Hapuku Lodge, Kaikoura New Zealand was built to give guests a great night's sleep in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Hapuku Lodge is located 12kms north of the seaside town of Kaikoura, renowned for its whale watching and marine diversity. Nestled tight between the mountains and the sea, the Lodge shares the land with a deer stud and olive grove. The lodge is well appointed with unique, handcrafted furniture throughout and has six spacious bedrooms, a modern apartment and five luxury tree houses located in the canopy of a native Manuka grove. The Kaikoura is extremely rich in marine life. Enjoy activities such as whale watching, playful dolphin and seal swimming, sea kayaking, Maori Tours or walking. www.hapukuLodge.com

http://waytorussia.net/Baikal/ Way to Russia Guides - Baikal Lake Baikal is a beautiful magnificient lake in the middle of Russia, in Siberia. It's the biggest and the deepest freshwater lake in the world. The blue-clear water, pristine nature, and unique location make it a perfect place for a travel adventure. It is both enjoyable to go on a comfortable tour, and to stay on the shore of the lake in a tent. One feels united with the nature and enlighted. This video film features Olkhon island — one of the main touristic attractions on the lake, as well as the ancient sacred area for local Shamans. Olkhon has a strange feeling to it: the island is quite remote and quiet, empty and impressive. It's great to live on the shore of Baikal ...

Talk of mysteries! — Think of our life in nature, — daily to be shown matter, to come in contact with it — rocks, trees, wind on our cheeks! The solid earth! the actual world! the common sense! Contact! Contact! Who are we? Where are we? -- Henry David Thoreau, The Maine Woods (1848)