Sad to say goodbye to our New Zealand Christmas 2012 family,
but we will be back. We were on the road, our first stop was the International
Antarctic Centre in Christchurch. Outside the centre you could see the Hercules
that flies to Antarctica, next to the US Antarctic Programme base. I was in
heaven. The first room in the centre focuses on four seasons, and even snows
while you are there. We had an audio guide, but really we didn’t need it, the
centre is very interactive. We then went into the snow room, with real snow, an
igloo, an ice slide…at -8. You are given overshoes and a coat to go in. Thank
goodness, I was wearing a dress, leggings ad sandals! Further around, we saw
the blue penguins have their breakfast, then it was time for a storm in the
snow room. While Ali sat outside, I was blasted by a storm and -25 degree wind-chill.
I couldn’t feel my face. It was interesting that at the start, people were
moving, but as the temperature plummeted, we all acting as penguins, just stood
there.
Lunch with Vica (LM), the 4th university of hers
I’ve visited her at. Cardiff, Houston, Szeged and now Christchurch. I wonder
where is next. We had a gorgeous vegan dinner of sloppy joes, with walnut
macaroons. We walked in the garden, LM touched a bird on the bird bath, which
then fell into the bird bath which shook us to fits of laughter.
We drove to Akaroa, although I can’t tell you what it was
like because I woke up when we arrived. I’m such a devoted map reader. We
arrived at ‘Room with a view’ and met our host Rosemary, a lovely lady who gave
us tea and Christmas cake on the verrandah. No keys, all doors are just left
open. We took a wander to the wharf and the bay, luckily walking past a bust of
Worsley from Shackleton’s infamous trip. Akaroa was founded originally by the
French, but then the English caught wind of this, and planted their flag in
akaroa, so it has a mixture of French and English, with flags flying, Rue Jolie
etc.
The evening trip was paid for by Sally, Olivia, Caitlin,
Grandad, Norma, Shane and John. We were picked up in the bus and went vertical up
the hill to Flea Bay. On route, April, our guide spotted ‘Baba’, a pet black
sheep of her Aunty and Uncles, so in the van he went and we took him on our
journey. Our trip was to see white flippered penguins. We saw some in rehab,
some were blind, some injured. The farmers have 300 penguin hides with their
chicks around their farm. We walked from hide to hide in our camouflage
gear. The penguins are currently
malting, which meant many were out to see, but we still got to see many of the
chicks, and saw some on the water from the hide. Apparently, Little penguins
are the smallest in the world.
A full moon and a gorgeous sunset were on our way back to
the B&B, what a day.
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