Picton and the Queen Charlotte Track

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A weka on the Queen Charlotte Track

One of my last weekends in New Zealand I headed up to Picton to do a long day walk on the Queen Charlotte Track. As with most other places on the South Island, it was stunning and peaceful and the town was filled with friendly and quirky people. I also had some of the best food during my whole trip, especially the mussels and other seafood. The Queen Charlotte Track is easily accessible and home to gorgeous views. I also walked up the Tirhohanga trail in town and got a view of the town.

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Christmas Road Trip: Part 3

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An other-worldly pond near Fox Glacier

For the final leg of my trip I traveled up the west coast of the South Island through Haast, Fox Glacier, Hokitika, and Punakaiki. Unfortunately the weather became pretty stormy so the photography wasn’t as spectacular, but I still saw gorgeous sights and lots of wildlife. Major highlights were Ship Creek, seeing glow worms in the Tatare Tunnels, and the Pancake Rocks at high tide.

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Christmas Road Trip: Part 2

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View from the top of the Key Summit Alpine Walk of the Routeburn Track

From Bluff I traveled up to Te Anau and battled the crowds. I did some short sections of the the Kepler (Brod Bay to Dock Bay) and Routeburn (Key Summit Alpine) Tracks and checked out Milford Sound. The area is one of the most popular areas in the country and for good reason – the snowcapped mountains, reflective tarns, and diverse flora make for some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. One day I’d like to go back and do an entire Great Walk on one of the tracks.

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Christmas Road Trip: Part 1

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The Nugget Point Lighthouse

For my 10 day break from teaching in Christchurch, I took a 10 day road trip around the South Island of New Zealand. I headed south from Christchurch and spent a couple of days in the Catlins, then spent a rainy Christmas day in Bluff. This part of the country is less heavily touristed than most others and I was able to do quite a bit of sightseeing and hiking in relative tranquility. Highlights of the first few days were the Moeraki Boulders, Nugget Point, the trio of waterfalls (Purakaunui, Mclean, and Matai), and hiking in Bluff. There are amazing birds and flowers as well as spectacular ocean views from the Bluff lookout.

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Taylor’s Mistake at Godley Head

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The view from Godley Head

I spent a gorgeous, but hot, Sunday afternoon walking Taylor’s Mistake at Godley Head with a Meetup group. It’s an easy coastal walk with amazing views and plenty of history. There are World War II fortifications and remains of old holiday homes from the late 1800s. It’s a wonderful way to spend a day not too far out of Christchurch.

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