The landscape in New Zealand continually confused me. I never quite got comfortable seeing deciduous trees next to palms. I kept thinking, "make up your mind!" It took me awhile to wrap my understanding around it; it just didn't correspond to anything I was used to seeing. The other thing that took adjustment is that the landscape can change radically in a short distance, sometimes a study in greeens and golds, othertimes lush rainforest.
There were times I thought I was on a South Pacific Island. Oh wait! I was, wasn't I?!
I felt fickle in this country because when I was in the mountains I would swear that I had never seen anything lovelier and nothing could make me quite so content as the mountains.
And then I would go to the shore and be calmed by the lapping sea, and vow that I must live next to the ocean one day.
And then I would visit a pristine lake, so inviting, so proud, and think, ahh, a lake, what could be better than a lake?
New Zealand also offered odd ball scenery to make things interesting. At Pancake Rocks, the layers of rock still baffle some geologists.
In the very south part of the South Island, the wind was so strong, so often, that you would see trees growing at acute angles.
At Moeraki, perfectly shaped boulders line the shore.
All of this made hiking a dream, especially with paths such as this
or views such as this.
With all that it has to offer, I don't think I'll ever stop being in love with New Zealand.
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