Day 8 | Fiordland National Park

Fiordland National Park is a real jewel even if we are talking New Zealand. This is probably one on the most remote and unspoiled place in the world and it is such a great pleasure just to know this place is well protected. The best way to get around is undeniably by foot. To get there you will need some other forms of transportation of cores, but as soon as you are finally there, you better leave your car as soon as possible and get deep into untouched forest. Trust me, you’ll have much better chances to meet trolls and elves down there than anywhere else on the face of our planet.

Back to the photo... This perfect example of native fern was photographed from about four meters above. There was some sort of passway along the forest and in several places it was elevated well above the ground. So, this particular fern tree was about five to six meters height and was spreading beautifully emerald branches for... may be another five meters. Quite amazing, actually...

Day 6 / Tiritiri Matangu Island, New Zealand

Tiritiri Matangi – small island in about one hour by ferry from Auckland. This island is home for one of the oldest lighthouses in New Zealand and for many years entire island was a dairy farm. Now that piece of land is protected from any human activity except ecotourism. You can get there by ferry which runs between mainland and island about three or four times a day. Once you there, you can enjoy beautiful nature which seems to start to recover after years or suppression. Bird’s population on the island constantly grows and many forms of vegetation start to find way back where they belong. It’s quite an enjoyable experience to be there. We spent entire day on the island, away from business of big city, and took tons of photos with us back where we came from.

Day 3 / Muir Woods National Park, California, USA

Some time ago, something about two or three hundred years, enormous forest of huge trees covered entire western coast of America from as far as Alaska to the very southern parts of modern Mexico. Today Muir Woods is the only remaining island of great forest which miraculously survived. This is place of exceptional beauty and spiritual power. Some trees are old enough to remember the times when Christ was born. Californian red wood trees are tallest living things on our planet. National park Muir Woods is not particularly huge, but the man with camera can easily spend days at this extraordinary place. Unfortunately all I had was only one hour, but even that was enough to feel how special this place is.

Day 1 / Road Lights

Let me start all this with photo which was taken couple years ago. It just happened I had my camera with me this cold, rainy, winter evening. I was relaxed and tired after long day at work, and I strongly considered possibility to fall asleep till we get home. But strange and amazingly appealing play of street lights made me awake. I took my camera and played with it all way home. It is really strange how often we just passing across something without noticing and without even trying to see things from different point of view. I don't think Auckland street lights hugely different to a street lights at any other city on our planet and millions of people can see almost exactly the same every evening. But how often we take an effort not just see but notice, not just notice but be inspired? I was lucky that cold, wet, winter evening... I had my camera with me...