January 11, 20176 Comments

New Zealand | Week Three

| day one |

Possibly one of my favorite days of the whole trip. We woke up early to make the 2 hour drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound--except it ended up taking us 5 hours, due to stops to chase sheep, hop into a pasture with horses, dance in the road, clamber on giant rocks in a roaring river, and get way too close to the surprisingly vicious kea birds.

And then Milford Sound itself was breathtaking, a fjord which Kipling once called the eighth wonder of the world. I'd accept that. Prepare yourself for way too many photos of waterfalls and mountains.

 

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| day two |

This was an explore-Queenstown-and-take-a-break-from-the-camera-load day. Except at the end when I couldn't resist the sunset.

 

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| day three |

You'd be surprised how hard it is to get a decent photo while bouncing on the back of a horse. So I'm thankful I ended up with three.

Also: this is the river that Arwen rode through with Frodo when escaping the Ringwraiths. So I'm basically one of the elves now.

 

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| day four |

Queenstown is just too picturesque. Cue Buddy the Elf voice: "Your town is so pretty, you should be on a postcard!"

 

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| day five |

Queenstown -> Auckland

Early morning flight, ineffable views

 

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| day last |

Ferry rides, Waiheke Island, and fancy wineries.

Three of the best weeks of my life ended well.

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Thanks, New Zealand. You were a champ.

January 7, 2017No Comments

New Zealand | Week Two

If you missed my post for week one, have no fear! You can find it here.

| day one |

Paths of the Dead (aka Putangirua Pinnacles). All credit for this day goes to Chelsea. I was convinced the Pinnacles would be kinda lame in person, and didn't feel like making the four-hour round-trip drive from where we were staying in Wellington to do the two hour hike. So I very nearly didn't go, but in the end Chels convinced me that I wouldn't regret it, and what's four more hours driving mountain roads in the grand scheme of things? And boy am I glad I went for it. The day was drizzly and spooky and all around perfect for the mood of the place.

| day two |

Wellington + Christchurch

Started the day exploring the super fun, funky city of Wellington; hopped on a plane and ended the day watching the sun set and chasing seagulls on New Brighton pier in Christchurch.

| day three |

In which we explored Castle Hill, experienced a sheep roadblock, and made noodles of our legs at Arthur's Pass National Park. We hiked without seeing a soul for 3 hours. And by hiked I mean clambered straight up the side of the mountain using roots and branches to pull ourselves up. "For VERY EXPERIENCED hikers only", the sign at the beginning of the trail warned. Challenge accepted.

 

| day four |

Lake Tekapo, where the flowers are to die for, and Mount Cook, where we got soaked to the skin.

| day five |

Wanaka. A day of adventuring with new friends and finding a puppy named "Bigly". à la Donald Trump. Yep.


| day six |

Featuring lots of deer, and lake Te Anau





January 5, 20171 Comment

New Zealand | Week One

This past December, I went to the most overwhelming beautiful place on earth for three weeks. Three far too short weeks, but so filled that even three days there would have been worth the travel. I have been asked constantly how my trip was, but I'm no poet, and every time I try to express how overcome I was every moment of being in that mountainous perfection, the inadequacy of my words stops me. So, even though photographs also fail at fully displaying the wonder that is New Zealand, hopefully they'll do a better job than my flimsy words. There's only so many ways to say "beautiful", but a picture is worth... you know ; )

Oh, and I also got to experience this country with one of my very favorite people on earth, my big sis. It doesn't get better than that 🙂

| day one |

Actually several days, as we left Grand Rapids on Nov. 25, and landed in Auckland late on the 27th, skipping my birthday (the 26th) by crossing the international date line and successfully surviving around 25 hours total sitting on a plane. But surprisingly not so tough when the views out airplane windows are endlessly fascinating. Also had a 10hr layover in Sydney, where we wandered around the city jet-lagged and bleary-eyed, and I mostly forgot about my camera until we got to the botanical gardens. Hence why my Sydney photos are all trees and plants and no Opera House.


 

| day two |

Auckland city wanderings. Included: an embarrassing lack of photos. To be compensated for by an overabundance to follow.

 

| day three |

Picked up from our host family's house by a dear friend I hadn't seen in ages who took us on a delightful hike where we promptly went off-trail and clambered up boulders through a mountain river for the next few hours, including a swim in a pool which I will describe as FRESH. aka GLACIER-RUN-OFF-COLD.

| karamatura falls |

 

| day four |

HOBBITON. Need I say more? Lord of the Rings fans rejoice. Impossibly idyllic.

Enjoying a drink at the Green Dragon to end our tour. The life.

 

| day five |

Rotorua. Home of Maori Haka dances and turquoise hot springs.



This village is named Whakawrewarewa. Try saying that three times fast. Or even one time slowly.



| day six |

Tongariro Alpine Crossing. Also where Mordor was filmed and where Mount Doom (or Mount Ngauruhoe, if you prefer its non-LotR name) is located. Yeah, we hiked around Mount Doom. No big deal.

But seriously, this 7hr hike was magical and spooky and desolate and rich. The scenery and the winds and light were constantly changing; one second you'd be sweating under stark sunlight with crowds of hikers all around you; the next you'd be entirely enveloped in mist without another soul to be seen. Feast your eyes.


 

 

 

| all of these photos are available as prints; contact me here if you have interest in any of them |

Caedy is a Grand Rapids, Michigan based photographer who loves the mitten state and loves to explore outside of it.