Kiwi-scapes

Even though my Kiwi adventure was many years ago, it happened right around the time my fascination for the tales of Middle earth were peaking. Being able to visit many places popularized by the LOTR movies was a dream come true. I was absolutely impressed by the scale of the Alps, and the sheer number of hiking opportunities available, weather notwithstanding. It was no wonder that the South Island of New Zealand was perfectly capable of representing the diverse terrain featured in the movies.

South Island
New Zealand

Down but not out

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You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming.

It has been a tumultuous week in the world with two major mass shooting incidents in either corners of the world, New Zealand and Netherlands.

New Zealand has been one of my favorite countries to travel to. To have such a tragedy befall it, especially in Christchurch which has already seen so much pain, is disheartening.

But if I know anything, it is that the Kiwis have some of the strongest hearts and minds. And while their spirits might be down momentarily, I am sure they'll rise up to the occasion, coming together as a community and society, unifying in their collective wisdom. I do wish the best for them, and hope they emerge stronger than before.

They may be down, but their spring will come again.

Lake Tekapo

Canterbury New Zealand

Remarkable Queenstown

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The Remarkables is a remarkable set of mountain ranges that dominate the mountane terrain of Queenstown. And one of the best places to appreciate this vista is from atop the Skyline Gondola. An endless blue sky punctuated with clouds drawn by a paintbrush reflects on the glistening waters of Lake Wakatipu. Rising up from it's long coastline are the Remarkables on one side, and towering mountain peaks on the other. This is the amazing setting for Queenstown, an unforgettable adventure destination.

Queenstown

Otago, New Zealand

Hobbiton in Black

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them

The Lord of the Rings still manages to transport me to an ancient mythical land, replete with magical creatures, primeval woodlands, medieval villages, rustic landscapes and people with character. As much as I wanted such a place to be real, Middle Earth was far away, nothing but a figment of fiction that we create in our minds.

And that was why when I journeyed to Hobbiton, the movie-set-turned-tourist-attraction in Matamata in the North Island of New Zealand, I felt that figment of fiction had been partially realized. The village of Shire was just as one imagine, with circular hobbit holes adorned with beautiful flowering plants set up on the slopes of the rolling hillscape. I almost felt I could enter into Bag End and find Bilbo Baggins going on about his daily routine.

Here is one rendition of Shire on a rather cloudy day. The (fake) oak tree above Bag End formed an imposing backdrop to this impressive testament to set of Hobbiton and Lord of the Rings.

Hobbiton
Waikato, New Zealand

Shooting for the Trees

The blue lake glistened in the morning sun. The signs of fall seemed far away - warm conditions, bluebird skies, a sunny disposition and green meadows, but the golden leaves on the nearby trees gave away the season I was in. I wandered around, hoping to find the famous willow tree, and after asking a few locals, I was pointed in the right direction. And when I arrived, I found the crooked, precariously balanced tree rising out of the soggy shoreline, sprouting a frazzled few leaves on the last of their lives.

The famous Wanaka Willow has made many appearances on many travel brochures highlighting the beauties of New Zealand. And so, when it was my own turn to visit and pay home, I was sorely disappointed. The low water levels of the lake meant that the tree was no longer a denizen of the lake, but of the shallow shore nearby. While that was great for the tree, it's photographic appeal had certainly come down.

Nevertheless, I scouted around for opportunities and captured a few images, including this starburst image

Wanaka
Otago New Zealand

The Mighty Milford

As the cruise boat rounded the corner and revved up for its final sprint back to the dock, the mighty mountains that lined up the Milford Sound came into view. From sea level, the vegetation-encrusted rugged slopes reached upwards of 4800ft into the sky. While snow-capped peaks smothered with clouds beckoned me in the distance, the glistening blue waters of the fjords and the glowing slopes of the fjord caught my eyes.

And at that opportune moment, another tourist boat floated into view, putting the entire scene in perspective - the boat was but a tiny speck of dusk against the backdrop of the mighty mountains of the Milford sound. And it was then that I began to appreciate the sheer size of the Southern Alps of New Zealand, and the desire to return back and shoot this beautiful fjord under differing light conditions increased exponentially. Hopefully I get to revisit this unforgettable fjord once again.

This was shot from the deck of the cruise boat at F11, at 85mm and 1/160s at ISO 800.

Milford Sound
Southland NZ

Misty Mountains

'Far over the Misty Mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away, ere break of day
To find our long forgotten gold'

As I watched the misty fog roll over the steep ravines of the mountains yonder, this ode to the dwarves popped into my head, and I was instantly transported to Middle Earth. I imagined the ragged valleys through which the orcs would attack, the meandering rivers over which the elves and the dwarves would team up to defend, and the distant peaks from which the nazgul and the great eagles would watch the entire show.

Then the seemingly out-of-place picnic bench came into view, transporting me back to reality. Nevertheless, I spent many an hour mesmerized by the motion of the clouds and entranced by the soothing sounds of gurgling water. And to this day, photos like this made me realize why it was so hard to bid adieu to the land of Middle Earth.

Lake Tekapo
Canterbury, New Zealand