CHRIST CHURCH AND BEYOND - IN PICS

Saturday, 27 June 2009 08:59:31 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)      Comments [0]  New Zealand

New Zealand - Christchurch and onwards.....
KIA ORA from AOTEAROA- ‘The Land of the Long White Cloud’. Christchurch Top Ten was very busy and we figured that this was partly due to the nearby airport facility and the fact that it was a weekend...... We went along to the International Antarctic Centre – advertising itself as the “World’s Best Antarctic Attraction....” We had anticipated that this day was going to be a very special for Jemma’s imminent birthday. We took the Antarctic Storm experience where the wind chill sank to -15 degrees C, and a ride in the Hagglund - a genuine Antarctic all-terrain amphibious vehicle. We would describe the centre as a very virtual Antarctica with plenty of information to read ...although it was not really as we had imagined it would be..... The main penguin attraction centred around the ‘Little Blue Penguins’- who – albeit adorable and cute- are not connected to Antarctica at all! When the children went to ask if there were any animals that were actually from the Antarctic –they were told ‘No’ and this was disappointing (apart from a stuffed leopard seal!). Even more so- as all the advertising for this centre promotes the Emperor/King Penguins –and we were looking forward to being able to see these amazing creatures....we guess we’ll have to wait until Auckland to get our ‘big’ penguin fix? Out of the mouths of babes – time 9am - quote – “Has the sun actually come up yet?” We were not having the best of luck with the weather conditions!! Our spirits rose when we arrived into Kaikora, as, even though it was still raining, we were very happy to be able to visit the New Zealand Fur Seal Colony on the Peninsula. The colony was very big and the seals were either sleeping on the rocks and by the side of the road or playing in the waves, just off the shore line! It was great to see nature in action. We had parked the camper very close to the shore line wall and as we watched the wildlife show, the waves began to come over the rocks, as the wind and rain increased...... As we were just deciding that we should move the camper soon (as it would be difficult to explain how it had been swept away!) we found ourselves in another awkward situation. A seal pup had come out of the waves and slithered underneath our camper for some shelter! Not being content with this, the babe had then climbed up the rear axle for a bit of warmth! We were unable to move and as the rain lashed down and the waves swept across, there was soon a flood all around us. It is not easy to convince a seal who is all snug and warm –to PLEASE move! We must have looked a sight- trying to plead with and beckon to the seal babe! Eventually, it agreed with our plan and we were safe to move. We quickly found the Kaikora Top Ten Campground and we even gave ourselves the treat of a cabin for a couple of days. It was a novelty to be able to spread out and helped to dry us all out too! We enjoyed a birthday weekend for Jemma here..... Before heading to Blenheim, we called back into the seals once more and were able to enjoy them in the sunshine this time! We spent some time at Richmond and Nelson before trekking back to Picton. The scenic route between Nelson and Picton was stunning through the windy roads and coastal lakes. We were thrilled to see a couple of albatross as we made the Interislander journey, leaving the South Island behind and returning to the North Island. In Wellington, The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa offered a world-leading, innovative and interactive experience. There were many activity- packed levels to investigate and our experiences included an earthquake simulation, and an enormous colossal squid! There was a marae and plenty of examples and information about the indigenous people, their beliefs, history and culture. The museum has become a National Symbol and is now affectionately known as ‘Our Place’, as it celebrates the very essence of New Zealand and its people. The children enjoyed the many ‘hands- on’ discovery centres and learnt how to weave a bridge, at one of the weekend arts and craft sessions which was held at the museum. Onwards and upwards – we will hope to catch some more of the sights of Wellington when we return towards the end of June. We travelled through the Ashhurst Domain and managed to find the place with the LONGEST name – in the world! Are you ready? – it goes a bit like this – “TAUMATAWHAKATANGIHANGAKOAUAUOTAMATEATURIPUKAAKAPIKIMAUNGAHORONUKUPOKAIWHENUAKITANATAHU” We will give you a helping hand and say that in our estimation that longest name has 85 letters! It is difficult to believe-but this is actually the abbreviated form of ‘ The brow of a hill where Tamatea, the Man with the big knees, who slid, climbed, and swallowed mountains, known as Land Eater, played his flute to his Brother’. We enjoyed our time at Hastings and the first class attention from James and his gang at the Hastings Top Ten Camp Site. We had an interesting visit to the Arataki Honey Visitor Centre at Hawkes Bay, where we took a look into the fascinating world of the honey bee and had a yummy honey tasting session! Afterwards we enjoyed a stroll around the Haumoana Farmyard Zoo and saw a wide variety of animals. Napier was a very interesting place as the area was devastated by an earthquake in 1931. This was a catastrophic quake and measured 7.9 on the Richter Scale. The number of fatalities rose to 258 and the Hawkes Bay Museum provided us with lots more information about this natural disaster. A major rebuilding plan was instigated and the town was re-built. It is now one of the most uniformed Art-Deco style Cities in the world, which helps to create a unique location. From the Bluff Hill lookout, we saw the views over Napier, Hawke Bay and the inner harbour, which has been raised from the seabed by the earthquake. At Morere we had our first experience of relaxing in a natural geothermal hot spring. These were unique hot water springs in the scenic Morere rainforest reserve. In the bush setting, there were several baths, of varying temperatures to choose from. This natural spring water has many minerals that are said to be very good for the skin and general well-being. We stayed at Mahia Beach and then went back to Morere to conquer the rainforest bush walk..... At Gisborne we fitted in a game of crazy golf around our trek to find all the Captain Cook statues and monuments in the city (and also Young Nick, Cook’s cabin boy too!) Check the next update for our news of Whakatane.........in the Bay of Plenty......
Monday, 22 June 2009 10:03:09 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)      Comments [0]  New Zealand

