Please note that the poems and essays on this site are copyright and may not be reproduced without the author's permission.


Friday, 24 February 2012

Boardwalking

.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0b/Swampy_But_Pretty_Bog_In_Fiordland_NZ.jpg/1024px-Swampy_But_Pretty_Bog_In_Fiordland_NZ.jpg

Swampy bog on the Milford Track in Fiordland National Park, New Zealand: photo by Ingolfson, April 2007


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/Wai-o-tapu_panorama.jpg

Panorama of central geothermal pools at Wai-O-Tapu, New Zealand; Artist's Palette in foreground, Champagne Pool in the background, with visitors crossing on boardwalk beyond: photo by Tokyoahead, January 2007


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f4/Walking_Path_Along_Oakley_Creek_II.jpg/1024px-Walking_Path_Along_Oakley_Creek_II.jpg

A walking section in the northern part of Oakley Creek in Auckland, New Zealand: photo by Ingolfson, May 2007


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/Western_Park_Auckland.jpg

Upper, eastern part of Western Park in Auckland, New Zealand: photo by Ingolfson, December 2006


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/Rakiura_285GG.jpg

Boardwalk between Freshwater Landing and Mason Bay; Kanuka trees. North-West Circuit and Southern Circuit, Rakiura National Park, Stewart Island, New Zealand: photo by Sarang, 29 December 2004


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Hollyford1579.jpg

Boardwalk at Little Homer Saddle, Holyford Track, Fiordland, New Zealand: photo by Sarang, 7 January 2005


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/64/Waikato_River_Trails02.JPG/768px-Waikato_River_Trails02.JPG

Durham Creek Mobility Trail, as part of the Waikato River Trails, New Zealand: photo by Schwede66, 12 January 2010


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Whakarewarewa.JPG

Whakarewarewa thermal mud, New Zealand: photo by A. Aruninta, 15 January 2007


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/Boardwalk_across_sinter_terrace_at_Wai-O-Tapu.jpg

Boardwalk across sinter terrace at Wai-O-Tapu, New Zealand: photo by Pseudopanax, 18 April 2011


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Rakiura_412.jpg/1024px-Rakiura_412.jpg

Boardwalk between Freshwater Landing and Mason Bay; North-West Circuit, Rakiura National Park, Stewart Island, New Zealand: photo by Sarang, 24 December 2004

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

love those roads Tom!!!

TC said...

Sandra,

Let us tread with very soft steps upon those boards, through those lovely spaces, when we get there.

Anonymous said...

thanks...:)

STEPHEN RATCLIFFE said...

Tom,

Beautiful -- who knew New Zealand knew how to do it so well! Brings to mind a couple of tunes -- Under the Boardwalk, These Boards Were Made for Walking (or something like that). Those wire grids on some keep us from slipping on the curves during "the wind and the rain" (if they still get it down there). . .

2.24

first grey light in sky above blackness
of ridge, first bird calling from field
in foreground, wave sounding in channel

however, so that in any way
space is not “curved”

which, instead of the above
expression, preceding

silver of sunlight reflected in channel,
high thin white clouds in pale blue sky

vazambam (Vassilis Zambaras) said...

On "Boardwalking"


Bored with life?
Get off the treadmill

And walk—don’t run—
To paradise.

EKSwitaj said...

And here's one in Kuala Lumpur - http://www.flickr.com/photos/poetry/2667484419/in/set-72157606161879580

Anonymous said...

They're all very beautiful - more beautiful landscapes than they would be without boardwalks, that must be the criterion. God knows how you found them all in New Zealand, your information must come from the NZ side of the family. I've seen pictures of some nice boardwalks in Norway, but I can't remember where; I'll have to ask my associate.

Artur.

Delia Psyche said...

"Undah the boardwalk, we'll be having fun," but much fun can be had above the boardwalk as well.

Hazen said...

The photos put me in mind of Ray Bradbury’s A Sound of Thunder, a story about a time travelling hunter who’s told to stay on the boardwalk during his safari to bag a doomed T. Rex. He doesn’t of course, and inadvertently steps on a butterfly, then returns to find that his present day world (our world) has gone sideways because of his moment of inattention.

TC said...

Artur has sussed the deep inner reliance upon the Associate, here. She remembers many of these milieux from her peripatetic girlhood adventuring, back in another century before the boardwalks had been built. She agrees that it must be so much nicer now, what with the surer footing. (Like Steve, another hardy traveler, she noted the helpful mesh tread on the slippery boards.)

She points out that the locations in photo # 5, and in the bottom shot, Stewart Island, are the most remote among those pictured here -- very far south.

All in all, how wonderfully civilized. People are kept from tramping all over the fauna and flora, and such tangential activities as cited by Hazen (butterfly-bagging) are thus discouraged. No dirt bikes, mopeds, advertising, electric lights, or wireless internet.

In my imagination -- where, that is, all my own (somewhat limited) travels take place -- these scenes invite as might (q. Vassilis) a veritable paradise.

Though to be fair the Full Kiwi Boardwalk Experience of course entails not angel's wings but plenty of clomp, clomp, clomp.

Stage III of the Neverending Boardwalk

Anonymous said...

board walk in Tortel:
http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2008/02/25/plataforma-en-viaje-pasarelas-en-caleta-tortel/

TC said...

Thanks, Sandra.

That is indeed a fine looking boardwalk in Chilean Patagonia!

Issa's Untidy Hut said...

Of course, the former Jersey boy is tempted to defile such loveliness ... but I've learned better behavior and prefer to defer to this delightful anecdote told by Burt Lancaster on another historic bit of boardwalk ...

Reminding me of Bashō's beautiful little poem:

Even in Kyoto -
hearing the cuckoo's cry -
I long for Kyoto

trans by Robert Hass

TC said...

On the Boardwalk


You should have seen the Atlantic Ocean

in the old days

the old man said

Issa's Untidy Hut said...

Yes, Tom, there it is ...

Marie W said...

Those are wonderful pictures, I feel like booking an airplane ticket to Boardwalking NOW! My favourites are the last one and the path that is guarded on only one side. It leaves the adventure up for options. Leaning on the left side or falling on the right side. Or walking straight. I was trying to find out if there were such constructions in Japan, but all I found was this boardwalking. OK, she's walking and it's board. Kinda.

TC said...

The poor dear, has she tripped on a loose board I wonder?