canadian_turtle: (Default)
[personal profile] canadian_turtle
Mood: || Productive
Tune : Westlife - "When You're Looking Like That"







July 7: The trip from Nelson to Franz Josef is one set alongside the amazing West Coast of New Zealand. We were on the road for a good 9 hours and because I can't read in the bus (it makes me sick) and for once I didn't fall asleep I had plenty of time to soak up the amazing scenery we drove through.

We left really early in the morning; the sun was just coming up. I saw patches of pink appearing in the sky amongst the dull coloured mass, pink mountain peaks and eventually everything was basking in a bright red glow. Amazing. When the sun was high in the sky I could see the snowcapped mountains peak out from underneath thick blankets of fog. They were encircled by the fog from the base, only their peaks visible as if floating on the air. Little puffy clouds of fog were also nestled in between the trees; very mystical, like we had driven into an imaginary world.

For a while we passed a landscape covered in snow peaked mountains, flowing rivers and little creeks with stony beds until we came to colder parts of the country and some of the creeks were iced over and there was snow alongside the roads and hidden between the trees.

As expected from New Zealand animal wise sheep dominated the landscape. Sometimes we passed a patch of land filled with cow or deer and once I spotted a random turkey walking around the grass in between the white dots. At one point we also had a big herd of cow smack down in the middle of the street in front of us, a huge traffic jam of cars on their tails. A lot of honking and patience later we finally managed to pass them. It was an experience on its own xD

At lunchtime we had a stop in a tiny little village called Punakaiki; known for its magnificent views on the coastline and more famously the Pancake Rocks. This was an unexpected stop for me and a lovely surprise. Instead of munching on lunch I spent my lunch half hour exploring the rock formations.


Sunrise...


...over snowy mountains






A sign at an i-site in one of the cities where we stopped. A hoodie must be something else than a jumper with a hood on it here?


Cows crossing the road!


The start of magnificent coast line views












This is from our lunch stop at Punakaiki and the Pancake Rocks
















I was wearing like 4 layers and I was still cold...


But the view was worth it


I love this shot






























And... we're back on the bus!


Deer farm






Awesome clock we drove by in Hokitika, apparently xD



More pictures can be found HERE.





Date: 2009-07-15 08:29 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] canadian-turtle.livejournal.com
I know, right? South Island is so pretty, and I have been so lucky weatherwise *knocks on wood*

I'd never seen rocks like that before either -- I guess those are the famous Pancake Rocks?

I took that shot fromt he buswindow (like most of the pictures), totally unprepared to take a picture at the time - I can't believe how well it came out

Date: 2009-07-15 08:44 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] never-evil.livejournal.com
four times!

Maybe...I've never heard of Pancake rocks. Maybe [livejournal.com profile] artic_fox will have some info for you. I am South Island illiterate lol

ha just like that Ruapehu pic came out well - except I know there you were actually waiting for the cloud to go away.

Date: 2009-07-15 09:01 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] canadian-turtle.livejournal.com
These are the Pancake Rocks for sure (there was a huge sign) xD I just don't understand its naming entirely as they didn't really remind me of pancakes. Then again, I haven't had New Zealand pancakes yet :P

I forgot about that one, I suppose I've had some bus window picture taking practise by now

Date: 2009-07-15 09:04 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] never-evil.livejournal.com
oh lol fair enough. Hmmm I guess by pancakes they mean the thin layers one over the top of each other? Oh whatever...they call them pancakes so we will just accept it XD I'm sure our pancakes are no diff from anywhere else's :P

yes it would appear so heh

Date: 2009-07-15 09:19 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] canadian-turtle.livejournal.com
Someone just commented with the most logical explanation ever: it's referring to a stack of pancakes, d'uh

Pancakes are very different all over the world though. Dutch ones are big plate size and very thin and in Canada they are small and thick.

Date: 2009-07-15 09:21 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] never-evil.livejournal.com
lol yes that would make sense XD

Oh true? I never thought that different places would make it differently but now that you mention it that's another d'uh worthy thing. I guess I'm just a bit slow tonight lol

Date: 2009-07-15 11:34 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] canadian-turtle.livejournal.com
*pats* That's ok xD Which variant is the NZ one? I am assuming the thick small ones, but I could be wrong.

Date: 2009-07-16 08:07 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] never-evil.livejournal.com
...

another question I don't know the answer to. Never made pancakes myself and whenever someone does make them here and offers me some I don't look I eat :P

lol am I useless with NZ info or what?

OH and my parents told me to tell you they adored the card! They got it today (lol incidentally on my dad's birthday). You're so adorable for sending one. <3

p.s. that turtle card that you pointed out to me and I ended up getting went down pretty well lol

Date: 2009-07-18 09:51 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] canadian-turtle.livejournal.com

You'll know if your pancakes look like THIS () or THIS (http://haysvillelibrary.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/pancake-stack.jpg) (American), right? ;P

Just a little bit :P

Oh yeah, I am glad they got it! Though srsly fail for NZ mail for being uber slow (though I suppose in this case the timing was rather nice)

Glad your dad like the birthday card too xD

Date: 2009-07-18 09:51 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] canadian-turtle.livejournal.com

You'll know if your pancakes look like THIS (http://gerdje.punt.nl/upload/spaghetti/pannekoeken2.jpg) (Dutch) or THIS (), right? ;P

Just a little bit :P

Oh yeah, I am glad they got it! Though srsly fail for NZ mail for being uber slow (though I suppose in this case the timing was rather nice)

Glad your dad like the birthday card too xD

Profile

canadian_turtle: (Default)
canadian_turtle

December 2016

S M T W T F S
    123
4567 8910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Jul. 12th, 2025 09:04 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios