New Zealand 2024
New Zealand, an adventurers paradise, a place to hike, bike and kayak. Della is here at the top of a trail opposite Mount Cook, which is obscured behind the clouds in the middle of the valley behind her.
We visited mainly the South Island on our trip to New Zealand from January 12 to January 28 of 2024. We did it with a tour group called Active Adventures, recommended to us by first Barbara and Robert Sherry and then also by Tom and Margie Duffy, all friends we meet as a part of Boy Scout Troop One of Sacramento.
We meet up with the tour group in Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand.
Our fellow Trampers: Mike from Tucson AZ, Brandon our guide, from NZ, Della from Sacramento, Lori from Wisconsin, Loren from Berkeley, Karl from Wisconsin, Rob from Oakland, Brenda, Peg from Boston, Amanda and Jana from Galveston Texas, and Emma our guide from South Island New Zealand.
Jana and Amanda show the colors aboard the tour boat in the Milford Sound.
I photographed this "Mountain Parrot" the "Kea" while we were in a single file line waiting to enter the Homer tunnel so we could explore the Milford Sound. Apparently some of these Kea interact with some of the vehicles passing through the area as shown on a number of Youtube videos: (search: Kea and Homer Tunnel) KEA. The Kea is a highly intelligent bird, curious, fearless, resourceful, playful and belligerent, perhaps partially explaining why there are only about 6000 of them alive today in the alpine regions of the South Island.
Later while hiking Key Summit, we had our second encounter with the mountain parrot. The Kea had flown down to inspect the backpack of a hike taking a break on some rocks. The Kea is really just looking for food and sees an opportunity. After getting no edible satisfaction he flys off. I did get a few nice images at close range.
Kea of the mountain. Be sure to search for "Kea and the tunnel" or Milford Sound on Youtube.