New Zealand - Christchurch and onwards.....
FACTOIDS: • Christchurch is known as ‘The Garden City’ and is a place where Old English elegance and contemporary New Zealand living are entwined. • Christchurch is home to a huge complex built for the administration of the New Zealand, US and Italian Antarctic programmes • In January 1957, the first building of the Scott Base was built. This was the first base built by New Zealand in Antarctica and the New Zealand flag was raised there. • Antarctic Fish which live under the ice (in places such as McMurdo Sound), have very few blood cells so that the blood is very thick and flows better in the cold. The ‘Ice Fish’ is the only known vertebrate to have NO red blood cells. • An Antarctic fish’s body temperature is the same as the water temperature minus 1.9 degrees C. Normally blood freezes at minus 1.1 degrees C, but Antarctic fish have an antifreeze chemical called glycoprotein in their blood. Their kidneys have also been adapted to conserve the antifreeze. • The United Kingdom was one of the twelve nations that initialled the Antarctic Treaty in December 1959. Today, the UK is a Consultative Party to the Treaty with 3 year –round research stations in Antarctica. • The Colossal squid at Te Papa is 4.2 metres long and weighs nearly half a tonne! • For Maori, the marae is a focal point for all groups and their kinship. Here, they can meet to discuss and debate, to celebrate, to welcome the living, and to farewell those who have passed on. There are more than one thousand such places throughout New Zealand. • The Boar War was 1899-1902. It was to be New Zealand’s first war under the British Empire. • 103,000 Kiwis went to the 1st world war. 18,500 died and 50,000 people were injured..... • New Zealand has approximately 70 million Opossums (none of which we have witnessed alive) and it is said that they eat through a staggering 21,000 tonnes of foliage each night. This is creating an ecological nightmare for New Zealand and there are many control operations in progress throughout the country. • Gisborne is the first city in the world to see the sun rise each day. The Maori name for the district is Tairawhiti –which means “The coast upon which the sun shines across the water”. • Gisborne is the first European landing place in New Zealand -Captain Cook sailed into what is now known as Poverty Bay in 1769. • Gisborne also has an infamous lookout at Cook’s Plaza , with a ‘Captain Cook’ statue –only the man in question does not have a British Uniform –nor does he resemble Cook in any way........As the plaque embassasingly reads today “Who is he? – We have no idea! .........” • The Large Region East and North East of Wellington is known as the Wairarapa, named after Lake Wairarapa (shimmering waters), a shallow but vast 8000 hectare lake. This region is a sheep-raising district and it boasts 3 million sheep within a 16 kilometre radius of Masterton (the region’s main town).
Monday, 22 June 2009 10:01:38 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)      Comments [0]  New Zealand

New Zealand - Christchurch and onwards.....
WILDLIFE HITS: • Albatross • Red-Billed Gulls • Pheasant • Dunnocks • Sky Larks • Kingfishers • Song Thrush • Starlings • Canadian Geese • Black-Fronted Terns • Kookaburra
Monday, 22 June 2009 10:00:29 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)      Comments [0]  New Zealand

New Zealand - caught on camera......

