I'm off

[Octane]

All,

On Friday morning, I'm off to the south island of New Zealand, to drive around for two weeks in a campervan.

The goal? To capture sunrise, sunset, sand, water, mountains, valleys, waterfalls, flowers, and the red-, orange-, yellow-, green- and blue- of autumn in digital form. I'm taking all my gear, so, I expect to make maybe 1 or 2 photos.

I'll also be going to the Starlight Reserve at Lake Tekapo, to capture some pure photons, maybe just with my eyes.

I might jump out of a plane over Lake Wanaka, too, if I can muster the courage.

Oh, and, I'll be attending the dawn service on ANZAC Day in Christchurch.

Regards,
Humayun

[matt]

Can't wait to see your pics, H.

I'll be doing the same thing in about 5 weeks, except driving around for 3 weeks.

Doing both Milford and Doubtful Sound...a few days in Queenstown, the Fox Glacier etc...

All the best...and have a great and safe trip.:)

[jjjnettie]

Hope you have a ball Humayan!

[h0ughy]

have fun - make sure you have plenty of data backups

[BerrieK]

Have a great time Humayun, look foreward to seeing some of your pics.

But why would you want to jump out of perfectly good plane?

[astroron]

Enjoy yourself Humayun, I hope you get lot's of fine images, and have a safe trip.

[MrB]

You lucky lucky bast..... erm, have a great time!

[gary]

Hi Humayun,

Have a great trip!

Recommend the detour off the more trodden circuit up to the area around
Karamea on the north-west coast of the South Island. The rainforests
and arches of the Kahurangi National Park offers extraordinary photographic
opportunities for which I recommend you carry the tripod with you in the day
pack. :thumbsup:

Best Regards

Gary

[Ric]

Have a great trip Humayun, I'll be looking forward to the pictures.

Cheers

[Liz]

Have a wonderful holiday ... NZ is beautiful .... and your pics wll be awaited with much enthusiasm!!!
Jumping outa plane at Lake Wanaka - woohoo :scared: go for it H :):):):)

[Lester]

Have a great time Humayun.

I have jumped out of plenty of planes, similar to jumping into them. But to do it when they are up in the clouds, hope you pack a parracute and not just your lunch.

[iceman]

Wow, what a great trip that's gonna be. I can't wait to see the photos!

[Deeno]

Sounds like a great trip. Have fun!

Allways wanted to do a lap of NZ by motorcycle......

[Omaroo]

Sounds boring Humayun.

Bring me back something nice.

:lol::hi:

[sheeny]

Cool! Looking forward to the results!

Al.

[CoombellKid]

If you have the time and experience... try getting up to the back
Temple basin near Auther Pass. From there you have to
climb another 6000ft. But the coast to coast view is amazing!!!
when the clouds roll in you are sitting on a peak all you can see
is a carpet of cloud with other mountain peaks poking through. And
at dusk the lights switching on along the east and west coast.

Oh yeah... there are some beaut shingle slides to run down some
around the 4000ft high. If you have ever done shingle skipping...
you'll do the day full climb just to do it again. You'll need good
boots, no runners or you'll be in bare feet before you reach the
bottom.

Cheers, enjoy your trip.

regards,CS

[gbeal]

Enjoy the trip. I echo the Karamea idea, wonderful place, stayed them many a time.
Gary

[troypiggo]

Have a great and safe trip. Planning on going over myself later this year.

[lacad01]

Have a great trip, enjoy!! :)

[Quark]

Enjoy your trip Humayun,

Looking forward to seeing the photographic record of your trip, no doubt it will be unique and as always of the highest order of excellence.

Regards
Trevor

[bones]

Have a great trip H. I hope the pack isn't too heavy lugging all your equiptment around. If so you should have paid for someone to go with you and lug it around for you. I'm sure many, many IIS members would have cheerfully volunteered.:whistle: Also looking forward to seeing some of your photo's.

[jjjnettie]

You've GOT to try sky diving.
It's the ultimate adrenilin rush that you have to try just once in your life.

[Jen]

:D that sounds like a lot of fun have a great trip :thumbsup::thumbsup:

[spacezebra]

Have a great trip and take lots of pics

Cheers Petra d.

[Octane]

All,

Thank you so much for the well wishes. I am really looking forward to it. :)

Matt, I'm doing all those, too. Looking forward to what you pump out with your toys. :)

Jeanette, thanks. Hope you have a safe and happy trip to Fiji. :) And, yep, skydiving over Lake Wanaka, foh shizzle.

David, I'm taking CD-Rs with me, so everything'll be backed up. :)

Kerrie, why not jump out of a perfectly good plane? ;) I turn 30 this year, and, I told myself I have to do something crazy. Skydiving may be seen as normal for some people, but, for me, it'll be the next best thing to experiencing zero gravity or going into space. :)

Ron, cheers, mate. I hope to make a couple of photos. ;)

Simon, lol! I will have a blast. :)

Gary, thank you /so/ much for that suggestion. I am going with an open itinerary, but, seeing as you and Mr. Beal both suggested that spot, I will make an effort to get up there.

Ric, cheers!

Liz, thanks! I hope there'll be something for everyone in the photos I return with!

