Southern Cross and falling stars...

Star Gazing at Lake Tekapo. Southern Cross and alpha- and beta-centaury which are the closest next stars to our solar system in about 4 and ~100 Ly distance!

The upside down Orion

Do you think Alien know English? Thanks to the self-explanatory symbols they don't need to!

Star Gazing at Lake Tekapo was an unforgettable experience. I am always fascinated by the night sky but this was an extra-ordinary visit because we could see so much with the naked eye! We found the Southern Cross (and many other Crosses), alpha-centaury the upside down Orion and many more. Maria even saw a passing Satellite without telescope! And for those of you who folloed my pictures from the South Pole: Yes, the guy in the picture on the top is wearing the same big red parka we had at the Pole!

Happy new year in Dunedin

The beautiful view on the way to the penguin colony

I had to look twice to identify the sea lion

The closest we could get to the yellow eyed penguins

Flying like a bird in Wanaka

Abel Tasman's Birds

Additional to the earlier posts about Maria's and my stay in the Nelson region near the Abel Tasman National Park, here you can see the beautiful birds that stay at the Anapai Beach the whole summer. I am quite jealous I have to admit. The is a species that is really small colorful and very fast, so that is was quite a challenge to catch them on a foto. Two are on the first picture. Do you find them?

Another interesting bird is the Korimako, the Bell Bird, which is also really rare and makes a sound that imitates an iPhone Bell sound. Or could it be that the bird was first and the iPhone is imita.... Worth a thout. He is hard to find because green and small sitting in the Palm trees.

Queen Charlotte's Wekas

Not a Kiwi but a Weka. Nonetheless, he's not able to fly either.

The Marlborough Sounds in the North East of the South Island are a unique location. Hiking the Queen Charlotte Track is like walking in the Jungle with being in the Alps and at the sea at the same time! 

Delicious Crayfish

On a 10m thin strip between street and sea a famous camper-van is offering crayfish and other specialities  that you find just a fishing-rod's throw away. Incredibly tasty and fresh, we enjoyed it!

Whales, Albatross, Shag and Seals in Kaikoura

A word from the wise - insulting Belgian lifestyle

Watching this spot on TV made me really angry! How can they run a campaign insulting a whole nation? What is this? DON'T DRINK AND FRY?
Isn't it a human right to drink one or some beers while having your friteuse running at home?
However, in New Zealand the government is supporting the  local fast food industry a la Maison Antoine.
While we are still thinking about dont drink and drive, kiwis are one step ahead.

Le tour de honeymoon!

The route we planned to drive on New Zealand's South Island.

This is the route we were driving trough South Island. We were lucky in general because the good wether was following us all the time. Every place we went to or left turned into bad wether conditions after our visit or had a harsh rain oeriod that just stopped before we came...As if mother earth knew that we are on honeymoon!