Wednesday, 10 June 2009 09:27:30 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)      Comments [0]  New Zealand

NEW ZEALAND -PART 2.........
We were surprised to see and hear the very strong Scottish influence in Invercargill (and around the whole of New Zealand, as we have since discovered), and it was great to see a variety of ‘wee’ kilts being used in school uniforms. The people around this most southerly city in the world appeared to be very friendly and helpful. We had arrived during a wet period (we seem to be making a habit of this!), but we were impressed that we were still able to take a look around the town as the pavements are mainly undercover and there are many small alley’s and shops inside arcades, to help keep dry! It was inside such an arcade (The Cambridge Place Arcade) that Phil found ‘The Tattoo Shop’! Many thanks to Dean (and for Wayne’s help too) for creating the Macswayround Logo as a work of art on Phil’s arm. We are all very pleased with the result as it is a permanent reminder of our travelling, although we are sure that we won’t need too much reminding about our adventures! Jemma and Ben spent some energy at the Chipmunk Play Zone while the master piece was being created. It must be said that Phil had already planned that he would be getting a tattoo on this trip -way back when we were still at home – and what better place than the most southerly city in the world, in a country where tattooing is a part of the traditional culture?! We were all very impressed by the Queens Park in the city, as it was so carefully planned out and maintained to utilise the huge amount of space and to include some excellent attractions for everyone to enjoy. These included an amazing set of aviaries and an animal area, tropical greenhouses, unique gardens, a cafe facility and play areas. The Southland Museum was another enjoyable attraction as it had a variety of exhibits and the children enjoyed another up-close look at the Tuatara. We watched some of a documentary about the life and times of Kiwi Burt Munro who gained many land speed records and saw replicas of some of the machines that he used. Over at E. Hayes and Sons Ltd – a sweet shop for the boys! - Phil was in his element to be able to see ‘the real bike’ that the record was broken on and some more information about it. The Splash Palace resulted in another swimming hit for Jemma and Ben! During this time we stayed at Invercargill Top Ten and would like to thank Diane and Phil for their kindness and hospitality during our extended stay! We had a technical hitch with Kiwi the camper and stayed a wee bit longer until Kiwi was exchanged for ‘Fern’ the camper – affectionately known as ‘Soggy’! At Bluff it was a strange feeling to be at the Lands -End – the most southerly mainland point in New Zealand - before the Antarctic! It has an interesting and unique sign-post that has a variety of worldwide place names and shows the distances to each of them from that point. Unfortunately, the time restraints which we do have on this trip did not allow us to be in Bluff for the annual and world renowned Bluff Oyster Festival at the end of May, although we have been assured by many that it would have been well worth the wait! We got along on our travels and at the Balclutha Motor Park, we were pleased to catch up with Steve and Eileen again (who we first met in Invercargill a few days before!) The TV room had a great selection of toys, books and games and Jemma & Ben were pleased to be able to use a huge bucket of ‘ever faithful’ Lego! Dunedin was our next stop and once again had a strong Scottish heritage link. It was originally named “New Edinburgh”. The Top Ten Camp had a lovely heated and indoor pool that we all took a dunk in! Later in the evening we went along to catch up with my cousin Hazel, who is working very hard at Otago University in the city. It was good to meet all her house mates first, and to then go for a meal with Hazel and her mate, Dave. As a chocoholic (if only a little reformed!) the Cadbury’s World in Dunedin was a bit of a dream come true! The tour gave plenty of choccy prizes for answering questions as we went along and there were even some New Zealand varieties that we were not familiar with and so we HAD to try those, just to be fair! The tour was very informative and fun-filled, with a delicious aroma along the way and a silo full of liquid chocolate pouring down right in front of us! Who could ask for more? Baldwin Street was our next port of call and we had to take the challenge of the STEEPEST Street in the world- now didn’t we?! And we received a certificate for doing so! The street looks very deceptive but is actually at a gradient of 35% (19 degrees or 1:2:86!!) That is STEEP...... and its