I'm on the road.

September 17th: A mostly relaxed day of driving as I made my way up the west coast. Who would have ever thought that you could have mountains and pristine beaches so close to one another. Australia's coastlines are a lot more dramatic than New Zealand's - but the Kiwis have much better mountain ranges! I've made it to Franz-Josef. I plan to visit the Franz-Josef and Fox glaciers tomorrow before hitting the road towards Christchurch across the trans-alpine highway and the Cantebury Plains.

September 16th: It had to eventually happen... I've manage to roll my left ankle again! Long story short, I got it caught in a rabbit hole half-way up to the Tasman Glacier in Mt. Cook National Park. This particular rabbit was malicious enough to cover the hole with some yellow grass, making it impossible to see. The ankle will hold - its a little swollen, and a little painful, but I can walk on it. If I ever meet that rabbit, he's going to be dinner!

I spent the 15th recovering from all the driving that I've been doing. Having done that, today, I took a drive up to Mt. Cook National Park yesterday - one of several locations where Lord of the Rings was shot. This place was the location where the scenes from Rohan and the battle for Minas Tirith were shot. Pictures do not do it justice - one has to see it for themselves to truly appreciate its beauty. I didn't have enough time on my hands to completely explore the place, but I've resolved to come back one day and do it properly. I will now head north, across the west coast to Franz-Josef, stopping there for the night before heading back to Christchurch.

September 12th: This morning, I hopped onto the shuttle bus that took me to the station to board the Trans-Alpine express that runs from Christchurch to Greymouth. The train crosses the South Island from coast to coast in about four and a half hours, taking you through some of the most incredible samples of natural beauty that a nation can offer. I boarded this train with about 15 kilos of photography gear, with the intent on shooting my next masterpiece, but soon found myself just sitting back and taking in the views through the panoramic windows of the carriages as we sped along, while making a few friends along the way... some locals, and other, visitors just like myself. Fret not... for I still managed to come away with a few good shots, some of which I have posted.

Tomorrow morning, I will leave for Queenstown, taking the scenic route. It normally takes 6 hours of driving. I have allowed myself 12 hours to reach my destination, while planning to stop at a few places to hopefully get a few more good shots.

September 11th: This morning, I landed in one of the most naturally beautiful nations on the planet. Christchurch is New Zealand's largest city on the South Island, inspite of which, it is really a small town in the grand scheme of things. New Zealand is the youngest nation on the face of the earth, with natural beauty that puts the rest of the world to shame. When Peter Jackson filmed the Lord of the Rings trilogy here, he didn't use very many special effects on the backdrops... that is really what it is like.

If you're curious, check out the forming gallery of latest pictures.