I learned there is at least one guaranteed way to get an 'American' cup of coffee and a good internet connection in New Zealand...McDonald's.  Anyway....

My intent for our last full day in New Zealand was to hang out and rest. The weather forecast indicated a day of hard rain and that is exactly how it started. But by noon the sun had broken out. One of the difficult problems with photography in the American southwest is the haze created by particulate pollution. New Zealand, having a smaller population and industrial base, particularly on the south island, simply has cleaner air, resulting in crisper, more contrasty distant views.  When the rain stopped and the sun came through, the views were amazing.  This shot was taken with my Pentax 645D digital medium format system.

We also dropped by the 'launch' site of the famous jet boat experience in Queenstown, literally about a mile from our hotel. It was almost as fun to watch as I am sure it was to participate. The shots below taken with Pentax K-5 DSLR, in a seven frames per second mode and image stabilization, handheld.

That is all for now...we're off to the airport and our flight to Auckland where we connect with Air New Zealand to Tahiti and a few days on Moorea.