Franz Joseph

Called a township, in the UK it would be a village. The countryside around New Zealand never ceases to amaize, and this place certainly does not. I chose to go to Franz Joseph Glacier over Fox Glacier (which is only another 25km down the road) because the name sounded cooler. Most things in NZ are not cheap, and this was no exception at 150NZ dollars for a guided walk for the day. However how often do you get the chance to walk through cravases, tunnels and into caves. All with a lush blue tint and on another fantastic day being able to look down the vally across the path where the glacier met the sea, now long retreated. Moving at approximatly 50mm per month, this outstreched finger of ice with its cargo of moraine is a veritable sprinter.... well in gegraphical terms anyway. Hope you like these as for me this is one of the most unique experiences that has made my trip to New Zealand.

Nelson

A moderate size town on the North coast of the South Island, and a great base to get into Able Tasman National park, where most of these pictures were taken. The trip was 1 days kayaking, a night in a hut (purpose built by the local council for walkers) then a 5 hour hike back to the water taxi pick up point.

We were all in 2 person sea kayaks, staying close to the coast line having a laugh with our guide, when he points out if were interested that there is a blue penguin about 10m off our starboard bow (front right hand side) watching us in between diving for fish.

The views from the sea and the coastal path are stunning and we were very lucky with the weather. As the weather in New Zealand can be very changeable. The street scene is Nelson, I also managed to get a pic of a seal leaping from a rock. The rest are on the way back to the pick up point.

Rotarua - the volcanic lands

Not the official strap line but as you'll see quite enchanting, as there is a lot of geothermal activity going on around town, you can see steam coming up from the drainage vents in the streets, at pools in peoples gardens and in public parks, just to the right of the lake front, is the sulfur pool or flats well take a looks at the pics and see for yourself. they are especially hypnotic with a setting sun in the background.

For those of you who don't have geology degree or similarly minded the whole area smells like rotten eggs, there are also pools of boiling mud. All this energy has been harnessed to heat water and cook, with the local homeless contingency dropping cans of food into the boiling pools to get a hot meat (so I have been told).

Cape Reinga

The most northerly point in New Zealand where the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea meet in big a swurly motion. The tree that can bee see clinging to the edge of the rock is sacred to the Maori's; it is believed that when a Maori dies his/ her spirit travels the length of the country to this tree and enter the underworld. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Reinga check out the wiki link if your intrested. There is also a sign pointing to various places around the world with distances as there is at Lands end and John O Groats. Then comes 90 mile beach which we spent an hour or so driving along, see clip attached, and is designated as a highway!!!

Piehia

Said as Pie-here, a small town in the bay of islands on the north east coast of New Zealand, a quiet town easy to walk to anywhere, not a great to do in the town it self, but loads to see around the area, firstly the treaty grounds otherwise known as Waitangi, where in 1840 the British crown & Maori chiefs signed for co-existence on New Zealand to find out more go to http://www.waitangi.net.nz/

It may have gone down in the UK but at least the name lives on in NZ shocking I know but Woolworth's is still kicking!!!

The Carving the hut and doorway are taken in the treaty grounds go to the link above to find out more about it, there is an almost predictable outcome......

Sunrise over the bay of islands as the sea mist is burn off taken about 6:40 in the morning.

Onto New Zealand

It feels like a million hours on the planes to get from Bangkok to Auckland, in fack its only 9hours from Bangkok to Sydney then 2.5 hours from Sydney to New Zealand. The only pic I have when I was in Sydney (confined to the airport) was of this Qantas jet reversing in front of the Cityscape, the other pics are of Auckland city, with the famous or not (the Kiwi's would like to think so) Sky tower featuring in the remaining pics. As I came through into the arrivals area of the airport there was a traditional Maori bad playing, which was cool but unlikely just for me. I soon realised the Springbok's were arriving very soon after me for a tour of NZ the Kiwi's lost the first game 32 to 29. As I was about to take a video clip my battery died; bugger as soon as the Springbok team were together they got a traditional Maori greeting similar to a Hakka.

My Thai island time Koh Tao & Koh Phangan

Ok, so it's not all fun and games, having to walk on a near deserted tropical beach when the water is 29C under overhanging coconut trees, may not be everyone's cup of tea but someone has to do it, like the place in the pic for example, Koh Tao is pretty much diving and or drinking, very closely followed by sun burning; judging by the example of British/ German lobsters lounging on the beach most afternoons. Two pictures here are taken from my dive trips to various sites around the island, and yes those black dot looking things in the water are fish, it was that clear! and the water that blue, no photoshop tweaks here.

The boat with the long boom out the back is a long tail, of which there are dozens moored just off the beach and the final beach pic is on Koh Phangan, where the original Full Moon parties were and are still held.