Coffee before the doubtful sound cruise.

And the ever present mountain+lake view :)

Deer farm?

I need to research this but it looks like they have deer farms here!

En route to Te Anau

En route to te anau

Queenstown from up above

Panoramic view from the hotel

Trying to shoot a panorama on my iPhone! Came out well I think!

Celebrating the jump!

Next up, skydiving from 18,000 feet :)

Another room with a view!

So I just jumped from that into the river below!

Paragliding!

Doing this tomorrow! If I survive th bungy jump today that is!

NZ is big on Green

They definitely have their priorities straight. The maximum time spent at immigration was to ensure we werent bringing in pests or food that could harm the environment in some way.

Not the usual nonsense about explosives etc. refreshing.

Every establishment and service in new Zealand is rated on of course the quality of service but also the level of ecological friendliness.

Seen here is a Prius which is used as a taxi.

So true!

Wine cave

This is where the wines are stored in the winery.

Apparently this is the only cave in new Zealand.

400+ barrels. Each barrel is about 300+ bottles of wine.

The southern most winery in the world

Gibbston Vineyard

Wine was OK OK. The tour was good though

Breakfast!

I could get used this view every morning :)

The beautiful lake tekapo

The Lighthouse!

There was another one 30kms uphill. But that pic is for another day!

Akaroa town from top

iMMORTAL

Dear Steve,

For many, you are a legend, a visionary, an innovator, and dare I say, a god. For me, you are all of that and more, so much more. Your vision, your passion and your commitment to never settle for anything less than the extraordinary inspired me to strive for better in my life - personal and professional, to challenge the status quo and to always always seek perfection in everything I now do.

Thank you for showing me that it is OK to follow your heart - no matter how absurd it may sound or appear, that there is always a better way as long as you seek it, that it's more important to build something great than chase the next pay cheque and that if there is anything worth doing, it is worth doing so well, that it becomes the gold standard.

Even today, the reports of your death are greatly exaggerated. You live on in our hearts through your products, your ideas, your spirit and your vision that truly changed the world (and me) for the better.

Thank you, for everything.

The Laughing Heart

The new Levi's go forth ad has some incredible poetry - even though the audio might make it difficult to understand it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KT16DcHcjRA

Your life is your life
Don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission.
Be on the watch. There are ways out.
There is a light somewhere.
It may not be much light but it beats the darkness.
Be on the watch.

The gods will offer you chances.
Know them. take them.
You can’t beat death but
You can beat death in life, sometimes.
And the more often you learn to do it,
the more light there will be.
 

Your life is your life.
Know it while you have it.
You are marvelous
The gods wait to delight in you.

                                               - The Laughing Heart, Charles Bukowski