status is recorded in the Guinness Book of Records! The length of the street is little under 350 metres long but is SO steep that for every 2.86 metres travelled horizontally, the elevation rises by 1 metre! This street obviously attracts many tourists and also has annual events taking place there, including the Cadbury World Jaffa Race – when 10,000 spherical chocolate Jaffa’s are let loose to roll down the hill! Each Jaffa is sponsored and the proceeds all go to charity. Also the Baldwin Street Gut Buster takes place and this involves running up the street and then back down again and the event attracts over 1000 competitors! We met back up with Hazel and Dave in the mid afternoon and went in search of some seals. The Sand-fly Bay had enormous sand dunes covering the coast line and Jemma and Ben loved the descent to the bottom as they raced down the dunes with Hazel! When all of us were at the bottom, Hazel and Jemma went for a quick paddle, just to show they could- but they came out just a tad chilly. We were able to jump across a small trail of water to get a little closer to a lookout hut for the seals and penguins. Unfortunately we didn’t make it that far as within the next few minutes, the weather changed dramatically. A big black cloud descended all around us and the wind picked up pace, blowing sand furiously around us. A bitterly cold chill factor added to the fun and then came the rain! Our leisurely stroll had turned into a life or death situation........as we took shelter behind a sand dune and discussed our options there was no let up in the conditions and it was clear that we needed to get back up to the top before our light started to go. As we battled our way through the wind and sand storm, Jemma and Ben thought the fun was over and we had to cross that tiny river that was now a raging torrent! Hazel and Dave did a good job at getting the children back up to Fern the camper, and getting them warm and dry again. It took longer for Phil and I to get back to Fern, as walking on soft sand is always difficult for Phil, with his damaged leg and a knee and ankle that do not bend. The enormously steep sand - dune and those severe weather conditions made the ascent all the more difficult......... Back at Fern, with everyone all warm and dry again we thought about how this experience will always be remembered and may even be funny one day?! At least we all made it back, safely, of course (just). As Phil sat and warmed up, he remembered “Ice Cold In Alex” where Sir John Mills was climbing a steep sand dune ascent and dreaming of an ice cold beer-very similar to us -although Phil was happy to settle for a wee small dram instead! On our way back to take Hazel home, Dave was sitting in the front of the camper and so Phil asked him if the road was clear at the junction – ‘Yeah – that’s cool mate!’ – Phil showed his age by being SURE that he had asked if the road was clear and not about the temperature – anyway......! The seals would have to wait awhile.......we were also out of luck with the albatross too - as Dunedin boasts the world’s only mainland breeding colony of the Northern Royal Albatross which would have been amazing to see, had the weather conditions been on our side! At Oamaru Phil took his time at a Whisky Barrel house- maybe he was trying to get locked in with the stock of barrels upstairs! There were lovely views across to the Oamaru breakwater from the upstairs rooms and when we saw lots of black and white on the rocks, we thought we were in luck with the penguins. We all raced outside and down to the end of the peer, only to discover that what we had seen were not penguins but some lovely cormorants instead!! Perhaps we’ll book in some eye tests when our trip comes to an end! Whoops! On the way to Timaru we stopped off at Moeraki and took a walk down to the infamous giant spherical boulders (Te Kaihinaki-ancient boulders). These were formed millions of years ago around lime crystals within the surrounding mudstone. Some of the boulders are up to four metres in circumference and are all strewn across the beach. The Mackenzie Basin, deep in the heart of the Mackenzie Country made a beautiful setting for our first dry day in a long time! We enjoyed visiting the ‘wee’ country towns to find out more about the adventures of James Mackenzie and to see memorials and statues. The Church of the Good Shepherd at Lake Tekapo offered an idyllic image, set right at the edge of the lake, with the stunning snow- capped mountains as our backdrop............. We’ll leave you with that image and look forward to catching up next time -as we head for Christchurch......
Saturday, 06 June 2009 09:08:54 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)      Comments [0]  New Zealand

