New Zealand, August 2010

[upcruiser]

I don't normally post trip reports from my work trips but sometimes the scenery is just too good not to share. I was down in New Zealand at the first of the month for two weeks. We spent our time near Queenstown on the south island and skied at Coronet Peak as well as Cardrona. Here is a collection of images that I took along the way. Enjoy..

Looking out in the AM from Coronet Peak towards Lake Wakatipu.

Julia at the top of the training course

One of my favorite shots on one of those "life above the clouds" kinda days.

Summit of Coronet Peak

Chelsea on a cold morning

Hailey in the ski room

 

[upcruiser]

Chelsea, Julia, Stacey, and Laurenne at the top of the super g in Cardrona. We started training right at first light.

Another daybreak shot from above the clouds.

First training run of the day in the super g. Julia Mancuso in the start at first light.

I did a HORRIBLE job of taking shots of all the cool rigs down there. Seriously, it was sesnory overload with sick Defenders, Series trucks, as well as every diesel Cruiser you could think of. I saw so many 70 series I drooled over. I talked to the guy driving this truck and he is most proud of his Hilux with the petrol V8 Lexus engine. See, we always want the diesels that are unobtanium here but down there people really dig gas V8's because most rigs are diesel. Funny.

Hard to get sick of this view every day.

We had a whole fleet of Subaru Legacy's that we were using down there. Fun cars for rallying up the sinewy mountain roads each morning. I got my right hand driving, hand brake rally car drift groove on! haha

Just because it is something you don't see too much, this is the quiver of Super G and Downhill skis that Olympic gold medalist Julia Mancuso had down there.

And her slalom and giant slalom skis. Gives some perspective to how much gear we travel with as a group!

 

[upcruiser]

Our PT Tara manning (or womanning maybe?) the start

Brie the other PT at the start.

Ales (pronounced Alesh), one of the guys I work with at the shoreline in Queenstown on one of our days off.

Shot of the docks in Queenstown.

Our last day in New Zealand treated us to a cold rain during a slalom race. This meant packing our duffles with wet gear that was going to be nice and dank by the time we got back state-side! Hailey and Julia at the start.

Laurenne passing time at the airport with her guitar. She travels with either her violin or guitar and is a pretty amazing musician.

48 hours of travelling later I arrive home to find this nice yard gnome on my porch. I'd been gnomed!

 

[Ash]

I don't suppose you met any of the NZ skiers? I went to school with a guy called Angus Howden who is currently racing.

Ash

(PS I need to go home - these photos make me miss it!)

 

[Rallyroo]

I did a HORRIBLE job of taking shots of all the cool rigs down there. Seriously, it was sesnory overload with sick Defenders, Series trucks, as well as every diesel Cruiser you could think of. I saw so many 70 series I drooled over. I talked to the guy driving this truck and he is most proud of his Hilux with the petrol V8 Lexus engine. See, we always want the diesels that are unobtanium here but down there people really dig gas V8's because most rigs are diesel. Funny.

The grass is always greener on the other side?

When I went to New Zealand, I went to Toyota, Subaru, and Land Rover dealerships. Since I couldn't bring the vehicles back to the States, I brought back brochures for the Defender, 70 Series, etc. I also brought back a 1:18th scale diecast model of a Defender 110.

As for the picture of the Queenstown shoreline, when I was there, the wind was so strong that as the steamboat was going forward, the exhaust smoke was blown forward even faster. It looked as if the steamboat was going backwards.

 

[upcruiser]

I don't suppose you met any of the NZ skiers? I went to school with a guy called Angus Howden who is currently racing.

Ash

(PS I need to go home - these photos make me miss it!)

I don't know Angus but he might have been there. The New Zealand team was training there the whole time we were there. I know their head coach Nils. Is he on the team currently? Also had the Germans, the Canadians and the Norwegians there.

I don't blame you for missing it there, beautiful country no doubt!

 

[upcruiser]

The grass is always greener on the other side?

When I went to New Zealand, I went to Toyota, Subaru, and Land Rover dealerships. Since I couldn't bring the vehicles back to the States, I brought back brochures for the Defender, 70 Series, etc. I also brought back a 1:18th scale diecast model of a Defender 110.

As for the picture of the Queenstown shoreline, when I was there, the wind was so strong that as the steamboat was going forward, the exhaust smoke was blown forward even faster. It looked as if the steamboat was going backwards.

Yeah, the vehicles there are so enticing despite the steering wheel being on the wrong side. Funny how hard that is to get used to as well as doing roundabouts backwards! Ha ha

 

[ttora4runner]

I want your job if it sends you to places like that.

Nice.

 

[Lichen]

Those photos are amazing. Thank you for posting.

 

[Haggis]

Well, this just proves again, that a thread done by Kristian is a thread worth peeking into. Very nice photos, especially the pic of the sun over the clouds. :elkgrin:

 

[upcruiser]

Those photos are amazing. Thank you for posting.

Thanks, all taken with an iPhone actually.

 

[upcruiser]

Well, this just proves again, that a thread done by Kristian is a thread worth peeking into. Very nice photos, especially the pic of the sun over the clouds. :elkgrin:

Thanks man, yeah, seemed like every day was some sort of above the clouds experience. We were fortunate to only have two weather days while down there.


One of the girls threw together a little video from the trip that I thought I should share

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=421180111724&ref=mf

 

[JeepinBear]

Great pics! I just moved to New Zealand and happened to buy my first Defender 110 today!

I LOVE IT HERE!

 

[KSJeep]

Very nice shots, thanks

 

[TangoBlue]

Great trip report Kristian... say, your real name isn't Thurston Howell III, is it?