Hi, all. (waa waa)

[Octane (Humayun)]

I'm back. :insert cryface to the power of infinity + 1:

Needless to say I had an absolute ball.

I've got one or two photos that I will share as time allows.

Highlights:

* Almost treading on an adult seal on the Kaikoura Peninsula. Thank heavens that seals give you a warning bellow before they're angry enough to attack! It wasn't my fault -- I just couldn't make the seal out amongst all the rock and rubble on the beach.

* Baby seals in Kaikoura swimming in a pool under a waterfall and coming up to you to say hello. I filmed this spectacle and will upload at a later stage.

* Climbing Franz Josef Glacier and drinking the pure glacial melt. Short footage of parts of descent to upload.

* Fumbling through darkness to make it to Lake Matheson for a remarkable sunrise.

* Ambling up Mount Iron to view a 360-degree panoramic sunrise in Wanaka.

* Ambling up to the top of the Remarkables to visit Lake Alta (nestled between a couple of peaks) and watching the sunset over Queenstown from up there (wow!).

* The desolation that I can only describe as a Martian landscape of the Nevis Crossing region.

* The rain. The worst rain they've had in a decade. There were days where it poured for 24 hours. Roads and communication channels cut. I had to take some very, very long scenic routes to get to my intended destinations. But, it was worth it -- especially seeing the epic waterfalls all around Milford Sound. The area around Homer Tunnel was just incredible. Waterfalls every few metres around the mountains. I strapped my 5D Mark II on its tripod to the passenger seat of the RAV4 I was driving and filmed the drive down to Milford Sound from Homer Tunnel which I will hopefully YouTube or Vimeo when I get the chance.

* Two nights in the chalet at Milford Lodge. Immediately opposite the bay window was the raging torrent of the Hollyford River and opposite that were the walls of a mountain overflowing with waterfalls. The first night scared me to my bones; as I was drifting off to sleep, I noticed the wind intensity increase. Eventually, it got to a stage where the wind was so ferocious I thought I was in the middle of a cyclone. The roar rose gradually through the night, ending in a lull only to reiterate itself with a second coming. I didn't get much sleep that night. I found out later, apparently, that this was the norm.

* Watching the sun set and rise over Mount Cook and Mount Sefton (I made a day time trek into the Hooker Valley to scout locations for both golden hours) and went at both to capture what I could. I think in total that was about 16 kilometres of trekking in the space of 18 hours.

* All the beautiful food, especially sampling some fine dairy.

I got up a few hours before sunrise each morning (except 2 when the weather was just crap) to go imaging and walking.

I walked, trekked and hiked so much that I've actually lost some weight and has inspired me to start running again.

I've come home in a sense of awe. A lot of it has to do with Mount Cook. I have an inkling of inspiration to climb now. I have no mountaineering skills and I think I might start putting towards a fund to undertake a 5-day guided ascent of Mount Cook in the future some time.

I can't wait to head back in spring.

Cheers, all.

H

[renormalised (Carl)]

Welcome back, H!!!

Sounds like you had a really great time

Looking forward to the piccies

[WadeH (Wade)]

Welcome home. Sounds like you had an amazing time! Cant wait to see pics and video.

Margaret and I were down at Milford 5 yrs ago in full on rain and the waterfalls were just incredible.

Ahh, memories!!

[Tilt (Michael)]

Awesome! Sounds great Humayun. I look forward to seeing some of the photos of your trip.

Michael

[Jen]

wow that went quick H welcome back Everytime i hear you talk about New Zealand it makes me so want to go over there one day

Cant wait to see some of your pics

[DavidU (Dave)]

Sounds fantastic H. Can't wait for some pickie's.

[lacad01 (Adam)]

Welcome back mate sounds like you had a fantastic time. Looking forward to seeing the pics

[multiweb (Marc)]

Welcome nack to Oz. Looks like you had a great time. Sounds great just reading all this. I just can imagine how cool the pics and videos are going to be.

[Miaplacidus (Brian)]

Welcome back, H. Nice to see you've made it home safely and in one piece (but not unchanged, by the sound of it).

Brian.

[Ric]

Hi H, good to see you had a great holiday.

I'm looking forward to the pictures.

Cheers

[Liz]

Sounds incredible, lots of wonderfull memories and experiences to have forever. Great to have you back H!!

[Bassnut (Fred)]

Your lucky it rained so much. I took a Milford tour and was initially dissapointed that it was raining, but it turned out that everyone there reconed Milford is at its best in heavy rain, the waterfalls were spectacular indeed.

[bloodhound31]

Pictures pictures pictures pictures pictures pictures pictures pictures pictures pictures pictures pictures pictures pictures pictures pictures........

Come on, you have been back for an hour...where are the pictures!!

Welcome home mate, glad you're back safe.

Baz.

[erick (Eric)]

Glad that you are safely back and had a great time!

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Welcome Back!!
I'm looking forward to seeing all the "postcards".

[Kevnool (Kev)]

Youve had a great time away with that yarn H.
Will be great to see your pics.
Cheers Kev

[leon]

H, talk to me.please
Leon

[Octane (Humayun)]

Thanks, all!

I'll be posting images as I get time to process them. My Internet's capped at the moment as well so I can't do too much with regards to posting videos -- it'd just take too long!

Leon, mate, I sent an email to you. Will private message you now, too!

H

[Waxing_Gibbous (Peter)]

You were SUPPOSED to fall down a gorge and die so Bloodhound and I could spit your stuff.
Selfish ,selfish, selfish!

[Octane (Humayun)]

haha, Peter. I had a very good laugh at that in the original thread.

I almost fell down several times, but, unfortunately for you, they were near misses. :bfg:

H