New Zealand -- November 26 - December 27, 2009

^{The hiking portion of this trip is rated 5 boots out of 5 on the Hiking Boot-o-meter.}

^{The world travel portion of this trip is rated 5 little upside-down southern hemisphere globes out of 5 on the Globe-Trotting Globe-o-meter.}

^{The road trip portion of this trip is rated 5 Zoomers out of 5 on the Road-Trip Zoom-o-meter.}

The sign was right - it was, indeed, a Large Red Beech Tree.

Note the menacing, beady red eyes of this Devil Chicken that lay in ambush by the side of the track..

This lady hiker from Holland was so happy to see the 33 mile post that she actually leaned over and kissed it.  Just 1/2 mile to go now...

Sue took the more reserved approach, and simply smiled while groaning under her breath.

Milford Sound

Routeburn Track

Kepler Track

Southern Scenic Route

Clifden Bridge

Riverton - Longwood Holiday Park en suite

Riverton Rocks

Purakaunui Falls (17kms south of Owaka)

McLean Falls 

Invercargill

Bluff - Sterling Point and Bluff Hill

Curio Bay - Hoiho

Porpoise Bay

Nugget Point

Dunedin

Taieri Gorge Train

Wanaka

Haast

Fox Glacier

Greymouth

Able Tasman Track

Picton

Wellington

Hastings

Napier

Taupo

Turangi - Creel Lodge

Tongariro Crossing - 2509' up and 3694' down

Rotorua - Waimangu, Wai-O-Tapu, Te Puia 

Trounson Kauri Park

Waipoua Forest - Tane Mahuta, Four Sisters, Te Matua Ngahere 

Tiri Tiri Island

Auckland

Are we still there, yet?