My favorite television show, the Amazing Race, was on tonight and they visited New Zealand for this leg of the race.

As I watched the show intermittently while at work, which is all I really can watch it there, I thought back to the time I spent in this wonderful country just over a year ago now.

Next to Antarctica I would say that New Zealand was the best country I've ever visited. It was absolutely gorgeous, the people were friendly, and it was quite unlike anything I had ever seen before...well, with the exception of Queenstown that is. That really just reminded me of Vail, Colorado.

Really though, the wildlife viewing was spectacular on so many levels. Seeing the yellow-eyed penguins (above), the fur seals and the sperm whales was really something special for me. The same can be said for the nights I spent in the local pubs having dinner and a few pints and being invited by the locals to play some stick with them as if I was an old friend.

The best experience though I had in my short visit on the south island, hands down, was my overnight cruise on Milford Sound in Fiordland National Park.

The scenery was spectacular, my shipmates were extremely friendly, and the accomodations were just what I had hoped for...although I must say I was surprised by the cold weather.

I'm not normally one to get the shivers, or sleep with three comforters on my bed in spring, the time of year I was in New Zealand, but on this cruise it was a necessity. Heck, I was so cold overnight that I even had to leave on my wool socks and throw on a stocking cap.

I wouldn't have complained for anything in the world at this point though because what I was experiencing was truly spectacular.

The high fiords of the national park were absolutely spectacular and something I've dreamed about seeing again in the not-so-distant-future. And while I'm there, I'd like to do the park a bit more justice opposed to just the drive through I was able to give, with one short hike, while I was on my way to Milford Sound for my cruise.

There are a bunch of sounds in the park and tons of trails, including many that take several days to hike, and I'd like to take further advantage of the beautiful scenery.

Although, come to think of it, I think it might be best to do it in the summer this time instead. That way I'll have less of a chance of getting stranded in the park by an avalanche.

That's right, an avalanche.

After we landed and were disembarking we were told an avalanche closed the Homer Tunnel and had filled it up part way with snow.

The tunnel, which is a scary enough drive on its own, needed to be cleared before any traffic could get through. This could take hours, which was something I didn't really care to spare since I had a nearly ten hour drive ahead of me to get up to Christchurch, where I would be spending my last few days abroad.

So, instead of waiting for the all clear at the docks, I headed out in my car. I figured that I'd at least be that much more close to the tunnel when it actually did open, and would be able to be one of the first out then. Thankfully this worked to my advantage since it was cleared by the time I got there and I was able to make Christchurch in what must be a record seven hours.

A few days later, after seeing the seals and whales in Kaikoura and touring the International Antarctic Center (right) right next to my hotel in Christchurch, I was headed back home. But, not without one last surprise...

As I sat at the gate waiting for my flight to Auckland, which would later take me back to the States via Fiji, I ran into two Canadian women I met on the Milford Sound cruise.

On the cruise we became quick friends playing board games, eating together and taking a boat cruise out to look at the wildlife. So when I saw them again I was quite happy for one last parting conversation with my new friends.

Well, they told me that the very next day, they heard on the news, the Homer Tunnel was filled with snow by another avalanche. This one was so big though that it was going to take several days to clean out. And since it happened in the afternoon there were several hundred day cruise tourists stuck in the little town of Milford, with it's one hotel.

The hotel was surely filled up quickly and many of the people probably had to spend the nights on the ships waiting for the word that the tunnel was cleared so they could get out. And with Milford being a little town that turns off the power at 9pm, and not having much in the way of restaurants, I'm sure it had to be a trying stay.

As I thought about this all it reminded me how lucky I've been in my travels. Not only have I been incredibly fortunate to be able to go to all of these places, but not once in all of my travels has it ever rained on me, save for my night on Milford Sound that is...which made it that much more beautiful I believe.

And heck, I even spent a rainless week in Ireland, and that's not something many folks can say.

Anyway, as I said, this made me think of how thankful I've been. I could've had major problems in each one of the trips I've been on, but have only had a few minor glitches in my wonderful times.

And now if they'd only let CBS employees on the Amazing Race...