Bonus Page: Everything New Zealand

Christchurch, my home town - Cathedral Square.

This was before the earthquakes, which have sadly devastated the city.

Wellington, my home for eight years and the capital city of New Zealand - Parliament Buildings, including the "Beehive".

Akaroa, my Dad's birthplace. Visited here a lot. Originally a French settlement, it still has French street names, such as Rue Lavaud.

Mount Cook (Aoraki) and Mount Tasman, the two highest mountains in New Zealand, reflected in Lake Matheson.

What we named ourselves after, New Zealand's national bird the kiwi.

The kiwi however does not look like this on the inside, despite it's confusion with the furry fruit.

You do not mess with the Mighty Kiwi!

Goodnight Kiwi - an animated short that closed the TVNZ broadcast for the evening back before it ran 24 hours. Great childhood memory, when up that late!

Tuatara - the last surviving member of a species that flourished around 200 million years ago.

This is what Peter Jackson named his digital effects & prop workshop companies after - the weta - this being one of the giant variety!

There is still a little bit of The Lord of the Rings left up in the hills of Matamata, in the form of Hobbiton.

Mount Ngauruhoe - aka Mount Doom from The Lord of the Rings.

Bluff - located at the southern most point of the South Island. Gives you an idea of how far away from New York City New Zealand is.

A Maori marae and meeting house, featuring some of the beautiful carvings by our native people. Ka pai!

New Zealand's national rugby team, the All Blacks, performing the haka - a Maori war dance - which is done before every game they play in.

Only a Kiwi could make people pay to willingly jump off a bridge with only a rubber band strapped to their ankles. Been there, done that!

The kea - the mischievous mountain parrot that likes to eat the rubber off your vehicle and everything else.

The kea about to fly off. The beautiful wings nearly make you forget their naughtiness.

The kaka - the kea's forest-dwelling cousin.

The kakapo - another forest dwelling parrot that, like the kiwi, is endangered due to it being flightless and nocturnal.

The kereru, or wood pigeon - this very large pigeon sounds like a helicopter as it flies overhead.

The pukeko - I was hired to dress up once in a pukeko suit for Conservation Week and hand out balloons.

The tui - known for their unusual and distinctive call.

The takahe - the endangered, flightless relative of the pukeko.

Lake Tekapo at night - one of the best starry scenes you will find, featuring the Southern Cross.

The good ol' New Zealand flag featuring the Union Jack, seeing as we're part of the Commonwealth, along with the Southern Cross constellation.

The New Zealand map - so you can know where everything is located.

The Down Under map. This is the way every world map should be displayed!