On a recent 3-day sea kayaking trip along New Zealand's smallest national park, we came across this beach at Mutton Cove. Nobody else was around. We made breakfast and hung out for a while, saw a bloated and very smelly seal taking a nap, then we kept paddling.

The kayaking/camping trip was part of a three-week stay on the North and South islands. I had heard a lot about New Zealand, all of it good. My expectations were exceeded. That place is as close to a natural utopia as I've experienced; a nation that got very lucky with its landscapes.

As for our sea kayaking voyage, aside from the beaches and the wanderers we met, it was highlighted by the fact that we (barely) did not end up capsizing in very rough waters while navigating a 3-kilometer stretch of cliffs.

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