On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
Dagaetch
Many years ago I took a bit of a personal sabbatical and traveled around the world. One of my stops, and probably my favorite, was New Zealand. I spent a month there, driving around with a rented car, enjoying a place that truly does feel like a natural movie set. It was actually so beautiful that in some ways, I found taking pictures difficult – there was such an abundance of scenes that I couldn’t focus on specific compositions, and found myself just looking around with a smile on my face. Nearly every spot in the world has some form of natural or human-made beauty, but I can’t think of any other place where the beauty is quite so endless.
I arrived in New Zealand after 2 months in southeast Asia, mostly in cities. I was prepared for culture shock, but I wasn’t prepared for the utter peace that hiking in these open valleys would bring. At one point I simply sat on the ground and looked around, content to enjoy the serenity and allow myself, however briefly, to set my cares aside.
So called because of its resemblance to a palette, this lake is one of the main features at the geothermal park. The colors are less impressive close up, but when you find a spot to step back, they jump out at you. (and yes, the smell was…something)
Even many years later, I cannot get over the sheer endlessness of the natural beauty throughout the islands. Everywhere you look, anyway you turn, is another beautiful scene. I could very happily have spent a month just walking with no destination in mind.
At the beginning of the trip into the glowworm caves, we were warned that no camera flashes were allowed (not sure if that’s for the worms or for our eyes), and I wondered if my heavy camera was worth carrying. Towards the end of the tour, our guide carefully shined a low wattage light for us to see some of the worms close up. This is the luckiest photo I’ve ever taken, since I couldn’t see well enough to actually check any settings, but I really feel like it represents the extreme coolness of these little creatures. Natural jewelry for Mother Earth, perhaps?
I love waterfalls. I think it’s a nice reminder for me of the sheer power and implacability of nature; this water has carved a path over hundreds of years, and will continue to be carve deeper long after I’m gone. These falls were just a short hike from the road, as so much of the natural beauty of New Zealand proved to be.
Another roadside shot (literally!). One interesting thing about traveling in NZ was the hitchhikers – it was very common and accepted [this was a few years ago, don’t know if that’s still true]. I was able to provide lifts for a few folks, and it was nice to get a couple of hours of conversation with a stranger. Although I think I confused them when I would randomly stop and hop out of the car with my camera, barely remembering to mutter “be right back”.
I did a boat tour of the sound, and it was honestly…a little less impressive than I was expecting. I think perhaps the rest of NZ had overwhelmed me, to the point where something that would have dropped my jaw a couple weeks earlier now felt standard. For evidence, I present this waterfall, which was several hundred feet high, falling with enough energy and spray to form a constant rainbow. Looking at it now with several years separation…yep, pretty impressive.
I’ve traveled lots of places, and there’s always something to see. But usually you have to go there intentionally. I’ve never been anywhere other than New Zealand where you could quite literally pull your car off the road, roll down the window, and take a picture of a scene like this. I would plan my days driving, assuming that I could make several hundred miles if I wanted, only to discover that I was averaging about 20 miles per hour, due to the number of times I was stopping. I confess to missing the freedom I had when I was there. It may not be the way to live a life, but it was a wonderful way to live a month.
Driving on a main road, you take a turn. Then you take another turn, and suddenly you are lost in a canopy of trees, wondering if you will still be in reality when you reach the end, or if you will have entered the Shire. Every road was exciting. Every turn was an adventure. And I was always eager to see what came next.
While I’m grateful to live in an era of modern medicine and computers, there’s always been a part of me wishing there were worlds left to explore. But just because it’s not undiscovered doesn’t mean it’s not new to me. So I’ll pick up my camera and go down a new road, knowing that even if there’s a storm building, the sun will rise tomorrow, and there’s a new day on the horizon.
Lapassionara
These are lovely. Thank you for posting.
pat
These are wonderful photos, and the explanations are even better Thank you.
Ruckus
Wrote about my 3 week motorcycle tour of NZ in the last On the Road.
Had the same response to everywhere that Dagaetch speaks of. It is such an amazing place I was hoping I could move there, but alas the emigration law just didn’t allow it because of my age. But I’d like to visit once again if I can, it was the most amazing place and so often just stunningly beautiful, and I’ve seen a few of those on the two continents and several islands I’ve traveled around. And even better were the people I met. An honor to be allowed to see it.
debbie
Stunning. (Well, not the worms.)
Viva BrisVegas
Aotearoa, Land of the Long White Cloud.
Godzone, if only it were a little bit warmer and less soggy.
romeo24
@Ruckus: If you ever want to do a house swap, you’re on! I’m in Napier on the East coast of the North Island. Now that the Orange One is leaving, I’m keen to visit the States again! (Once the pandemic is over, of course…)
CaseyL
Such beauty! Did you get to North Island? I visited friends there in Wellington 10 years ago, which is right on the seacoast. The rocks, tidepools, and the quality of the light were enchanting.
arrieve
Wonderful pictures! I love New Zealand, though my hands get clammy just remembering the Waitomo caves — at one point we had to hold on to the person in front of us and shuffle along through pitch blackness for what felt like hours. The glowworms were cool, but I was very relieved to get back outside.
Your picture is much much better than any of mine.
Benw
Wowee Zowee. Your pics and voice are amazing
namekarB
I had planned to go to New Zealand in 2020 but something came up . . . . <sigh>
RedDirtGirl
So beautiful. Thank you for sharing your trip with us.