New Zealand - part 2..........
FACTOIDS: • Invercargill is New Zealand’s Southern most city and came into the spotlight as a location for ‘The world’s Fastest Indian’-the film abut Kiwi motorcycle legend Burt Munro. Invercargill has a strong Scottish Heritage and enjoys a reputation for its hospitality. • On his first trip to the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1962, Burt Munro achieved a speed of 179 mph ... and in 1967 Burt claimed the World Record Class S-A 1000cc with an average speed of 183.586 mph (one way 190.07 mph) , and this record still stands to this day! Burt’s achievements are the most remarkable that motorcycling has ever seen and he has created a legend...... • The Southland Museum in Invercargill is designed in a very distinctive pyramid shape. Among other interesting displays, it is home to the largest public display of live Tuatara in the world. Henry, at over 100 years old, is the oldest! • Queens Park is without doubt the grandest of all the Invercargill Parks. It covers 81 hectares (200 acres) and is now the jewel in the crown of the city’s reserves and is widely acclaimed throughout New Zealand. The aviaries were opened in 1998 with generous funding from the Community Trust of Southland. Here members of the public are able to view exotic and native bird species –close up. The park is also home to the rarest waterfowl in the world-the Campbell Island Teal. • BLUFF – Where the journey begins.....is the oldest European town in New Zealand. The Stirling Point International Signpost is at the beginning of State Highway One – at the Lands End of Bluff. • Dunedin was the winner of New Zealand’s most beautiful City Award in 2008. • Dunedin is New Zealand’s largest city- by area and is widely regarded as the best preserved Victorian and Edwardian heritage city in the southern hemisphere. • Dunedin Railway Station is said to be the most photographed building in New Zealand. • Almost one fifth of Dunedin’s population of 123,000 are students. • Internationally acclaimed environmentalist David Bellamy has described the Otago Peninsula (just by Dunedin) as the ‘finest example of eco-tourism in the world’. • Maori legend says that the Moeraki boulders are food baskets that were washed ashore from the wreck of the ancestors’ canoe that made its epic voyage to New Zealand from Hawaiiki. • The sky above the Mackenzie High Country of New Zealand is renowned for its clarity and beauty. • The Church of the Good Shepherd was built in 1935 to the ‘Glory of God’, as a memorial to the pioneers of the Mackenzie Country. • Close to the Church of the Good Shepherd there is a bronze statue of the sheepdog, a tribute to the hardy dogs ‘ without the help of which the grazing of this mountain country would be impossible’. • Lake Tekapo is still fed today from the remnants of ice age glaciers descending from the South Island’s Southern Alps. It is now the start of a massive hydro scheme which carries the water through an extensive system of upland canals and lakes generating electricity many times over on its journey to the Pacific Ocean hundreds of kilometres away. The region is the hydro powerhouse of New Zealand. • Named after James Mackenzie, a 19th century sheep rustler –Mackenzie Country lies in the shadow of Aoraki/Mt Cook and the giants of the Southern Alps. The Mackenzie country is staggering in its scale and grandeur. James Mackenzie and his dog are said to have stolen a mob of sheep from a South Canterbury run-holder in 1855 and driven them over the mountains to the Mackenzie Basin. He was the first known white man to enter the basin. When he was finally caught, other settlers realised the potential of the land and followed in his footsteps. His exploits in evading the authorities (and escaping arrest on a number of occasions!) led to his name being forever associated with the district. • Mount Cook and Mount Tasman are New Zealand’s highest peaks.
Saturday, 06 June 2009 09:07:02 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)      Comments [0]  New Zealand

New Zealand - part 2..........
WILDLIFE HITS: • Chaffinches • Variable Oyster Catchers • Little Pied Shags • Rifleman • Greenfinches • Black Swans • White Fronted Terns • Gannets • New Zealand Fur Seals • Mud Crab • Tui • Wood Pigeon
Saturday, 06 June 2009 09:05:31 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)      Comments [0]  New Zealand

NEW ZEALAND IN PICTURES.....
Tuesday, 02 June 2009 11:06:29 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)      Comments [0]  New Zealand

HEY THERE!
Just checking back in to say that the weather has brightened up and so have our spirits!! Some of our New Zealand photos will follow shortly! THANK-YOU FOR TAKING YOUR TIME TO CHECK BACK ON THE PROGRESS OF MACSWAYROUND!
Tuesday, 02 June 2009 10:55:48 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)      Comments [0]  New Zealand