I've been around the world and visited some truly amazing places. Travel has provided some of the most valuable of moments, experiences and memories and rarely a day goes by in which I do not think about a place I've been and wish to go back, or to travel to new places. I live for experiences, not things, and travel has certainly furnished me with so many and varied memories indeed - As a nature-lover many of those places have been natural places because it's where I feel most comfortable.
This week, for the #weekend-engagement posting topics WE78, I asked people to post about the natural world with the expectation people would share a few places they'd been and I could take a look at them and feel like I'm travelling despite not being allowed to currently do to government control measures, fear and media-hype.
In thinking about the places I've been, the natural places, there's so many I could list however it's difficult to single one out as the best or most favoured as they all have different attributes and mean different things to me. However there's one place I went to recently that I'll single out today because it was one of the places that simply blew me away and surprised me with its beauty and feel.
The tiny country of New Zealand sits to the east of Australia, where I live, and a little lower. I say tiny because compared to my country it is a little fly speck of a place and I've spent my life ignoring it and making fun of its inhabitants, the New Zealander's. They're easy targets and Australian's and New Zealanders have a (friendly) rivalry which boils over to some truly brutal insults at times...But it's all in good humour. You'd have to be an Aussie or a Kiwi to understand the dynamic.
So, I finally decided to go over there for a look and decided that the south island would be the best place as only twenty five percent of the countries four million people live there and that suits me fine; less people.
It's called Aotearoa in the Maori language which has a few different translations but one of the popular ones is long white cloud and when one goes to New Zealand it makes perfect sense. Weather patterns create them across the skies and it just works.
It's a land of high mountain peaks, lakes and rivers, volcano's, dense forest, deep valleys, fjords and glaciers, open fields, rugged coast lines, snow and ice. It's simply stunning.
Whilst there I explored much of the south island including a very cool helicopter expedition to Mt Earnslaw Burn, a glacier-formed valley, which you can see in images above. The helicopter dropped down to the valley floor and shut down, we were the only ones there because its so remote and inaccessible...It felt like I'd been transported back in time - It was so quiet and it brought me a deep sense of peace. It's one of my fondest travel memories and I intend to go back one day.
Everywhere one looks is a postcard image and with my terrible photography skills I tried to capture some. Below is Milford Sound, Tunnel Beach, random fields and the Moeraki Boulders.
In my wanderings around the south island I was struck by the contrasts; it seemed wherever one looked there was something different and beautiful.
The lush forest below was one such place. I stopped to take a look at a camping ground and wandered into this very lush and moist forest beside it and decided to explore a little deeper.
It seemed prehistoric to me and I wouldn't have been surprised to see a dinosaur pop out from behind a tree; a Velociraptor would have been cool. The paths led me to an alpine lake and me being the curious fellow I am I had to taste the water. It tasted like water, clear, cold and fresh...And a little bit like whatever the animals of the area did in the water. I survived though and am glad I tasted those waters...It sort of connects me to the moment you know?
I'm not sure why it took me so long to get to New Zealand but I have to admit that I regret not travelling there sooner.
It takes well less than a day of flying to get there from my city in Australia and offers so much of interest. I think the coolest part for me is how different it is from Australia; it's totally different in every way. It sort of gave me the feel I was in Europe and whilst it's completely different to Europe it's often called little Switzerland. I've been to Switzerland and I have to agree somewhat.
One of the questions for the #weekend-engagement posting topics this week was where would you go if you could take a two week vacation right now and without a doubt I'd say New Zealand...I didn't get enough of it last time, only saw a snippet, and I want to see more of the natural beauty found in the land of the long white cloud.
Thanks for taking a skim of my pictures folks, I hope you're having a great weekend and doing something that makes you smile.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
Discord: galenkp#9209
Images are my own and not yours
Hi Galen, I just read this blog post of yours, and really enjoyed it.
Gimme back our pavlova and Phar Lap, and you can keep Russell Crowe. Deal?
Yep, I'm a Kiwi, living in West Auckland. I haven't travelled much, but I did spend some time in Te Waipounamu (the South Island) in the past. It sure is lovely there, very tranquil. I particularly enjoyed the wide, meandering river beds, like the Waimakariri River.
What could possibly make you think us keeping Russell Crowe is a good deal? Lol. And nope, pavlova is ours, but we're happy to share.
I loved NZ so much and will be back more than one more time I can assure you. Those glacier-carved rivers you mention are so beautiful. I walked a long one for a few kilometres and loved it. It actually felt old and made me feel like I, and the person with me, were the only people on the planet. NZ is legit, but tell no one I said so, I have an Australian credibility to uphold after all. 🤪
Thanks for your cool comment.