Gin & Tonic
I’ve been a lot of places, only a few of which I’d go back to at the drop of a hat. NZ is one. Unfortunately I was just passing through on my way to Oz, so only had a couple of days, and never got to the North Island (there are only three places in the world with geysers that are reasonably accessible, and I’ve been to the other two.)
Anyway, I did very much enjoy the trip to Doubtful Sound, but got me best shot (I think) on Lake Manapouri. To those who are unaware, the typical tour goes from Queenstown by bus to a ferry that crosses Lake Manapouri to another bus the drives to the mouth of Doubtful Sound, where you get on a tour boat. It was early in the day, and early spring, when I caught this from the first boat.
Dave S
I traveled to New Zealand in 1985. These pictures bring back memories.
On my tenth day there, at a youth hostel in Rotorua (lots of nice places in NZ, but Rotorua isn’t one of them), and I met a fellow traveler from Australia. Seven years later (yeah, a real long long distance relationship) we married and 28 years later we’re still married. Our son did a semesters exchange in NZ a few years ago, but we haven’t been back since, though I would love to. Wonderful place to visit.
JanieM
What a great trip you must have had. These are lovely — hard to choose a fave, but I think it’s that tree-lined tunnel to the Shire. Then again, there’s the waterfall…..
Cowgirl in the Sandi
We’ve been to NZ several times and thought seriously about trying to retire there – but like Ruckus, the immigration laws are very strict. The people are so friendly and the land is just gorgeous. And of course the wine.
One of the strangest places we visited was ‘Hot Water Beach’ on the Coromandel peninsula. You rent a shovel and dig a hole and warm water fills the hole. The water can get very warm – in some holes, it was boiling! As you stand in the surf, the water is cold as it rushes in, but as you sink, your feet get warmer and warmer as the water bubbles up from the earth’s crust.
Ruckus
@romeo24:
Not a bad idea but I’m not sure that this would work out, I live in a seniors apt complex and I’m not positive that this is doable. But it is a very intriguing idea. And I plan on moving next year after I retire. That has to be before I turn 72, I am not working past that, NFW.
Ruckus
@namekarB:
Go when you get a chance, you will not be disappointed. My tour was both islands, sitting in a restaurant at the southern end watching the ocean was like most everything else, just amazing. I recall that I did almost 3500K on the motorcycle. And the people were just great. First day it was pouring and I needed a paper towel to deal with some rain on the inside of my faceshield and stopped at a gas station. In NZ the owner handed me a roll of paper towels, turned around and went back to work, while in the states you’d likely get a curt fuck you. Completely different way of living. I actually started to like the rain. Of course that was easy with a big grin on my face.
Ruckus
I will say that of all the places I’ve been on this rock, in total NZ was the best. And the people I met were a great part of that, even with all the amazing land. I can say I’ve ridden on the Pacific Coast Highway in 2 wildly different countries. And both were amazing. It was a major highlight of my travels.
romeo24
@Ruckus: Yes, I imagine your neighbours would be slightly perturbed to be confronted with a couple of Kiwis! The offer of a spare room at least stands :-) You know, we often don’t appreciate our own back yard. There was a campaign way back in the 80s encouraging Kiwis to “Don’t leave town ’til you’ve seen the country.” Trying to keep more of the tourist $$ in NZ rather than see it go to the Gold Coast or Bali. The campaign has been revived in the era of Covid under the slogan of “Do something New (Zealand)” to invite Kiwis to spend their summer holidays visiting places in NZ now that they can’t go overseas. I’m keen as I spent most of my adult years out of NZ.
Ruckus
@romeo24:
A spare room in NZ. This sounds like something I could like! Do you want to adopt? I’m a little old but I can act like a kid without a lot of effort….
Actually the main maintenance man here sounds Kiwi. I haven’t asked him where he’s actually from so that’s just a wild ass guess. And this is CA so there are people from all over. I owned a small bicycle shop in a tourist area about 1/4 mile from SF Bay and people from many parts of the world would stop in. It was interesting and fun to say the least.
angela angie
For evidence, I present this waterfall, which was several hundred feet high, falling with enough energy and spray to form a constant rainbow.
A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan)
@JanieM: We think alike. That waterfall is amazing, and the tree lined road was my 2nd favorite shot.
Royston Vasey
Nice to see my country displayed in here.
I’m in Wellington, the cool little little capital.
Cheers,
RV in NZ
Royston Vasey
I have travelled extensively around New Zealand, including the Chatham Islands. Maybe I should write one of these On The Road articles.
RV in NZ
stinger
@Royston Vasey: Yes please.
Dagaetch, thank you for a series of landscapes to get lost in…. Evocative descriptions, too.
WaterGirl
@Royston Vasey: Yes, you should!
JanieM
@A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan):
It’s nice to have someone to sit only 6 feet away from. :-)
way2blue
Dagaetch, you’ve rekindled memories of New Zealand. Thanks!
Years ago my brother & I spent a month traveling both islands. I’d just finished my undergraduate studies and he’d just finished his military service. Two backpacks, sleeping bags & a ground tarp. We traveled by bus (coach), train & hitchhiking. I remember people stopping to offer a ride when we were walking along the road, and being charmed that we’d come from California to visit New Zealand. It rained even in summer (not so in California!), so we became adept at constructing a tent with the ground cloth, our packs as tent poles & our boots as tent ‘pegs’. With little kids in the campgrounds peering in fascination at our contrivance. We lived on milkshakes & chocolate bars…