Worldrecordtour, Oceania, Pacific, New Zealand, South Island, Picture, Story, Diary, Guinness Book of World Records, Toyota, LandCruiser, Emil Schmid, Liliana Schmid

Pictures of the first part of our New Zealand trip (South Island)
(Dunedin – Invercargill – Milford Sound – Queenstown)

Part 2: Queenstown – Wanaka – Mt. Cook – Arthur's Pass – Greymouth – Lewis Pass – Kaikoura – Nelson – Fox Glacier (Westcoast)
Part 3: Fox Glacier (Westcoast) – Wanaka – Queenstown – Alexandra – Oamaru – Dunedin
Part 4: Dunedin – Christchurch – Picton – Ferry to the North Island – Wellington – Masterton – Hastings – Wanganui – New Plymouth – Taupo
Part 5: Taupo – Rotorua – Napier – Gisborne – East Cape – Bay of Plenty – Coromandel
Part 6: Coromandel – Seabird Coast – Whangarei – Bay of Islands – Doubtless Bay – Cape Reinga – Hokianga – Tauranga

	New Zealand Map	Map of the Pacific
latest picture: March 14, 2008 click a picture to see details

01 On February 19, 2008, we are unloading the whole content of our LandCruiser in a shed inside of the harbor of Port Chalmers near Dunedin to be inspected by the “MAF” (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry)		02 Sheep is grazing peacefully everywhere. This definitively gives us the sensation of being in New Zealand	03 The sun is rising over Otago Harbour. We are able to enjoy this beautiful view from our room at “Billy Brown’s Backpackers Hostel” in Port Chalmers


04 We are driving up the steep hill to “Billy Brown’s Backpackers Hostel”, from where we enjoy a beautiful panorama and the quietness we so long missed in Southeast Asia		05 The Dunedin Railway Station is a master piece of this Southerly town and unique in its elaborate architecture	06 Farms protect themselves with all kind of fences against the forces of nature. We took this picture from the Highcliff Road on the Otago Peninsula


07 We are looking from the Highcliff Road on the Otago Peninsula to “Otago Harbour” and its settlements		08 The Taiaroa Lighthouse is greeting from the Northern cliff of the Otago Peninsula	09 This fur seal at the mole of Aramoana, 12 miles North of Dunedin, just spotted us. We saw eight in one evening


10 Meeting with same minded world travelers: In Dunedin, we spend a lovely afternoon together with Doro, Jupp and their “Monster”		11 No, we did not change our vehicle! But we had a lot of fun with Paul, Michelle and Tate’s Trike, driven by a Lexus engine (4000cc/300 hp) on their farm in Abbotsford, where they kindly welcomed us into their family	12 We enjoy the great hospitality of Michelle, Paul and their son Tate on their farm in Abbotsford near Dunedin


13 Once more we have to change an axle shaft. Luckily the damage happened on the private driveway to Paul and Michelle’s farm in Abbotsford		14 After the successful repair, our LandCruiser climbs up Baldwin Street in Dunedin, “The World’s Steepest Street” (?!)	15 A touch of “home country” (Switzerland) feeling on the farm


16 The “Southern Scenic Road” South of Dunedin surprises us constantly with new and more beautiful scenery		17 Oyster Catchers along the sea shore are always a lovely sight	18 Now and then we are passing a farm; otherwise we experience nature and loneliness in its truest


19 A meadow of blooming flowers that recalls memories of Switzerland		20 An Emu is walking peacefully through dry grassland	21 A wonderful and rare sight: An incredible variety of wild growing and blooming flowers along the road


22 Screaming seagulls gather on a meadow		23 Rural New Zealand: Bales of hay ready to be stored in the barn for the winter	24 Sheep are grazing peacefully on a meadow. Apparently, New Zealand counts more than 40 millions


25 A group of cows is caught with the first rays of the sun		26 Apart from sheep and beef, deer meat is another source of income. Apparently, it is sold mainly to Germany and Switzerland	27 Even a group of young Alpacas are looking curiously towards us


28 The afternoon sun is lightening “Nugget Point” (about 5 miles South of Kaka Point), which is battered by roaring waves		29 On Roaring Bay near “Nugget Point”, a single ‘yellow eyed’ penguin emerged from the sea and hops towards its nest	30 Hit by the exact sunlight, these rocky outcrops shine like „gold nuggets“. They gave “Nugget Point” its name


31 A cute little bird is sitting contently on a tree branch		32 The descend to the untamed, lonely and wind swept Tautuku Bay on the Chaslands Highway ("Southern Scenic Route"), about 28 miles Southwest of Owaka. The weather forecast looks for a stormy cold front	33 Another view over another lonely bay in the South (Tahakapa Bay, not far from Tautuku Bay), where stormy weather, rain and wind are never far away


