Life in Christchurch

You visit when you stay for a week or two, you live somewhere when you stay almost two months. We can't thank our daughter and son-in-law enough for welcoming us into their life in Christchurch. Even my iPad thought I was living there and was spelling favourite and other words with extra U's. Yes, they speak English but their pronunciation of best and schedule and other words, added with my hearing loss can leave you wondering what the heck they said. 

Driving on the other side of the road is the hardest thing to get use to and is why we don't drive there, instead walking and learning to use their buses. 

It's fun to notice all the other differences. You easily figure out what back by half nine means, that good on you is a compliment and that things are sorted out. The pictures in this album show some of the differences and uniqueness of our life with Tara and Al. We love you Tara and Al and again thank you for sharing your life with us. This end the blog until our next NZ trip.

Beaches and Christmas

Christmas is the beginning of beach time for NZ. A sudden 90 degree F day made it easy to enjoy Corsair Beach. Christmas Eve we shared food and drink with their neighbors. It's traditional for Tara and Al to spend time at a beach on Christmas Day and return home for a barbie, both we did. Camp Beach was beautiful, almost deserted when we arrived and perfect for Al and Tara to catch some waves on their boogie boards. Friends arrived later in the day.

Al had thoughtfully described the trek down a narrow path with a drop off on one side to the beach and asked if we'd like to try it. Finally decided we'd better try it, if we ever make another NZ trip  we might not be able to do it. Low tide allowed an easy alternate route to the beach. Tara and Al helped push, pull and steady me up on the return. I was careful not to look at the drop off to my right.  See all the pictures.

NZ Birds

New Zealand is known for it's many colourful and unique birds. My most convenient birding was in Tara's and Al's backyard and the paths and trees in the reserves right behind their back fence. Other favourite places were the Keruru House bach and the Christchurch Botanical Gardens.

The most fun was the last day we spent in the Botanical Garden when I discovered the Fantail world that existed under a draping tree. Didn't get the best pictures as deep, deep shade (should of tried flash) but my head was spinning as more than one pair fluttered to and fro. I'm sure there were nests in several areas. Frank thought he'd have to drag me away kicking and screaming.

The most unusual birds I photographed were the Black Fantail on our way to Golden Bay in the Abel Tasman area and the Tui at the Keruru House bach. See all the bird pictures. 

Wallaby Wonder

On our return to Christchurch we stopped by the Wallaby Wander for a fun and unique Kiwi experience. The Red Hot Poker flowers there provided an opportunity to capture a pictures of Waxeye birds, also known as Silvereye. See all the pictures.

Oamaru

The cold wet weather didn't prevent us enjoying exploring Oamaru and from seeing the Little Blue Penguins come ashore. The dark sky and late hour made pictures difficult but you can see how small they are compared to the cones. See all the pictures.

Moeraki Boulders and Beach

These unusual large boulders are on a beach south of Christchurch. The broken boulders are as interesting as the large round ones. We stayed where we had a view of the beach and harbour. See all the pictures from our visit to Moeraki. Click here for more info on the boulders.

Steampunk Museum

Tara and Al tried valiantly to explain Steampunk but I'm still not sure I understand. See all the pictures from this museum in Oamaru.

Sumner Beach

We had a walk on Sumner Beach to work off some of the New Year's dinner. It was a low tide with lots of exposed beach with locals harvesting clams. Even saw friends heading to the kiddie splash pool. See all the pictures.

New Year's Eve Mexican Dinner

Tara and Al and their friends celebrate New Year's Eve with a multi-course meal. This year's theme was Mexican and we were each responsible for a couple of dishes. It was fun to see them use Aunt Agnes's China and I was even able to use the old chicken dishes from our family for one of my entries, Mexican Pickled Eggs. See all the pictures.

Boxing Day

Boxing Day meant time for friends to visit and for a walk through the reserve behind Tara's and Al's house to find the ducks and swans. See all the pictures.

Christchurch City Tour

Having too much fun so it's hard to keep up with this blog. We took the double decker tour of the city. Last time we visited a year after the February 2011 earthquake all the Center city was a Red Zone, meaning no one could enter the main city area. Now the majority of Red buildings are down and many new ones are going up. Rebuild will take many more years.  See all the pictures.

