A glimpse of NZ

 I spent a week touring the south island of New Zeland before the long journey home. My adventure took me from Christchurch over Arthur's Pass to Franz Joseph to Arrowtown to Queenstown to Milford Sound to Te Anau to Dunedin to Mt Cook and Lake Tekapo to Omarama and back to Christchurch. The pace felt a bit like the old movie If Tuesday It Must Be Belguim. 

From the Trans Alpine Railray

Arthur's Pass

around Hokitika

Water flows from each crack and crevice

mountains are scared left by earthquake
disruption

The Franz Joseph Glacier Area

Westland Tai Poutini National Park on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island

The Franz Joseph and Fox Glaciers are unique in both their proximity to the sea and the low altitude.

Most glaciers are located high up in mountainous regions whereas Franz Josef is currently approx 12kms long, is only 19kms from the coast and descends down to less than 300m above sea level. 

 The area surrounding the two glaciers is part of
Te Wahipounamu, yet another World Heritage Site.

The glacial cut valley and the braided river

Since 2008 Franz Joesph has entered a very rapid phase of retreat. Based on past variations, scientists expect that Franz Josef Glacier will retreat 5 km and lose 38% of its mass by 2100 in a mid-range scenario of warming.

Haast Pass and Lake Wanaka

Lake Wanaka

Haast Pass

Queenstown, the recreational center of S. NZ
The early Maori came to Queenstown in search of the greenstone. Settlers followed in awe of the fertile grazing land. A gold rush sprang up overnight in the 1860's which was larger than the Klondike rush. 

invasive weeds

 but will always be beloved lupine to me

Lake Wakatipu

hiking north of the town

 Walter Peak Station

In route to Milford Sound through the hand-made Homer Tunnel into the wild., Mitre Peak and Bowen Falls. 

 Mirror Lake

 Cleddau Hanging Valley

 Kia Bird

The Chasm

Wood Pigeon 

MILFORD SOUND

 Mitre Peak 

Lounging Sea Lions

Bowen Falls

Otago Peninsula

 The Yellow Eyed Penguins observed from hides trenches and tunnels.

 They nested in the scrub.

 This species of penguin is endangered, 

with anestimated population of 4000. 

It is considered one of the world's rarest penguin species.