Southern India

 Indian cooking class (this is paneer). It was an excellent class- we learned how to make loads of Indian dishes from scratch!

 Candolim beach (Goa)

 Wild elephant

 Kerala Beach

 Our friend Biju and his family

 

Delicious seafood extravaganza in Mumbai

 Market in Goa

 Palaces galore!

 A sari. All the women wear these all the time- even when herding cattle and such. Although you can't expose your legs or upper arms, exposure of the stomach is ok.

 Portuguese churches in Goa

 Pearls in Hyderabad

 Hindu Temple (the most common religion in India)

 Jungle safari (sloth bears, deer, elephants and even a leopard!)

 Kerala Backwater cruise

 Varkala beach town (we loved this town!)

 Deer walking through the resort in the national park

 Ooty- It was much cooler in the highlands (but still warm!)

 Spice plantation- it was very interesting to see where the different spices come from

We had a crazy time in India. It was extremely hot- and we feared for our lives every time we stepped into a moving vehicle. Road rules don't exist! We were a little put off by the corruption and poverty that we read about in books and the newspaper and could see the results of everywhere- but overall people were extremely kind. We loved the "wilderness" areas and there were some great sights to be seen in the hills, jungles and beaches. Due to the pollution and super dense population (especially in the big cities- which are most cities) have a new-found appreciation for life in New Zealand and Canada!

Kaituna rafting

The day after we finished the canoe trip, we did a 2 hour rafting adventure out of Rotorua. We went down a 7 m waterfall (a little scary but we were assured that we should be fine if we tipped- 50/50 chance). Lots of fun!!

Whanganui River Canoe Trip

The Whanganui River is on the north island, and the canoe trip is part of the great walk system. It was really great to have the chance to do some "Canadian" canoeing- as they call it here. There was a fair bit of moving water on the trip- although there is ablsolutely nothing dangerous about the route if you do know how to steer a canoe. However, since most people don't, it is not surprising that many people tip in the rapids and that several people have died from hypothermia/drowning on this journey over the years. It is another reminder of how in this country (unlike in Canada), people are very much left in charge of their own safety and are usually expected just to use their own judgment. Anyway- it was a beautiful trip and we had a wonderful time! We had great weather and it much of the paddle was through beautiful native forest and gorges.

Fishing in Kaikoura

We spent Friday afternoon catching some fish on a fishing charter. Later we had an awesome fish fry and enjoyed some crayfish as well. The crew from home went on the dolphin encounter in the morning and had great time (aside from the sea sickness) getting really close to some Dusky dolphins!

Nelson Lakes and Abel Tasman

While I was at a conference/travelling in New Orleans, Brad was kayaking and hiking with our good friends Janet, Robbi & Dwayne. They spent a few days near the Nelson Lakes (hiking around Lake Rotoiti) and then went to Abel Tasman National Park for some ocean kayaking.

Lake Daniells

Sheep in high visibility jacket (because he hangs out right next to the highway)

This is a beautiful little lake in the Lewis Pass area about 3 hrs from Christchurch. The walk in is only 2-3 hours and it's very flat- it is popular with families with a nice big hut at the end. We didn't stay at the hut because it was quite busy- and ended up walking further around the lake to find a nice little campsite on the shore. This lake is actually really nice for swimming- which seems to be a rare find- most lakes seem to be quite cold (glacier fed).

Hurunui

Another day on the Hurunui. Unfortunately there are plans to dam this river in the near future.