The 21st Stop: Te Anau, Fiordland, New Zealand. Four years ago I had an experience like never before; a scenic flight over the magnificent Grand Canyon and afterwards a river rafting tour down the Colorado River. Seeing all that stunning beauty, aerial and low, aroused as grand emotions, my highest respect towards the nature. Three years ago, when my son was born (well, a different kind of high experience...) - one of my first thoughts was (this amazing new little human beside me, accompanied by an overwhelming feel of responsibility), that ok - no more these scenic flights for me. Ha-Ha! When having two of them, what else you do, but take them both up there! 

Fiordland National Park has spectacular ice-carved fiords, lakes and valleys, rugged granite tops and pristine mountain to sea vistas. Milford Sound is the most well-known of all the fiords. Being in the heart of a rainforest and one of the rainiest places in the world, no surprise we also had a wet cruise. Not so convient, when carrying a DSLR, but what a moody beauty! A sunny day must be a striking one, but rain there also means, in addition to permanent waterfalls, walls of temporary waterfalls. Just amazing. After our rainy trip, a beautiful sunny day, and jet boating on the Upper Waiau River between Lake Te Anau and Lake Manapouri, or River Anduin if we were in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings. Well, it truly felt like being in a fairytale. And then, hopping into a small float plane, and flying high over the mountains to see Doubtful Sound and so much more. Two own hobbits on the backseat, commenting through their head phones. Got good laughs, but then again - dropped few tears for that unbelievable beauty of the nature.