frame.  (Of course one solution would be to do a pano in this situation.) Anyway, this was one of those times when I couldn't capture what I was seeing.  I took photos from the bottom looking up, and I took photos from the top looking down (after I stopped panting and gasping for air after the climb).  I tried different lens, and shot from standing up to laying on the road.  But the photos just don't do this street justice.  We parked our car at the bottom and walked to the top, taking several stops to rest.  It was steep!  Every year as part of a local festival they have races up and down.  It's called the 'Baldwin Street Gutbuster'.

Here are some side views:

Colorful Sand of New Zealand

New Zealand has........

white sand beaches..... (Omapere)

black sand beaches......(Whatapu)

.......and orange sand beaches (Little Kaiteriteri)

Punakaiki - Pancake Rocks

Another stop along the west coast of the south island is Pancake Rocks, an area of beautiful and unusually layered rock formations. 

Gannets of New Zealand - Part 2

The gannets of New Zealand live on the edge between land and sea where these cliffs provide a strong updraft for easy take off.

The home for this colony is Muriwai on the north island. 

About 15 weeks after birth, the chicks make a journey to Australia more than 2000km away.  There is no trial and error and no parents to show them the way.  They migrate on their own.  Those that survive the journey across the Tasmin will remain for several years.

Finally, instinct draws them back across the 'ditch' to New Zealand, never to return to Australia again.   Amazingly, those who make the return journey successfully, will come to the same nest they left behind years ago, to have chicks of their own.

Gannets of New Zealand

Love Birds

Tomorrow I'll post more about the gannets of New Zealand.  In the meantime, hope you all have a Happy Valentine's Day and if you are able to spend it with those you love, you are lucky indeed.
(I couldn't decide which 'pose' I liked best so you get all three.)

Messages by the Tasman

The drive up the west coast is one rugged vista after another, each one seeming more beautiful than the rest.  Then we came upon an entirely different coast:

 A long, flat beach that was strewn with white stones.  Hundreds of tourists had written messages on these rocks and left them for those that follow to read.

There were all kinds of messages - love notes, funny sayings, names and dates, sage advice.  It was fun to spend a few minutes browsing through this seaside message board.

Franz Josef Glacier - New Zealand

Yes, we are still in New Zealand.  This is Franz Josef Glacier.

Brazen Parrots

New Zealand Parrot

These brazen guys can do serious damage to the tops and hoods of cars.  We saw several of them in a parking lot on our way to Milford Sound.  They are totally unafraid of humans.  One tourist was feeding them out of her hand (bad tourist!).
Update:  My BBs Diane and Robin (Blogging Buddies), commented that these destroyers of cars are called KEA, and they particularly enjoy ripping off rubber, like around windows, doors windshield wipers, etc. (bad kea!)

Phun Phriday

Just Having Phun!

Tranquility

Appreciating the beauty of the landscape is just not enough for some people.......

.......the original AJ Hackett Bungy Jump.  Hackett is the original inventor of the 'bungy jump'.

While others prefer a very fast ride on a jet boat coming within inches of the cliffs and doing 365 degree spins.  With almost every adrenalin producing adventure invented by man available, Queenstown, New Zealand claims to be the adventure capital of the world!
P.S.  For those who are wondering, no color saturation of the water.  It was this color even on a cloudy day!

Shotover River - Post #1

Shotover River

A short drive from Queenstown is the beautiful Shotover River.  However, there is more to see than just the beauty of this river.  Check in tomorrow for another view.

Near Queenstown

Beautiful sky, beautiful lake!  

And the answer is 'no', I didn't enhance the color.  It really was this color.

 

Just off the Road to Milford Sound

There is a tunnel on the way to Milford Sound and off to one side is a craggy mountain capped with snow and ice.  Many tourists were off to the side of the road taking photos.  I'm usually a 'photo rebel' so I turned in the opposite direction to see if I could find a more unique photo op, and here it was.  I had to walk back up the road about 10 yards.  Nestled just off the road and down a little incline, was this tiny patch of lupine.  I walked all around, trying to find the very best shot, and finally saw this, with the diagonal line of the flowers matching the line of the mountain.  When I was through, I walked back to our car in the parking area where all the other tourists were taking photos in the opposite direction.  I couldn't resist talking to a few of them and pointing to the much better scene I had found.  Some looked surprised, thanked me, and walked back to the lupine, others didn't want to be bothered and left.  I know there are a few who were willing to take the time and will go home with some lovely travel photos!

P.S.  Who says you can't take a nice photo in the middle of the day in the bright sun!!!  (Incidentally, the direction everyone else was shooting was washed out and glaring because of the sun hitting all the white snow.)

Milford Sound - #5

Travel Brochure Picture

This is the view you see on many travel brochures for Milford Sound.  What do you think?  Does this make you want to come visit the 'land of the long white cloud'???

 

Every morning I wake up wondering how we could be so blessed to have these amazing experiences!  Right now I'm posting this photo of a beautiful New Zealand landscape from our hotel room in Tahiti!!!  We will be here for a week, and yes, we are here on assignment, but will have time to see this tropical paradise.  We had a very productive meeting last night, but today we've been invited to the birthday parties of three of our host's grandchildren.  They live on the far end of the main island and we have to get there by 4 wheel drive.  He said we will be part of their family birthday traditions and learn how they cook their traditional food.  We are so excited to step away from what the tourists see and have a glimpse into real Tahitian culture.  I have only begun to post our NZ trip to the south island, and by the end of this week I'm sure I'll have a gazillian photos of Tahiti.  I think I already have enough photos of beautiful places to post for this entire year, and the year has just begun!!!  

I need to add a 'footnote' here.  Because this is a photography blog, I mostly post the beautiful places and beautiful people we see and meet.  But I want you all to know, that our reason for being here is because we are missionaries for our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  We serve here because we have been asked to serve here, but we would have gone anywhere willingly.  I want you all to know we have had amazing spiritual experiences;  in seeing the beauty of God's creations, but more importantly, in amazing faith building experiences and our own spiritual growth.   These things, rather that photographs, will become part of us forever.  

Milford Sound - #4

Fantasy Voyage

Milford Sound - #3

Lost in the Landscape

Milford Sound - #2

Lighting the Way

Milford Sound - #1

We spent New Year's Eve on an overnight cruise in Milford Sound.  I woke up at dawn on New Years Day and was greeted with this view.  It was a lovely way to welcome 2012.

On the Way to Milford Sound

Magnificent Mountains

On New Year's Eve we flew to the south island to spend a few more days of sightseeing while most of the office was still on vacation.  These beautiful mountain vistas were on the drive to Milford Sound, our first stop.