Temple reconstruction in progress, but looking pretty good so far! 

Temple guardian.  

More temple reconstruction...detail of a dragon. 

Another view of the Meditating Buddha. 

Meditating Buddha. 

This was the view from my hotel at Karon Beach. With some extreme zooming. It was a temple being rebuilt after the tsunami. This area was not too hard hit but there are still visible signs of the disaster, outweighed by more visible reconstruction and improvements. 

The view from my hotel room window. Really, honestly. It was an alpine lodge at St. Arnaud, the only place in town to sleep.  

This really was the view from my hotel room window!!! 

The face of Franz Joseph Glacier on the South Island. Actually, the Terminal Moraine. It moves as much as a meter a day. That is receeding, not growing. And we can't admit there is such a thing as global warming.... 

Cloudy foggy hiking with a lake at the bottom. 

More cloudy hiking... 

Cloudy hiking... 

Cloud-creeping mountain hiking. 

Moutain hiking. Believe it or not this shot was at midday. 

For much of the time the weather was horrible. That did not stop me from getting some hiking in, but it was not the best hiking I have been able to do. Most was in the South Island, near Mt. Cook park and the glaciers. Note the absence of anything resembling snow....