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

Pictures of the second part of our New Zealand trip (South Island)
(Queenstown – Wanaka – Mt. Cook – Arthur's Pass – Greymouth – Lewis Pass – Kaikoura – Nelson – Fox Glacier)

Part 1: Dunedin – Invercargill – Milford Sound – Queenstown
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: April 6, 2008 click a picture to see details

70 From 3’000 ft. high altitude of the scenic mountain road leading from Queenstown to Wanaka through the Crown Range, we enjoy this lovely view of the valley near Arrow Junction below us		71 Along the turquoise Lake Pukaki reservoir, we are approaching Mt. Cook. It’s the highest mountain in New Zealand with an altitude of 12’316 ft.	72 The road ends at the small village of Mt. Cook and we are standing in front of an impressive glacier wall


73 Mt. Cook reveals its full beauty at sunset		74 A last glimpse of the Mt. Cook scenery from Lake Pukaki High Dam lookout	75 A small pond in the barren landscape on our way to Lake Tekapo


76 The „Church of the Good Shepherd” was built in 1935 on the shore of Lake Tekapo. Today it belongs to the region’s many tourist attractions		77 Crossing Arthur’s Pass, we spend a night before at Lake Pearson where the willow trees are just changing into their autumn color .....	78 ..... next morning, we enjoy an amazing reflection in the lake


79 With the first rays of the sun, a lonely fisherman is hoping for a good catch at Lake Pearson		80 Our lovely camp at Pearson Lake near Arthur’s Pass	81 Continuing along Arthur’s Pass, we follow for some time the wide, stony bed of the Waimakariri River


82 A plain with Tussock grass lies between the road and the river on our way to the 3’031 ft. high Arthur’s Pass		83 The viaduct of Arthur’s pass has been completed only on 1999	84 A beautiful sunset ends another lovely traveling day


85 On Reefton’s main street, named “Broadway”, we are attracted by some well preserved buildings dating back to the 18th century .....		86 ..... a vintage car, which fits perfectly into Reefton’s image .....	87 ..... and the earlier old blue Court House that gives the place a special appeal


88 Lewis River: Through a scenery that recalls strongly Canada, we cross Lewis Pass in direction East .....		89 ..... where we enjoy another amazing red sunset .....	90 ..... and our breakfast on our bush camp in the middle of a dry river bed


91 In Kaikoura, 116 miles North of Christchurch, we watch the colony of New Zealand Fur Seals basking on the rocks in front of the parking lot at Point Kean		92 At low tide, it is possible to get quite close to the seals. Emil is taking a picture of a sleeping animal	93 On the rocks at Point Ohau – North of Kaikoura – we count around 300 seals, many of them young ones. They can be watched directly from the road


94 A fur seal is basking in the sun at Point Ohau. A mature male reaches 100in. in length and weighs up to 440lb.; a female reaches 60in. and weights between 66 to 88lb.		95 Waves are breaking at the Rarangi Beach near Blenheim in Cloudy Bay	96 Screaming sea gulls are part of New Zealand’s wildlife along the coasts


97 In contrast to the barren brown land, the view of lush green vineyards near Blenheim in the North is an amazing sight		98 A deer on a farm land displays its beautiful antler .....	99 ..... and a flightless Weka bird along the West Coast – known to be thievish – is picking in the grass


*100* Cleared and with fir trees reforested patches of forest is a common, even if not very attractive sight within New Zealand’s landscapes		*101* While the rising sun is enflaming the skies, mist is creeping from the Marlborough Sounds near Havelock	*102* One of the many fjords (Mahakipawa Arm) in the Marlborough Sounds


*103* Farewell Spit, a renowned bird sanctuary at the most Northerly tip of the South Island, is 22 miles long and may only been visited with one tour company		*104* Black swans are wading through the shallow waters of Farewell Spit. Hundreds of these long neck birds congregate in this bird sanctuary	*105* Peaceful scenery from the lookout at Cape Farewell


*106* Rural scene at Cape Farewell: A significant tree and grazing sheep		*107* The drive through the Buller River Gorge to Westport on the West coast leads us for many miles through dense forest	*108* Morning atmosphere at the harbor of Westport on the West coast


*109* At Cape Foulwind, 10 miles West of Westport, a coastal stretch is dotted with steep cliffs and tiny sandy bays		*110* At the “Tauranga Bay Seal Colony” near Westport, we watch a nursing fur seal baby from an elevated walkway. We count here approximately 30 animals	*111* The coastal drive between Westport and Greymouth is very scenic along the cliffs of the Tasman Sea


*112* The West is known for its wild and surf pounded coastline along the Tasman Sea		*113* The „Pancake Rocks“ of Punakaiki – halfway between Westport and Greymouth – are the main attraction of this coastline. Their look of “piled pancakes”gave them its name	*114* Along the West coast, we drive past many lakes where the vegetation is being reflected in the calm water


*115*		*116*	*117*
The wet vegetation of the West produces a large variety of mushrooms. We were fascinated especially by the blue ones


*118* Franz Josef Glacier is known in the Maori language also as „Tears of the Avalanche Girl“. Legend tells that the flood of tears of a girl whose lover fell to death from a peak froze into the glacier .....		*119* ..... a guided tour group is approaching the big whole in the glacier – not guided “ice excursions” are prohibited .....	*120* ..... Liliana poses in front of Franz Josef Glacier, which got his name from the Austrian explorer Julius Haast in honor of his emperor


*121*		*122*	*123*
Impressive waterfalls and lovely scenery surround Franz Josef glacier in the “Southern Alps”


*124* At the Mt. Cook lookout near the Fox Glacier Village, the snow covered peaks of Mt. Cook und Mt. Tasman greet from a blue sky .....		*125* ..... at sunset, they show another fascinating picture	*126* Fox glacier at sunrise with peaceful pasture land to its feet, photographed from Mt. Cook lookout


*127* A close-up view of Fox Glacier		*128* Moss and fern are growing in abundance in the wet forests of the West coast .....	*129* ..... as well as any kind of lichens


*130*		*131*	*132*
Sunrise at Mt. Cook lookout near Fox Glacier transforms the landscape into a beautiful but unreal sight


Encounters with nature:
*133* Toadstool mushrooms .....		*134* ..... reflections in a pond .....	*135* ..... flowers and insects


*136* Mt. Tasman and Mt. Cook are reflecting in the waters of Matheson Lake near Fox Glacier at „Reflection Point“		*137* The bright red flowers belong to the “Pohutukawa” or “Christmas tree”	*138* Early morning mist at our bush camp at Fox Glacier

More websites from New Zealand: Pictures from the first part of our New Zealand trip from Dunedin – Invercargill – Milford Sound – Queenstown 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