34 Rolling hills, ponds and “Toe Toe” -plants are a common sight along the “Southern Scenic Route” in the South of the South Island		35 Another peaceful scene in the “Catlins”, the region between Dunedin and Invercargill: Ducks at sunrise in Waikawa (“Southern Scenic Route”)	36 The sea is in uproar at Curio Bay in Waikawa. Without warning, our LandCruiser got its full salty shower


37 An antarctic storm is approaching, dropping the temperature to freezing point		38 Across farm land, we walk to “Slope Point”, New Zealand’s Southernmost point on the South Island, and pose for a picture	39 Macrocarpa trees bent from years of beating by fierce winds at “Slope Point”. They tangle their branches to survive and not to topple


40 A male sea lion is emerging from the sea at Waipapa Point – Southeast of Invercargill, followed by its female		41 Fresh Kelp is swept in great quantities to the beach at Waipapa Point	42 The sea lion couple crawls up the grass covered sand dune. It plays for a while, then lies down and falls asleep


43 We approach the mountains in the East of the South Island towards “Milford Sound”, situated in the Fjordland National Park – one of New Zealand’s biggest tourist attractions		44 Lake Gunn – North of Te Anau – is one of the pristine lakes on our route to Milford Sound	45 Eglinton Valley is spreading out in front of us with the mountains of the Milford Bay area already greeting in the back


46		47	48
Impressive alpine sceneries on the Eastern side of the � mile long Homer tunnel to Milford Sound, drilled through solid rock between 1935 and 1953


49 Morning atmosphere at low tide at Milford Sound – one of New Zealand’s biggest tourist attractions – with mountains rising vertically 4’000 ft. from sea level .....		50 ..... and waterfalls that tumble from steep slopes into the sound far below	51 Evening atmosphere at high tide at Milford Sound


52 The stones and rocks in many of the wild mountain rivers are covered with deep red lichens		53 In the wet climate of the South Island, mushrooms grow in abundance	54 Camping life pure in the mountains around Milford Sound


55 The mighty Cleddau River at Milford Sound pushes itself down a narrow gorge, called “The Chasm”		56 From Te Anau to Queenstown, we first drive through dry grassland	57 We are always tempted to take pictures of grazing sheep, so typically for New Zealand


58 The heritage steam train in Kingston – called “Kingston Flyer” – on the Southern end of Lake Wakatipu, 30 miles South of Queenstown, is a tourist attraction and steams 11 miles South to Fairlight		59 Barren cliffs, a deep blue fjord, pandanus trees and distant mountain peaks – this is our panorama at lunch time at Lake Wakatipu	60 The road to Queenstown is winding along Lake Wakatipu and offers an outstanding scenery


61 Queenstown on Lake Wakatipu – also know as New Zealand’s “adrenaline- activity-capital” – is an elegant and popular tourist destination. It is often compared (a little exaggerated?) with St. Moritz in Switzerland .....		62 ..... “Jetboating” in rivers is just one of the numerous crazy outdoor sports .....	63 ..... Get your own idea, how easily and fast you can get rid of your money!


64 Another beautiful view: Kelvin Heights, rather a residential area opposite of Queenstown		65 The trees along Lake Wakatipu between Queenstown and the 30 miles Northwest situated village of Glenorchy are starting to change to autumn colors	66 A beautiful sight: The panorama near Glenorchy is reflecting in Lake Wakatipu – once more a fantastic stretch to drive


67 The rising sun is touching the Humboldt Mountains near Glenorchy – a scene we unfortunately could enjoy only from within the car with closed windows due to the swarms of attacking sand flies (New Zealand’s pest of the West)		68 On our way to Paradise, 10 miles from Glenorchy, we cross the Rees River, another of the many mighty New Zealand rivers. In this region – besides some others – the movie “Lord of the Rings” was shot and now “X-Men” again	69 View towards Paradise, where the gravel road ends at the Dart River

Continuations: Pictures from the second part of our New Zealand trip from Queenstown – Wanaka – Mt. Cook – Arthur's Pass – Greymouth – Lewis Pass – Kaikoura – Nelson – Fox Glacier (Westcoast) Pictures from the third part of our New Zealand trip from Fox Glacier (Westcoast) – Wanaka – Queenstown – Alexandra – Oamaru – Dunedin Pictures from the fourth part of our New Zealand trip from Dunedin – Christchurch – Picton – Ferry to the North Island – Wellington – Masterton – Hastings – Wanganui – New Plymouth – Taupo Pictures from the fifth part of our New Zealand trip from Taupo – Rotorua – Napier – Gisborne – East Cape – Bay of Plenty – Coromandel Pictures from the sixth part of our New Zealand trip from Coromandel – Seabird Coast – Whangarei – Bay of Islands – Doubtless Bay – Cape Reinga – Hokianga – Tauranga
Articles in newspapers about us in New Zealand: Article: "Still cruising after 628,000km", Otago Daily Times - February 27, 2008 Article: "Trip into the record books", Hokitika Guardian - April 3, 2008 Article: "Around the world in 23 years", Bay of Plenty Times - July 12, 2008