Lester, don't worry, I don't think I'll be eating anything the night before, and will be packing extra underwear, lol. :)

Mike, thanks. Your landscape (both conjunction and seascape) images have been an inspiration for quite a while, so, I'm hoping to try it for myself. :)

Deeno, New Zealand by motorcycle. You've got me thinking of another trip already! :eyepop:

Chris, lmao! What do you want? :P

Al, cheers. :)

Rob, wow, that sounds absolutely incredible! I, unfortunately, have zero climbing experience. I am going to be driving and camping in Arthur's Pass, so, will see if I can get anywhere near what you've suggested.

Gary, thanks for the second Karamea suggestion. I'll do my best to get there. :)

Troy, cheers, mate. :)

Adam, thanks!

Trevor, as always, your words are so kind. Thank you. :)

Tony, the bag is really heavy. I'll take a second bag to just put the essentials for day trips. Thanks!

Jen, thank you Queen Emoticon. :)

Petra, thank you, and, I shall. :)

Cheers again, everyone!

Regards,
Humayun

[Kevnool]

Go for it H , have a great time over there and post some pics in HDR of your journey.

Cheers Kev.

[Octane]

Hi Kev,

Thanks, mate! I don't think I will be doing HDR. I am going to start working with single, and, at maximum, two shots of a particular scene. I've learnt that HDR can be hit and miss. We'll see how I go.

Thanks!

Regards,
Humayun

[mozzie]

you lucky bugger enjoy hope the weather is good for you and the sights are fantastic :thumbsup::thumbsup:
mozzie

[acropolite]

Enjoy the trip Humayan. I too look forward to seeing your images.:hi:

[DeanoNZL]

I hope "H" is ok down there.
1200+ lightning strikes in 12 hours & 500mm of rain expected in places tomorrow! At least the waterfalls will be pumping.
Further south is better than the west coast or the mountains.

[BerrieK]

Humayun beware of travellers with the flu!!

:cold:The swine influenza has been identified in NZ. Come home well, dont get sick.

[Inmykombi]

Have a great trip "H".
See ya back here at the Pony Club safe and sound.
Cheers mate.

[Rick Petrie]

Hi H
Been to NZ and it is a magnificent place for scenery.
I know you will get some brilliant shots and take care.
See ya when you get back.:thumbsup:

[garyp]

Hi Humayan,
Hope you are enjoying your holiday in NZ. Sorry the weather's crapped out for you but at least you had a few good days at first.

Did you go to the Mt John observatory at Tekapo?

Cheers

Gary:)

[Octane]

Hi guys,

OK, so who bought a massive telescope? I hope you're enjoying your 1 light year-diameter RC. I was completely rained out from Akaroa, through Arthur's Pass, and all of the west coast. Gary and Gary, I made the trip out to Karamea, and as beautiful as it looked, it was washed out, so, I had to turn around and drive back down the coast.

Right now, I am in Te Anau, and will be off to both Milford and Doubtful Sounds over the next couple of days. The southern part of the island has been spectacular as far as weather goes.

Gary, I will be at Lake Tekapo in a few days time and will go to the observatory.

I was quite upset at being washed out and not being able to photograph all the majestic landscape and scenery from the east to the west coast.

I didn't get a chance to jump out of a plane, as I spent a lot of time walking and doing other things. I have taken a number of photographs now, and, a lot of it looks quite exciting. Kind of like, blown-up-and-printed-in-large-format exciting. I look forward with great enthusiasm to sharing them with you once I get back and the arduous task of processing is complete.

Edit: I have never, ever, driven such awesome roads in my entire life. I'm travelling in a campervan and it is an absolute pleasure to drive on the bitumen here.

Talk soon.

Regards,
Humayun

[CoombellKid]

Wow! that has changed from when I used to hoot around the south island
on my Harley 20+ years ago. I remember as a kid we went for a school camp
over to Greymouth from CHCH, the track over Arthur's Pass used to zig zag
up and over a mountain, the ass end of the bus would hang out over the edge.
And everyone wanted the back seat lol

I see your getting the reason why they call it the land of the long white
cloud lol. except on the west coast the rain is worst. Haast Pass is
another cracker for scenery.

Hope the rain stops soon.

Cheers

Rob

[acropolite]

FWIW it's burnoff season in Tassie, every day the forestry are torching what's left of the areas of native forest that they've destroyed.

Their activity puts enormous amounts of smoke and water vapour (not to mention CO2) in to the air and carries over vast distances, I suspect that would have a significant influence on rainfall patterns in NZ.

[Octane]

Rob,

Zig-zagging and going up and down mountains, is what it's all about! I find it to be exhilarating! Haast Pass was immense. Just immense.

Phil, I had no idea that there was so much burn-off that it would actually have an effect on weather, wow!

For what it's worth, I'm back now, and spamming the terrestrial photography section with my captures, if anyone's interested.

I had the time of my life. You Kiwi's, you seriously live in the most beautiful country in the world. You have it all. I'd be proud to call myself Kiwi.

Regards,
Humayun

[Jen]

:eyepop: wow that went quick welcome back Octane :thumbsup::thumbsup:

[garyp]

Glad you had a good time and made it safely back. I Have seen some of your images of the trip and looking forward to more.

Cheers

Gary:)