Strangely, the glacier rivers of Canterbury remind me of the many happy hours that I have spent in the marshlands to the West of Whiterun in Skyrim. I quite enjoyed walking through the river beds there, hunting giant crabs and picking plants as reagents for alchemy ingredients.
Skyrim, that's a video game right? I have no clue. Sorry.
I am new here, and was skimming through "trending," and saw your post. Your pictures are breathtaking. They look like I am actually there seeing things. I hate when I am in an amazing place and try to capture what my eyes are seeing, and I look at the image on the phone, and it doesn't compare with my eyes are beholding. How do you do it? I love it.
I also relate to you living for experiences and not things. I have felt this more over the last few years. Things fade and break and are temporary, whereas memories and experiences last forever and impact you in such a soulful way.
I have always wanted to travel to New Zealand. I like the difference you capture while all in the same place. As for trying the water- probably would have done the same. Was it cold?? I want to be incredibly touristy when I get there and also saw the Hobbit houses. All of New Zealand seems to call to me. So many areas of the world have so much to offer. I love that you posted this, and did it well. Thank you. I need to go and see what the weekend challenge is about now. Thanks again for sharing.
Hey Becca, nice to hear from you and welcome to Hive.
It's always hit and miss as to whether my photos reflect the true-life image. I'm no photographer really so I point, shoot and hope. Sometimes it works out. 😊
NZ is a legit place for sure and so close to Australia...I'm really mad at myself for not going there sooner. Still, I'm onto it now so I'll make up for not going earlier.
Thanks for taking a look at my post and just so you know, the #weekend-engagement posting topics are released on a Friday in my community, THE WEEKEND, and the guidelines are simple to follow. There's a different set of topic questions each week and I try to keep them interesting. I hope you'll join in.
I'll be announcing this week's winners in about three or four hours (in a post) and a new topic announcement will happen Friday.
Thanks again for stopping by and saying hello, and for your kind comments.
Absolutley! I looked over the community and joined. I hope to participate in the future.
That'll be great. 😉
The photos are stunning, if not a dslr, you must've used an iPhone for them. New Zealand is on the bucket list, and I too have thought of living there. The only thing that gives me pause are the numerous fault lines due to the country being on the pacific ring of fire. It looks like the southeastern portion of the south island is the best place to live to avoid earthquakes and volcanos.
Makes me wonder why so many tech billionaires have luxury doomsday bunkers in NZ?
source
I used a Samsung S9 for these photos and one or two may have been taken with my Olympus mirrorless digital camera. Mainly S9 though.
NZ is a very nifty spot and I look forward to going back someday, hopefully soon.
Also, I didn't know about the bunker thing.
There is a beer (a very nice one) by a Scottish brewers: Tempest Brewing, which is called that. I always liked the name and it's good to know it's from something.
I have always fancied visiting there. It looks incredible.
If it's anything like the actual place then that beer most be totally legit.
I hope you got to NZ someday as it's amazing and will be so different to anything you're used to. Plus, your accent won't seem weird there because theirs is more weird. 😊
It is a goody, a pleasant sitting in the sun beer :O)
Lol, I have heard the accent on TV shows. It is a bit out there!
Sounds nice, I'll have to see if I can find it here...The beer, not the NZ accent. 😁
Lol. You never know, they are becoming quite popular. There was a hit I was talking to in the States who could get their stuff!!
The beer that is 🤣
I'm going to give it a red hot go...And if I find it (the beer) I'll do a post.
Magic. I hope you find it!
Wow! it's a coincidence that I also wrote about one of my best weekend times in NZ.
I traveled along the country for a few months, but still want to go back one day. 😍
Ah, there it is. Everyone's favorite adjective :)
!MOIST !PIZZA
Haha, glad someone picked it up. I don't know why but the word ilicits all sorts of different responses. I like to throw it in now and then. 😉
Hi there! Hope you're doing great.
Wow, these scapes look so stunning. It seems that you have a great eye for photography, even if you don't really master the technicalities behind it. New Zealand appears to be a magical place, would love to visit it in the near future. Actually, I love traveling and I look forward to seeing almost every bit of the world. So far I haven't traveled outside my country, but that's fine because there's a lot for me to see and experience here still.
I love that I get to somehow "travel" when reading posts like this one. That's one of the great perks of Hive, in my opinion; getting to know more about cultures and nature all around the world. Thank you for sharing and I'd like to see more of your trips!
I've been very fortunate to have had the ability to travel but I have also seen much of Australia as well. I think it's good to spend time in one's own country and to understand it.
Thanks for your nice comments and I hope that you get to travel extensively as there's so many things to experience.
Thank you! I hope so too, and I'm working towards that.
