Pics and vids from NZ

We had a successful trip back to New Zealand and it was really great to see the family again. I would've updated earlier but the only comments I got about going were from people on Twitter so didn't think the bloggy world gave a shit, but I checked the view count and there could be some lurkers. So apologies if for some reason you're hanging for some vids etc.

First stop - excluding dunners and such - was Milford Sound. Milford Sound is a day a bit trip from Dunedin - well, you EASILY do it inside a day but you'll be missing heaps - and you stay at a little lake side town of Te Anau. Te Anau is about 2.5 hours - if that, 2 on a good run - from Milford via some of most amazing scenery you're even likely to see.

Here's a vid of the Homer Tunnel. Google it. Amazing story. And watch it till the end. Amazing scenery there. But the tunnel is the decent from WAY up in the mountains down into Fiordland. 1.2k's long at a 10% decent. Be in awe of my driving skills.

Next stop was Milford Sound itself. Milford Sound isn't actually a Sound, but I won't ruin the story for you. Go and find out what it is. And they spelt Fiordland wrong. *face palm*.

Click this for the Milford Sound vid.

After Milford - don't forget the bug spray! - we ventured north and stayed at a place called Omarama. There's really fuck all there, apart from a bed. It was, however, nice and central - excuse the inside joke - to some more serious scenery.

The first day in that area we went to the Tasman National park. Which is more famously known and as Mt Cook ... or more PC ... Aoraki. Last year - dunno if you remember the vid - but we did a chopper flight from the West Coast and up and over which is on the other side. This next vid is the eastern side of those mountains.

VID OF ME FREEZING ME GOOLIES AT TASMAN GLACIER

Unreal place. Rugged as all buggery, but sooo fricken stunning no words nor pics can do it justice. You HAVE to see it.

Here's a another vid at Mt John Observatory. This place is a functioning observatory for the University of Canterbury. This is at Tekapo, inland from Christchurch ... practically. That's probably the best vid for scenery. We did a thousand more thing and stayed at some GORGEOUS places. I couldn't possibly share anything to do it justice, but there's a few photo's in my image blog on the top right there, and the NZ ones start from the bush shot with the gravel path.

GO THERE.

...TO NEW ZEALAND, not my image blog ... well, go there too!

UnZud Here We Come

Haven't had a decent holiday in a few years and have been busting my arse with this job for the last two to the point where I'm about worn out. Unfortunately I broke my finger three weeks back and although that's a royal pain in the arse it's has given me a breather from work. Only have worked about three days in the last three weeks and have this week coming then have another three booked on holidays. Thank. You. God. Above.

I really needed it. Did I mention that?

We went back last year but it was a REAL flying visit as I could only get a week off and we filled it to overflowing with stuff. This year the goal is photography. We arrive in NZ on the 20th of this month and fly out on the 30th which is the second Thursday. We're heading to Fiordland for a few day - three, maybe - then off too Northern Otago/Southern Canterbury to visit the bluest lakes I've ever experienced too. Last year we took a chopper flight  from the West Coast up over and on the glaciers and up around Aoraki and Mount Tasman. This time, we're going to tackle it from the other side and venture around the lakes really just for the relax.

Obviously there's the family stuff and can't wait to see them and also we're going to check out Aramoana on the Dunedin Peninsula where I've promised to find Trace some penguins and seals. Wish me luck. Aramoana was on the receiving end of a terribly tragic event and I haven't been back there for years. I was there barely a month out from the massacre and all that stuff is just a fraction real. We were there for a BBQ just before it and wandered through the scene merely days out from it happening. Needless to say, I'm really uncomfortable there.

But, that's the past and I might take some flowers to remember them.

One week to go.

Jesse Owens' Untold Story

One of the greatest olympic stories funnily enough ends in one of my picks for greatest photos. Here it be:



We've all heard the story of Jesse Owens running and beating everyone in his 100m race in the 1936 Olympics in front of the Third Reich, and of course, Hitler. What happened the next day is where the story really becomes one of the greatest examples of humanity and what it's capable of.

The following day came the long jump and Owens was unexpectedly in trouble. In the morning qualifying session he had two foul jumps, leaving him with one chance to record the necessary distance of 7.15m, usually comfortably within his range. Then Luz Long, Germany's great hope, the embodiment of the Aryan ideal and Owens's chief rival for gold, introduced himself to the American and recommended he set his runup marker back a foot or so in order to be sure of recording a legal jump. Owens did so and sailed into the final.

In the final Owens took an early lead with a jump of 7.74m but Long went ahead in the penultimate round, leaping out to 7.87m. Owens responded in sensational style with 7.94m in the fifth and 8.06m in the sixth and final round. Luz was the first to congratulate him and they took a lap of honour around the stadium together as the crowd rose to salute them both. "It took a lot of courage for him to befriend me in front of Hitler," said Owens later. "You can melt down all the medals and cups I have and they wouldn't be a plating on the 24-carat friendship I felt for Luz Long at that moment."

I guess, in part, that photo is responsible for my love of photography.