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
At this point I don’t know how much more there is to say about New Zealand, I’m mostly just “look, pretty!”. But that was the largest part of my experience. I poked my head in various museums and cultural landmarks, wandered a few cities, and met some people (mostly other travelers). But my memories are largely about the scenery. And that was fairly intentional. Pretty scenery is my happy place, so when I’m traveling for myself, that’s what I’m going to gravitate towards.
More waterfalls! If my Google Maps timeline is correct, this is Purakaunui Falls. I do remember that that it was a short walk from the car park, and about 5 minutes after I took this photo, the sun moved and the scene was ruined (in a photographic sense). It was also a surprisingly crowded place, and this is one of the few frames I have without a person in view.
I mentioned in another post how I like including roads in some images. They do add something visually, but I feel that there’s also an emotional component. The road is the journey. You may not know where it leads, but hopefully, you’re looking forward to finding out.
Another absolutely epic vista. Scenes like this transport me back in time a bit. I can imagine an era before rapid communication, when you would walk out to the end of this peninsula and stare at the sea, wondering about the fate of a loved one who was on a journey.
This was in the Rakatu Wetlands. This was yet another day where I had picked up a hitchhiker, and if my memory is correct, after we had been talking about a shared love of nature, they suggested that we stop for a hike here, which I was happy to do. A truly wonderful spot. I think there were some wooden trails that we had to stay on, in order to protect the landscape.
Further up the West Coast of the South Island, I had booked a trip to heli-hike on Fox Glacier. The day I was supposed to go, the weather was unpleasant, so the company offered me either a refund or a rebooking to the following day. I had the time and took the rebooking, which left me a rainy day and no plans. I wandered over to the nearby Lake Matheson and walked all the way around it through a drizzle. Still a very enjoyable day.
Weather the following day was delightful and the hike was a go! This was my first time in a helicopter. It’s a brief ride; some of the crew go up there early to clear off a spot for the helo to land, bring gear, etc. I was given a set of crampons among other things.
Fox Glacier is constantly evolving. What you see one day may not be there the next. There are some spots where the ice is melting; and others where a cave opens up, and you can walk through the ice. It was fascinating and a ton of fun. For the majority of our 3 hours, the sun was behind the mountains so there was no glare.
To provide a sense of scale. This was the company crew, setting up a different landing site for the afternoon tour.
I hadn’t scheduled it intentionally, but following my morning of hiking a glacier, I spent the evening kayaking on Lake Mapourika. We paddled around for nearly three hours, first crossing the lake and then going around a little nature preserve area. It was really pretty; the water was perfectly still until we passed through it, so there were some nice reflections, and it was just interesting. This is an area that is being used to protect some endangered species, which had been successful to date. I have to admit, just floating around in a kayak looking at pretty scenery is not a hardship. We headed back to shore as the sun finally went behind the mountains, tired and a little cold, but having had a good time.
Baud
You did it all. Amazing trip.
Rachel Bakes
Stunning photos, all of them
knally
Beauty everywhere!
Kristine
What a lovely, relaxing vacation. Definitely not “If it’s Tuesday this must be Belgium.”
Betty
We can feel the serenity you experienced while there through your photos. Thank you.
J.
Just watched Men in Kilts Season 2 on Starz, which takes place in New Zealand. Goofy but gorgeous scenery and takes a look at Maori culture. Recommend for those hankering to visit.
JeanneT
Baid already said ‘amazing’ – but I second that opinion. It’s like New Zealand is bigger on the inside than the outside, so many different environments!
Kristine
@JeanneT:
Their flag is TARDIS blue
Albatrossity
While on the West Coast in the Fox Glacier area, did you make it to Okarito and the Okarito Lagoon? If no, you have something to look forward to on the next trip!
Thanks for these lovely pictures and commentary!
WaterGirl
I wanted this New Zealand series to run all the way to 5z!!! :-(
Chris T.
The glaciers are massive, but also shrinking terrifyingly fast. My first visit to Franz Josef Glacier was in 2003, when it was a lot easier to hike to the face. You can’t do that at all right now, though if they have another glacier-growing period it might happen again.
I don’t know where your two “somewhere”s are, but the first one could be many places on north or south islands, and the second looks like it’s somewhere not too far from Kaikōura (“eat crayfish”).
Dagaetch
Thanks all :) it’s fun to share these photos with you!
@Albatrossity: I did not! But having just looked it up, I’ll add to the itinerary of the return trip that I’ve promised myself someday.
@WaterGirl: Don’t tempt me lol.
WaterGirl
Just a reminder that I have added the New Zealand tag to all of these dagaetch posts.
WaterGirl
@Dagaetch: Happy to tempt you! boldly, brazenly, hopefully not annoyingly! :-)
stinger
What wonderful photos and commentary! I too would love to see more!
I agree that a road in a photo can be magical. It provides a sense of scale, and especially if the road winds away into trees or over a hill, it gives that feeling of The Road Goes Ever On.
TheOtherHank
I first read “heli-hiking” as “hell-hiking” and wondered why that seemed like a fun thing to do.
SkyBluePink
I want to live in the first photo- it conveys such a sense of peace-
munira
Beautiful photos – and love your comments.
cope
Wonderful pictures, a great narrative and an excellent job of conveying what NZ is like. Thank you.
Bon voyages!
StringOnAStick
Fabulous! Thanks for sharing.
dnfree
I have greatly enjoyed your photos and descriptions. We were there in 2017 and thoroughly agree with you. It’s a beautiful country, and with so much diverse scenery to appreciate!
I have to share an anecdote. When we came home, we were out to a restaurant with friends and telling them how beautiful it was. The waitress asked us what was so beautiful, and we mentioned glaciers, mountains, greenery….she continued to look skeptical. So I stopped and said “Did you see ‘Lord of the Rings’?” She paused. “OOOOOH!”, she said.