Leaving the South Island

2015-03-23

Our last few hours on the South Island had us driving back to Picton to catch the ferry. There are a couple of things to do in Picton for those awaiting ferry transport. I had a look at the hulk of an old sailing vessel that brought settlers to New Zealand while Laura and the kids went to the small Picton aquarium.

What's left of the Edwin Fox

In the hold

Three months in these bunks puts flying coach into perspective

More Little Blues

We took the same boat, the Kaitaki, across the Cook Strait, but we didn't get a cabin for the return leg. Our three hour boat ride was followed by a three hour drive back to our home in Hawera.

Goodbye to Kaitaki

It was a fantastic trip. We drove about 4000 kilometers and saw glaciers, lakes, coastlines, waterfalls, museums and roses. We took boat rides, paraglided, hiked and did many more things that will give us memories for a lifetime.

Blenheim and Kaikoura

2015-03-22

When we were on the Speight's tour, we met some fellow Americans from DC. A few days earlier, they had taken boat out from Kaikoura to swim with the wild dolphins. Laura was excited about the possibility, so she and Jack drove back south from Blenheim to Kaikoura to give it a shot.

Clever seagull on a post photo

Seals in the carpark

Steven and I remained in Blenheim to take in the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre. The centre is a museum funded by Peter Jackson to display his collection of restored and re-manufactured WWI aircraft. Steven and I went almost as an afterthought, but it is really a great museum. Jackson owns many artifacts from the era including some from the Arizona Balloon Buster, Frank Luke and Eddie Rickenbacker. Besides the typical airplane and interpretive plaque, Jackson's team has constructed several dioramas showing the aircraft in action. I get the feeling that Jackson built models as a kid.

Fake Stuka

Note the different scales of the models

Not a particularly comfortable cockpit

Realism is important to Jackson

Rickenbacker's flight suit

Story of Grid's escape

Grid about to jump

Another great diorama

Max Immelmann letter

Insignia from von Richtofen's Fokker

Depiction of von Richtofen's crash

Peter Jackson's model airplane line

Meanwhile in Kaikoura, Laura and Jack didn't make it into the boat. The first trip of the morning met with rough seas and no dolphins, so the company canceled Laura's trip. So much the better. She was up most of the night worrying about the cold water. On the way home, they were able to see some seals up close at a roadside park.

Christchurch to Blenheim

2015-03-21

We closed up shop in Christchurch on Saturday and took a quick trip to Hagley park to take in the botanical and rose gardens. The Kiwis and English are serious about their flowers. Each city park we've been to in New Zealand has been immaculate. It was a beautiful morning in Chch and there were many young families and others enjoying the park.

Our Chch digs

Feeding the ducks

Hagley, one of the many nice parks in New Zealand

Paradise ducks, female has the white head

One of many flower photos

Laura in her element

Our Saturday drive took us up the east coast of the south island to our last destination city, Blenheim. It was a little sad to have most of our trip south behind us.

Earthquake Damage and Carving Bone

2015-03-20

Friday, our second day in Christchurch, was partially spent washing clothes. Our rented flat had a combination washer/dryer that had a single tub for both functions. I don't recommend you purchase one of these. It was really, really slow.

We drove around the city this morning to view the reconstruction efforts after the earthquakes of 2010/2011. Our tour book was published before the quakes and many of the recommended sights have been badly damaged. In particular, the city cathedral took a hard hit and will probably be torn down.

Christchurch clock tower

The cathedral was badly damaged in the quakes

Ongoing (re)construction in Christchurch

Shadow of a former building

The kiddos were sick of driving around and were in need of some outside time, so we took in a small zoo called Willowbank. They have a handful of Kiwis and we got to see several of them up close. Kiwis are nocturnal, so their enclosures are always dark and photos are difficult.

Beneath the surface are black eels

Steven likes feeding the animals

One of our favorite NZ birds, the Pukeko

Kunekune begging for food

Our afternoon was spent with John, the Bone Dude. John is a really pleasant Maori fellow who lost his downtown shop in the earthquakes. He has set up shop behind his house and we had a great three hours talking with John and working on necklaces. Laura and both the kids made carvings while I floated around helping those in need.

Lunch before carving

The Bone Dude's studio

Working hard

John and the finished products

As you may or may not know, I've made the switch to a vegan diet, primarily for health reasons. I've been taking a daily statin for more than ten years to control my cholesterol. After three months of no meat and no dairy, my blood chemistry numbers are all smack in the middle of the normal range. Funny how that works. I'm an apolitical vegan, however. I still have my leather belt and shoes.

Our dinner for the evening was at a vegetarian restaurant called the Lotus Heart. Laura and I have always marveled at the interesting people we see in Indian restaurants. Vegan joints take that phenomenon to another level. The food was wonderful despite the slightly mystic atmosphere.

Steven isn't so sure about Lotus Heart

Christchurch

2015-03-19

Thursday was our first day in Christchurch. Chch is the base for several of the Antarctic scientific organizations, including the US NSF and there is an interpretive center on site. There we learned that 'arctic' means bear, so Antarctic means 'no bears'. Jack and I went in the cold room and experienced a five minute Antarctic storm. (It wasn't really that cold). And Jack is particularly proud that he kept his hand immersed in ice water for a minute.

In the cold room

Jack trying out the snowmobile

A U.S presence

Laura's favorite animal in New Zealand is the Blue Penguin. They are cute little birds and they had about 15 birds at the Antarctic center.

Little Blues

Little Blue getting a fish

After the center, we went over to the former Wigram Air Force Base to the RNZAF Museum. It's a nice museum and Steven and I took a guided tour through their behind-the-scenes collection while Laura and Jack went back to the Antarctic center for the penguin feeding.

Our docent gave us some interesting information about Wigram and the museum. Driving up to the museum, we thought it odd that it was situated in the middle of a housing subdivision. The docent informed us that Wigram is mostly decommissioned and the local Iwi (Maori tribe) had purchased the land and was parceling it out for housing. Whenever the NZ government disposes of land, they are obligated, by treaty, to give the local Iwi the first chance at purchasing the property.

Outside the RNZAF Museum

Last of the RNZAF fast movers

Forward fuselage of the Vampire is plywood

Not much left of the Vildebeest

Lyell, our friendly docent

Jack taking some shots from the turret

The fellow the base was named after, Wigram, deeded the original footprint of the base to the government in perpetuity. The remainder of the base was purchased later. The government was able to sell the portion they had purchased, but they are essentially stuck with the property deeded to them by Wigram and that small piece of property is where the museum and it's outlying buildings are situated.
RNZAF retired their last combat aircraft, the A-4, in 2000. They are now a small force of around 3000 people with T-6s, helicopters and C-130s.