When a close friend met the love of his life while escaping said life in New Zealand, I immediately became attracted to the small island nation.

New Zealand is, for lack of a better description, a more laid back and warmer version of Canada. The locals are friendly, there’s much natural beauty to take in, and it’s a great place to work, live, and visit.

Melissa and I visited New Zealand at the end of February, and we’ve both fallen in love.

Te Mata Peak

Rising 400m above sea level, Te Mata Peak offers stunning views of Havelock, Hastings, and the larger Hawke’s Bay area.

Watching the Sun Rise

While waiting for the sun to rise (spoiler: was too overcast to see it), I took the chance to get some dawn photography going…

Taken at about 6:30 am.

This one taken at about 6:40 am. Sun is coming up fast.

Rolling mists encapsulating the mighty mountains. 6:41 am.

Looking out at Havelock and Hastings. 6:45 am.

The drive is almost as enjoyable as the view. Almost. 7:05 am.

With the Sun Out

Picturesque as the sun rises, gorgeous when the sun’s out. Te Mata Peak is a real gem.

Lou’s Lookout

Located just past the village of Tuai, about a 2.5-3 hour drive away from where we were in Hawke’s Bay, is a series of tracks that surround Lake Waikaremoana.

Melissa and I had fun tramping throughout, but the real winner was Lou’s Lookout. Signage states it’s a 30-minute one-way trip, but if you’re reasonably fit and don’t mind a bit of a sweat, it’s closer to 15 minutes.

The view is worth the short trek.

This panorama fails to capture the scene. It was simply breathtaking.

Melissa taking it all in.

What’s that sign say beside the car? Can’t quite read it from here…

Ah, much better.

If you’re ever in the area, it’s worth the 15 minutes to reach the top.

Melissa found this guy along the way.

Shine Falls

About an hour away from where we were in Hastings/Havelock is the Shine Falls track. Worth a visit; the view is incredible throughout.

The start of the track impresses.

Just getting started.

Much of the track is enveloped in a natural canopy. This scene was taken in a small break in the canopy about mid-way through.

Shine Falls itself – The height of these falls is not in any way properly represented in this photo.

Melissa and I standing on a rock about 10m away from the base.