Music in NZ

We enjoyed Tara's performance with the Atlas Voices Choir in the newly restored Knox Presbyterian Church. Our Christmas present was VIP tickets to the Sol3 Mio concert in the Waipara Hills Winery near Christchurch. We bundled in layers for the cold but it didn't dampen our enjoyment of food, wine and especially the concert. There were also a performances of Mary Poppins and ones by the Canterbury and NZ Orchestras with carol sing alongs which added to our holiday spirit. It was fun to see Tara's enjoying her friends and life in the Christchurch music community. 

New Zealand Citizens

Tara and Al are now proud New Zealand citizens. It was an impressive ceremony including Maori entertainment and a wizard that also became a citizen. See pictures  from the ceremony.

Willowbank Wildlife Reserve

It was a day for enjoying nature and taking pictures.

Christchurch Sights and Sounds

It's hard to keep up with a blog when you're having fun and there is so much to do. There was lunch out at the Tannery shopping area with another excellent flat white and Frank got a haircut and his new beard trimmed. We enjoyed, another trip on the gondola, something not possible on the last trip due to earthquake, bus to the Re-start Mall and Quake City (the earthquake museum) often observing the ongoing rebuilding of the city. Tara performed with the Atlas Choir at their Christmas concert and sing-along which was a great way to get in the holiday spirit. See all the pictures.

At Home in Christchurch

We stopped for lunch along the Coastal Pacific train route on our journey home. We arrived to find the earthquake street drainage repairs were blocking access to the lane to their house. Frank and Al shoved some fencing enough to drive over the sidewalk to get to the house. I now have a Christchurch library card and we're moving around the city via the buses. See pictures.

WW I Airplane Museum & Airplane Ride

A sedate trip to the World War I Air Museum in Blenheim turned into an exciting and fun airplane ride for Frank and Al. Tara and I enjoyed flat whites (coffees) and kept our feet firmly planted on the ground while they soared the wild blue yonder. See all the pictures.

Heading home to Christchurch

We started the day Heading back to Christchurch by visiting the Pic's Peanut Butter Factory in Nelson for a tour. It all started 7 years ago with a cement mixer with a gas burner added to roast the peanuts. Listen to or read the interesting story. Traveling through a major wine growing so it was only appropriate that we spend the night at a hotel in the middle of an vineyard. See pictures from the day.

Broadgreen Historic House

A rainy day did not dampen our enjoyment as we toured the Broadgreen Historic House and it's beautiful gardens in Nelson and of course lunch and flat whites. See some pictures from the day.

Wilding Pine Project

For Lu who asked for more information about the control of the non-native pines. The boat guide narrative about killing the trees with poison darts might be a tourist version of the reality. Yes they drill holes and poison trees but could not find anything about using darts. The workers wading ashore at the beach were going in to service the predators traps. See more information on the project.

Abel Tasman Park

The park is known for its popular costal track. The water taxis are a great way to see the beautiful beaches and to reach different sections of the costal track to start a hike. We all rode the Sea Shuttle together to Awaroa then enjoyed coffee at the lodge before Tara and Al set out to hike the track back to Tonga Quarry.

We walked around the Awaroa Lodge grounds and enjoyed a leisure lunch before reboarding for our return trip. Tara and Al reboarded later on the return from another beach. Check out pictures from our day of beautiful beaches, perfect weather and calm seas.

Golden Bay via 16 One-Way Bridges

We curved our way up and down the mountains across 16 one-way bridges and stopped to explore Hawkes Overlook and crystal clear springs and lake. Our destination was Golden Bay. The tides and time didn't allow us to go on tour out onto the Spit. I chased Fantails trying to get one in perfect focus, not an easy goal. We even saw the black morph Fantails. See pictures from our day to Golden Bay.

Two days of Nelson NZ Fun

Our first day in Nelson we visited the museums of wearable art and antique cars, a unique combination in one museum complex. Next day was the Nelson market for yummy food and condiments then on to Brook Waimarama Sanctuary where a Weka joined us on the path. The sanctuary is creating a special predator free area by trapping and installing special fencing to keep out rats, possums, stoats, cats and other bird predators. See other pictures.

Kereru House Bach

You book a vacation bach online thinking the place can't possible be as nice as the description and pictures but the Kereru House is! Check out these picture and this album of bird and flowers from our stay. I'll post more pictures to these albums during the rest of our stay.

Warm Weather and a Wobble

The day started with warm weather and a wobble. Frank sitting inside while we enjoyed our coffee on the deck felt it. Only a weak one which we did not notice on the deck.