✅
I see that the stacks of rocks have migrated to your hemisphere... I'm curious, does it require a helicopter to visit Aotearoa or can it be reached by more pedestrian means?
Aotearoa is the Maori name for New Zealand...I think you mean My Earnslaw Burn?
It can be hiked into but it takes days so helicopter is the only way generally. Only one company has permission to land there. It's unlikely that one would meet someone else there though. The trek is through some pretty full-on mountain ranges and would be a great trip but for most it's the helicopter.
Ah, yes.
Gotcha, wasn't sure if it was inaccessible except by air or just inhospitable. Looks like some lovely backcountry to visit either way!
Yep, indeed. I'd love to do a trek to be honest. Imagine a small group of legit people making their way to this amazing spot...Sounds pretty good to me.
Can’t believe it took you so long to make it down to New Zealand but then again I have always said Aussies are a bit slow
Lol just kidding of course but had to start with keeping the Kiwi Aussie rivalry going
You have truly highlighted the amazing beauty down south in New Zealand and perhaps you now know why we call it Godzone or godsown
I to have travelled the world and seen so much and must say New Zealand’s beauty is hard to beat
Yeah I know right? Dumb Aussie. But then, I've never presented myself as intelligent, just a knucklehead so if the crown fits...
The Aussie-Kiwi rivalry is kind of funny to be honest and as I said it can get quite brutal. We went to war as ANZAC's in WWI though, fought and died together, and that forge da legacy that exists to this very day; the ANZAC tradition is still strong between our countries. Still, we like to get stuck into each other.
NZ is a spectacular place indeed...I loved it and if I'm honest could actually live there...But those accents! Lol.
Thanks for commenting.
Lol so true and to be honest having travelled a lot it is us Kiwis are worse with the silly rivalry
Don’t worry I to am a knucklehead often
As for the accent not having lived in NZ for over 30 years I have lost mine a bit but most people around the world can’t tell the difference between our accents
This is true...The amount of times I got asked if I was from New Zealand after I spoke, when I was in England.
Bloody poms. Lol.
Ohh yeah exactly, and same here in the states
Whoaaaa, it's great picture!
I was just about to write about New Zealand as a topic of the weekend. But, yeah I never been there. So, I'll write about how if I can travel to New Zealand one day. And this blog make me so excited!
New Zealand is an amazing place, I hope you make it there someday.
New Zealand is definitely a place to be for all the many good reasons, and yes, nature and the people too :) Those are gorgeous photos of the places you have been to in the country. I have only been able to set foot in Auckland :)
It's a very amazing county and one I'd like to go back to. There's a little of everything and I love how different it is to Australia..But is so close.
I am sure you will :) It is interesting indeed that neighbouring countries can be different from each other. Nature made it that way :)
Yep, and nature knows best right? (At least when humans don't interfere.)
Yes! All we do is live, love and appreciate it and we will never run out of its surprises :)
New Zealand is definitely on my list of must-see places. My wife and I have spoken many times about the possibility of relocating there after retirement. There are some really world class fly fishing adventures to be had there and hopefully I'll get a chance to wet a line there one day. Your pictures are breathtaking and perfectly capture the essence of the words you wrote describing your trip there.
It is a wondrous place and I'd say a pretty cool place to settle down. It's fairly costly though, to live there, but that wouldn't dissuade me; the benefits outweigh the negatives.
I've heard about how expensive it can be there living full time. We have also kicked around the idea of relocating to Panama as well. The have an amazing expat retirement program and it is fairly inexpensive to live there. I think they sold me with....."cheap seafood" lololol
Somewhere simple and inexpensive works...That's not NZ, although it's relative to an individual's financial position I guess. Panama sound interesting. Portugal also? I know a chap from the UK who recently moved there and is thriving.
If you go in the with the right mindset, simple and inexpensive can be a really fascinating journey. I spent almost 2 years in Guyana and Suriname before my career started and I carry lessons and experiences with me to this day. Portugal could be an interesting journey, I'd definitely need to do more research. All of my travels have been within the Americas and the Carribean, but I'm all about travelling anywhere at anytime lol
Anywhere anytime is a good motto! 😊
A place I have yet to visit, would desire the South Island avoiding crowds, although we have family and friends on the North Island.
Drinking water when up in mountains to taste the area, another oddity I have is bringing home a pebble as a reminder.
Your trip highlighted amazing places, being able to get to remote spots, hope you go back again one day soon.
It's pretty magical...I hope you get there and I hope I get back! 😁
Perhaps get there and 'get lost' never to leave.... one never knows, hopefully one day!
Wouldn't that be nice!
Would be very different, abundance of water and greenery would have my mind spinning.
