TERRAINS OF THE WORLD CHALLENGE
New Zealand is Drop-Dead Gorgeous
And I only noticed once I left!
How could I not resist an entry into the Globetrotters' Terrains of the World" Challenge? New Zealand is renowned for its majestic mountains, fantastic fjords, giant glaciers and spectacular scenery — and I was born and bred there.
I may be biased now, but I will confess that I did not appreciate my homeland's beauty until I moved away. How can you, if that's all you know?
The grass is always greener on the other side
When I took a longer-than-usual trip home in 2017, I spent five weeks retracing some old haunts and discovering new ones that had been on my rather long bucket list. Despite living in New Zealand for 27 years, there are still a ton of places I have yet to see.
New Zealand has two islands and several smaller ones deep in the south pacific. The southern alps form a 'backbone' dividing the east and west coasts. The view is incredible if you fly into Queenstown on a clear day. Most of this area is uninhabited because of the steep terrain.
What a sight! Those snow-capped mountains and an Air NZ winglet add to the beauty.
The road between Queenstown and Wanaka winds through rolling hills covered with tussock grass. Named the Crown Range, it is the highest sealed road in New Zealand.
It has several hairpin turns at the Queenstown end as the road zigzags above the tree line. I hated taking this route as a kid as the road wasn't sealed back then and was full of washboard corrugated stone that made the car shake. I was constantly terrified of plunging off the steep side into a ravine!
Now, it's my route of choice because of the spectacular scenery.
I spent many childhood vacations in Lake Wanaka, which still holds a very special place in my heart. I've even written in my will that half my ashes be scattered there!
If you like the outdoors, it's a dream place to visit, with the Mount Aspiring National Park and the Treble Cone ski field in the stunning Matukituki valley. There's everything from easy day walks to expert, technical climbs for mountaineers and some pristine rivers and waterholes.
Regardless of the season, there's always a sprinkling of snow on the mountain peaks.
My son took the next photo while on a trip home with his Dad and siblings. They went to Fiordland, one of many special places that are a must-see in New Zealand. Look at those steep slopes plunging into mega-deep mirrored water.
I must get back to this little piece of heaven before I end up in an urn!
The southern coastline is not only rugged but dangerous. Foveaux strait, the stretch of sea that runs between Bluff, a seaport at the 'arse-end' of the South Island and Stewart Island, is notoriously rough.
My hometown — Invercargill — is a 20-minute drive from Bluff. I recall a seventh form — the equivalent of Grade 11 — school trip where the hour-long ferry trip to Stewart Island saw more puke redistributed by the wind than pollen from dandelions!
Yeah…EW! 🤢🤮
The day I took this photo, I was eating a gourmet fish-and-chip lunch in a restaurant at the point, watching a fishing boat struggling through the surf. The shore looked calm, but 100 metres away, it was what a typical kiwi would say rough as guts! I felt seasick from ashore!
The coastline between Invercargill and Dunedin is breathtaking. The windswept gorse and turquoise water are beautiful, but I almost got blown away taking this picture! There are oodles of pristine, virginal beaches, but the water is frigid!
The weather adds to New Zealand's beauty, even if it is a source of disdain for many kiwis. One of the first stories I wrote when I first joined Medium talks about the southern climate — if you are interested.
Jumping up to the North Island and the famous 90-mile beach that I saw for the first time in 2017. It's not 90 miles — 88 km, to be precise — but it sure is pretty impressive.
To celebrate my Dad's 80th, we took a bus ride from KeriKeri in the Bay of Islands to Cape Reinga with a sidestep to 90-mile beach on the way home.
Having been at the 'arse' end of the country many times since it was in spitting distance from my hometown, It was a real thrill to be at the other end of the country finally.
More memorable than the lighthouse and multi-pronged destination/kilometrage signs was witnessing the Pacific Ocean meeting the Tasman Sea.
How fascinating to see the 'ditch' and the 'pond' meet.
Although I could keep writing until the proverbial cows come home, I'll end with a gorgeous scene of Rangitoto Island from Browns Bay, Auckland, where my sister used to live.
We walked to the beach after my long journey south from Canada. How can you not smile seeing the Pacific Ocean, a sandy shore, a towering, calm — and hopefully extinct — volcano and a coniferous New Zealand tree enveloping a park bench?
New Zealand, je t’aime. ❤️
If you don't know Anne Bonfert by now, you're missing out on some breathtaking stories about her nomadic life as a sky-diving instructor and photographer/storyteller. Thanks to her, I was inspired to find some pics representing the terrains of the world I've explored.
You should also check out some other stories n Globetrotters that sang to my travel heart on the same theme…
Michele Maize has written about her grandpa and her love of the Mojave desert in Arizona — a completely different terrain from New Zealand. Oh gosh, I would love to visit this neck of the world!
Norway has always been on my bucket list, and Keith Kelley confirmed why. Check out his wonderful trip through some pretty scary terrain and spectacular fjords!
If you would like to participate in this challenge, please see the guidelines from Globetrotters here:
