Champa and I are halfway through a tour of New Zealand, traveling by ferry yesterday from the South Island to the North Island. Here are a dozen images that illustrate some of what we’ve learned so far about this magical country.

For starters, there are unusual things to see and do here. As just one example, we took a boat from Te Anau to a remote cave entrance. There we boarded smaller boats in darkness to see glowing worms, which are more accurately described as maggots.

If you prefer adventurous activities, New Zealand is for you. We’ve seen bungee jumping, paragliding, trail biking and more, including this family luge ride down a mountain top in Queenstown, which we reached on the gondola shown at the top of this post. Our own biggest adventure was aboard a jet boat.

New Zealand’s biggest draw, of course, is its natural beauty, which is breathtaking. This shot is at Milford Sound, which is actually a fjord.

There’s abundant wildlife, too, such as these seals and a wide variety of birds.

New Zealand’s colonial heritage is obvious, such as at this boathouse in Christchurch that offers punting on the city’s Avon River.

Colonial architecture is also striking, such as at this railway station in Dunedin, a city with a resemblance to Edinburgh.

New Zealand embraces its history in many ways, as at this museum in Arrowtown that celebrates miners and others.

Much of the history is complicated. I’ve been impressed by New Zealand’s respect for its Māori origins, but tensions remain in that relationship. This photo is from Picton.

Antarctica looms surprisingly large on the South Island. Christchurch is the starting point for many Antarctic trips.

Christchurch is also notable as the location of devastating earthquakes in 2010 and 2011 from which it is still recovering. This local museum features chilling videos of survivors sharing their stories.

Finally, there are the beautiful vineyards. Wine has become a big business in New Zealand, which is now famous for Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and other varieties. These vineyards are in Blenheim.

This isn’t all we saw, of course, and we still have the North Island and its hobbits awaiting us on our trip, which we’re taking with an excellent local company. For now, I’ll bid you “Haere rā” — goodbye — and encourage you to enjoy some kiwi fruit and a glass of Marlborough white while we continue our exploration.

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