You tasted the water? You're truly adventurous. Also I think your photography skills are quite good, this rae some nice shots
Thanks, I try to take the best photos I can...Normally I point the camera or phone and press the button; that's about as technical as it gets.
😂😂😂 One would think you had to adjust saturation, contrast and all that stuff. You have a nice camera
Wow, so technical 😄
Those are amazing :) I'm curious about the stacked stones in the first one, what's their story?
I would love to see Australia and New Zealand one day, and Africa - mostly the Great Migration.
The stones...I'd like to tell you they have some magical properties or mystic significance, however...Nah, just a stack of stones I put together at Lake Wakatipu Queenstown.
Australia is a vast country so make sure you have a lot of time...It's spectacular and diverse...New Zealand is amazing also, in different ways. You could do both islands (north and south) in 4-6 weeks and feel like you've seen a very good amount of it...Australia...Well, you'd need years. Still, it makes sense to do both at the same time considering their proximity to one another.
From what I've heard it's better to do Australia in the winter! Walking around in an oven doesn't appeal to me in the slightest 😂
It gets hot in parts for sure although there's always somewhere temperate.
Yeah, I'd be quite literally heading for the hills (mountains) to get away from summer 🤣
Indeed...Unless they are also ridiculously hot.
Then it's time to either find a tub full of ice water and icecubes, or a plane😂
I only see places like these on TV and I'm always mind-blown at how surreal it all looks.
It's pretty amazing to see it in real life...Like I said in the post, I've travelled all over the world and yet this place, not too far from home left me with such amazing experiences.
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Landscapes of amazing beauty!
Indeed. Thanks for commenting.
Beautiful photos!
I have never been outside of the US. Maybe 9 states within. I'm not so well traveled.🙂
I was a little surprised at this as I'd expected you to be more travelled. Still, nine states is a lot and with the diversity found in the US I'm sure you've managed to do and see some interesting things.
I live on the east coast in North Carolina and my biggest travel, was when at 43 years old, I moved half a continent away to San Antonio, Texas for 6 years. It was quite a mid-life adventure, to a place I didn't know anyone when I made the move. It was fun ! Much bigger city than where I am from.
I really enjoyed reading this and I must say that based on your run down of it, it looks like a really lovely place to go. I hope you do get your 2 week vacation there, let's all hope that these stupid lockdowns will end sometime in the not too distant future.
Again, thanks Galen for the awesome topic. I enjoyed the trip down memory lane of my own nature experience, it's left me with warm and fuzzies - something that I think I desperately needed right now.
Have an awesome Monday.
Ciao
Thanks Andy and yes, it's always nice to have a warm and fuzzy moment when one is down. I have my down-moments and appreciate a lift so I'm glad to hear your post did that for you.
Have a great Monday and I'm sure the week will work out too, something nice will happen, I promise.
I hate to be a copycat, but, South Island, New Zealand! For all the reasons everybody is spouting. My kids went there (two of them) with a summer church mission that was pretty cool. I taste the water in a lot of places I go.
And collect stones. What a collection! My sisters think I'm nuts. :) I have two choices and the other one is much closer and easier to get to if I don't have much time. Paris. I know... I know....But, I love it there. It feels like home.
Le sigh.
And I love bread. I can pack in less than 1/2 hour.
Hack!
It's ok to copy, I'm going to copy your Paris comment in return! I love Paris for the same reason...I feel at home there, which is surprising as I'm not generally a city guy and prefer natural places. Paris though? Legit.
Lol...I don't trust people who don't love bread Swigs.
I know! Crazy, right? I get goosebumps just thinking about it.
Oh! So true! How can you trust anyone who doesn't carry a baguette under their arm?
One cannot.
Thankfully I carry a baguette at all times, and another in my pocket just in case the first gets lost. 🙄
Incredible photos! New Zealand has definitely been on my bucket list since I can remember. Well, I made it to Australia, can't wait till New Zealand becomes a possibility again...
Thanks for giving us a piece of it while we wait
Hey there, yeah you're in Adelaide right? (Me too.) I love it but...NZ was something else! So great. I hope you make it there.
Yeah, Adelaide! It's a nice city for sure :) Nice to meet a local on here..
NZ would definitely be my kind of place, I will make sure to get there if I get a chance :)
Jump at it if you get the chance to go to NZ! 😉
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To be honest, traveling is a fascinating hobby. Aside from the beauty it offers, you will be exposed to a variety of individuals and their interactions with others. I'm glad you shared your vacation experience today, and your images are stunning, sir. Happy beginning of the week, @galenkp
Thanks mate and yeah I agree completely. Travel is awesome!
Have a good Monday and week to follow.
Wow, very impressive.
Beautiful landscapes
Yes indeed.
Live life to the fullest and never regret. Great!