New Zealand 2019

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Almost there

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Larry driving and Facebook posting

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Marsha backseat driver

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Marsha modeling Camperwear by Kat Williams

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First stop!

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Mangawhai Heads Reserve

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Kiwi kids lifeguard training (Photo by Marsha Pardee)

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Kiwi kids lifeguard training (MP)

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No drones in the reserve. Birds rule!

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Mangawhai Inlet

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Popular anchorage

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Inlet beach at campground

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Apparently some travelers need instruction (Rotorua campground)

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Te Puia Geothermal Park, Rotorua

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Pōhutu is the most reliable geyser on Earth

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Mineral deposits at Pōhutu

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Maori god

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Kinship

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Lake Rotorua shore at free campground (MP)

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Yellow flowers everywhere (MP)

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More yellow flowers (MP)

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Hells Gate Geothermal Park

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More than half of NZ power is from hydro (98% on South island), 20 percent geothermal, 10 percent wind. No nukes.

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Roadside falls (MP)

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Roadside falls (MP)

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Love their signs

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Turangakuma Forest replanted with seedlings

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The little dots are transplanted evergreens. Who did that and how?

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More seedlings

NZbirdthief

Thieving little birds

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Dog sculpture

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Christmas plant at Hawke's Bay (MP)

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What?

Signs not photographed

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Old tractor

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Wineries! (MP)

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Tk, our first winery (MP)

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Marsha and Aisling are happy

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Moy Hall, our favorite wine sold only in NZ

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Kitchen was closed, but were told the food is great. Who cares?

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For when you're full of it

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Ferry to South

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Southland wine country

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East coast beach

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Larry hard at work

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Closed for fishing

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Open for sunbathing seals

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Mmmm...

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Flying rat

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Poop targets

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Beautiful grounds

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Lovely flowers

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But shitty, expensive wine

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Our afternoon ritual

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Rock cracked our windshield (that's windscreen in NZ speak) Cost: $700 cash ($1,000 deductible insurance). Camper vans not covered by credit card insurance.

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NZ has 5 million people. Cows outnumber them 2 to 1. NZ is 12th largest dairy producer in the world.

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Sheep outnumber people 10 to 1! The world's largest exporter of lambs.

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A LOT of sheep

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Heading west

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Southern Alps!

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Southern Alps! (MP)

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Colorful weeds (MP)

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Late afternoon at Lake Tekapo

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Lots of tourists in camper vans, including us

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Lake Tekapo (elev 2,300 feet)

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Lake Tekapo

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Lake Tekapo

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Aisling - NOT a tourist (MP)

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Named after my old friend Glen Tanner (not)

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It's hard to show the size of these mountains. Note the camper vans in the foreground.

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Photo op

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Again, note the camper vans in the foreground.

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Mount Cook wouldn't show its peak.

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Lake Pukaki (elev 1,745 feet)

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Everywhere you look...

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Crown Range Summit

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Crown Range Summit

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Summit road

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Lake Wakatipu (elev 610 feet) near Queenstown

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Lake Wakatipu (MP)

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Lake Wakatipu

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Dart River on helicopter ride from Glenorchy to Milford Sound

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Flight video (1 minute)

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Landing on top of a mountain (elev 5,000 feet)

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I stayed in the chopper

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Larry and Aisling (don't step back!) (MP)

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Fitz (MP)

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Florida boy Larry touches snow for the first time (MP)

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Breathtaking (MP)

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Photo op

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Mountain lake

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Up and over to Milford Sound

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What a ride! (MP)

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Aisling bundled up (MP)

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Waterfall (MP)

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Note the large tour boats at the base of and to the left of the fall (MP)

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Close up (MP)

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Larry after getting drenched under the waterfall (MP)

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Fiord walls (MP)

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Fiord walls (MP)

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Larry drying off (MP)

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Another waterfall

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Harbor seals (MP)

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Scratching an itch (MP)

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Chillin (MP)

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More scratching (MP)

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Clouds rolling in (MP)

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Yet another waterfall

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Flying back to Glenorchy

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What a view

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Mountain lake

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Lake Wakatipo

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Camp Glenorchy - a 5-star campground (MP)

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Camp Glenorchy (MP)

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Our vans (MP)

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Our vans (MP)

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Reception area (MP)

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Communal kitchen (MP)

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(MP)

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(MP)

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Fireplace dining (MP)

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Dunnies and showers (MP)

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Massive sequoia in Mt. Stuart Reserve - Marsha standing next to it

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Penguin Place at Dunedin (MP)

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Yellow eyed and gold crown penguins (MP)

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Gold crown penguin (MP)

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Yellow eyed and gold crown penguins (MP)

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(MP)

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(MP)

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(MP)

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(MP)

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Royal Albatross Centre (MP)

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Seagulls nesting outside the center

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Albatross viewing blind

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Nesting area

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Albatross

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Albatross

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Blue penguins (MP)

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Blue penguins (MP)

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Blue penguins (MP)

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Leaving Dunedin

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Now we're getting somewhere!

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Moeraki boulders (MP)

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Formed on the ocean floor 60 million years ago (MP)

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Exposed by coastline erosion (MP)

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(MP)

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(MP)

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(MP)

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New Zealand 2019