Playing With Guns

I went on my first hunting expedition. My flatmate Jake took me along for some armed bushwacking thru thorn bushes, in search of the mighty NZ pig. We did not see any pigs, but but I owned a coke bottle with a shotgun.


all that dirt in the foreground is where the pigs have been rooting around in the fields.

A Night At The Cantina

Ahhh . . . the cross-cultural card game kings and as$@$%les


Flatmates Chris and Jake


Regen


On the left is Chase from West Virginia


the many faces of lauren




disputed hand



First casualty

The Last Day

We left the west coast and headed toward Queenstown. The Blue Pools were something flatmate Jake told us to look out for.


A beautiful mountain stream with incredibly clear, blue water. Swimming in the pools are rainbow trout as long as your arm.



Another cool bridge


More stones to throw


When you get a little closer to Queenstown, there are some amazing lakes.







This is the ski-tropolis of Queenstown. Nestled in the mountains and clogged with goggle wearing, Burton sporting hipsters. But most important, Queenstown is home to the mighty Fergberger.

THE BIG AL
1/2 lb. NZ beef, fried egg, lettuce, tomato. pickled beet, bacon . . .


I had to unhinge my jaw, but it was delicious.

We woke up in the town of Okarito, population 30. This little community's claim to fame is the Okarito Lagoon, a beautiful little spot teaming with birds, and one of the nicest campgrounds I have ever seen.

This was the view leaving the campground.


From Okarito we headed for the glaciers. We hiked to the base, but honestly it is more impressive from the viewpoint.


We have noticed an amazing trend of Asian tourists getting pictures of themselves flashing the peace sign. I don't know how the peace sign became the default pose for every Asian tourist we have seen in NZ, but I think it's funny.

These two wanted lots of peace sign photos by this waterfall, so after waiting 10 min for them to move I gave up and just included them in my album.


Lauren succumbing to peer pressure


Stylin'



Fun bouldering in the riverbed.



I enjoyed the glaciers.


looking back down the riverbed, where the glacier used to be.


Gillespie's beach was really fun.
The cloudscape that day was impressive.



The beach was covered in smooth, flat stones perfect for skipping.

Lauren letting one fly.


We had some fun with the series feature on the camera.








contrasting skipping styles.




footwork


Lauren resting after a serious rock skipping session


Just beautiful



We ended the day at a Backpacker in Hasst