I often heard that New Zealand is beautiful–it truly is! I took this picture of Mt. Cook–it is not a post card. This little country made up of two islands is rugged and calming at the same time. Driving by hundreds of kilometers of grass with grazing sheep (with lots of little lambs–ewes often have two or three) and cattle while viewing snow capped mountains, glacier lakes, ocean and seas in the background is outstanding. Grass, sheep, trees, grapes and almost everything growing like crazy in NZ was introduced in the 1800’s. The native people-the Maori- lived on flax and fish.
The people of NZ (population 4.8 million) are outnumbered by sheep about 6 to 1 (28 million sheep). I had dinner at a sheep farm and got to see a sheep sheared. If the sheep is held so no legs are on the ground, it is extremely passive and will comply with the “wool” cut.
The farm hand also showed how the dogs control the herd. Really incredible. There is usually a Huntaway-bred for this purpose-barking at the sheep and a border collie who intimidates by eye contact. I heard the farmers are starting to use barking drones……
I have been eating my way along as we make our way north. The lambs liver and fry (bacon) tasted better than it looks. One of my favorite meals was local wine, cheese and salmon sashimi that I bought at a little salmon shop in the parking lot at the glacier lake at Mt. Cook.
One of our stops was at Milford Sound–not really a sound since it is not a valley that flooded but a glacier melt that enters the sea. This is in the Fiordland National Park. Waterfalls are spectacular and lots only show up after a rain.
This is were the Kea bird lives. They will eat the rubber right off your car! Ask Jill and Steve who had a rental car there a few years ago that was the Kea’s lunch!
A trip in the South Island needs to include a stop in Dunedin. Modelled after a scottish city when immigrants landed in the late 1800’s, it has lots of grand buildings and churches built with an ample amount of abundant limestone. I found the Catholic cathedral and went to Sunday mass. The train station thinks it is in Europe.
It was on to Omarama where I (me and all the little kids in town) took a steam engine train ride down the coast where I got to see some seals sleeping on rocks in the Pacific Ocean and a little Blue Penguin sitting on her eggs.
Heading back up to Christchurch, having a hot tub with new friends.
A visit to the Church of the Good Shepard.
And lots of blossoms.
New Zealand is a fun place, full of friendly folks, laid back, cafes everywhere and a great sense of humor.
Barb Does The World 
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