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I finally got to see New Zealand, which so many people said they loved so much. I think I know why. I judged that 95 percent of the countryside is pretty to outstandingly beautiful, more than any of the other 105 countries I have visited, besides perhaps Switzerland, Ireland, some South Pacific islands, and Sri Lanka. I left O’Hare on November 13th and returned the 29th. I could easily have spent two more weeks there if I explored the big cities more, especially the museums. But I mainly wish to see the landforms of a country, so I did a lot of driving. Each of the two islands comprising New Zealand is about 600 miles by 150 to 300 miles wide. I essentially skirted the outside of the south island and concentrated on the central and western part of the north island. Overall, the south island is more beautiful, but the north has nothing to be ashamed about.
Northwestern South Island
There are 2100 farms that raise deer, largely for exporting venison.
Wild lupines are common along roadsides.
 Lake Wakatipu, south of Queenstown |  "I'm watching you, Yank," said the sheep while protecting her lamb. |
Pancake Rocks in Paparoa National Park along the Tasman Sea--geologists can't agree how these limestone rocks formed into these unusual pattern.
Fiordland National Park, southwest South Island
 Some of New Zealand's 10 million sheep grazing with the Southern Alps in the distance  The Southern Alps  Waterfall into Milford Sound (taken while on a boat cruise)  Entrance to Doubtful Sound, looking towards the Tasman Sea |  Morning rainbow with clouds obscuring the Southern Alps  Mitre Peak (on right) at the end of Milford Sound  Milford Sound, which has over 200 days of rain a year  Doubtful Sound, 1200 feet deep, which has about 220 days of rain a year |
Eastern South Island
 A kea, a New Zealand mountain parrot, which likes to eat cars  Oamaru, a pioneering town of the 1800s with many Victorian buildings |  Moeraki Boulders, in the Pacific Ocean, which were formed 60 million years ago as lime salts accumulated around a hard core  Purchasing site for wool, which is then baled, as well as loose fur of opossum, which is also spun into cloth |
Northern South Island
 Near Nelson  Almost all dairy cattle are Holsteins, with a few Jerseys (the brown ones). |  Dairy farm: Cows eat only pasture grass in New Zealand, so there are virtually no silos for forage storage. Also because of the mild climate, there are no barns as we know, only buildings where the cows are milked. Ninety eight percent of New Zealand's milk is exported, most as dried milk. |
Central North Island
 Private home in New Plymouth |  Volcanic Mt. Taranaki in Egmont National Park |
 Waitomo Glowworm Caves: The thin hanging tubes are the larvae of fungus gnats. The bottom ends are bioluminescent, which attract tiny insects that enter the caves via a river flowing through the cave. |  The squiggly lines result from camera movement, so the actual appearance are round lights about one-sixteenth inch wide. In a dark cave, it is an impressive show with hundreds of light. |
North and West North Island
 The trees with the yellow leaves are quite common (almost as common as sheep) in New Zealand. |  This Anglican church, on the Coromandel Peninsula, was built in 1940. |
 This area has many hills covered with grazing sheep, which, along with cattle, create ridges as they walk horizontally at different levels. |  Just a beautiful place for cattle, sheep, and people to enjoy |
 There are large sand dunes near the town of Opononi along the Tasman Sea. |  Arai te Uru Recreational Reserve: Originally, New Zealand was covered with huge kauri trees, now replaced by pines. This kauri tree is about 2000 years old (some are 3000 years old), 170 feet tall, and 45 feet wide. |
This trip was a long time coming, and I am glad it was so rewarding. The main thing that would have made it better is having more than three days without rain, but then all the rain is mainly why the country is so beautiful and green. If you go, and drive, there are two things I must warn you about. In New Zealand, they drive on the left side of the road; and they pronounce the letter e as an I, an a as ayii, and all kinds of other pronunciation oddities to confuse anyone.
See You Again Soon
Dale
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