Te Toroa: the wandering albatross

Petrol Surpasses Yet Another Milestone

2008-06-13T07:53:00.003+12:00

91 octane petrol rose another NZ$0.12 to a new high of NZ$2.129/litre.

NZ$2.129/litre = NZ$8.059/gallon (US).

This marks the first time the price of petrol has exceeded NZ$8.00 per gallon (US).

I filled up the Echo yesterday (34.15L) for NZ$70.67 - the first time a full tank of petrol cost over NZ$70.00.

Petrol Passes NZ$2.00 Per Litre

2008-05-23T06:28:00.002+12:00

Petrol rose yesterday NZ$0.04 to NZ$2.009 per litre for 91 octane. This is the first time petrol has surpassed the $2.00/litre mark.

NZ$2.009/litre = NZ$7.60/US gallon

Petrol Rises NZ$0.03 To NZ$1.969/Liter

2008-05-20T07:19:00.003+12:00

= NZ$7.45/US gallon for 91 octane, the lowest octane fuel available in NZ.

The good is I don't have to buy petrol for another week; the bad is petrol will be more expensive by then (:

Petrol Up NZ$0.05/Litre To NZ$1.939/Litre

2008-05-17T07:22:00.004+12:00

I put a full tank of petrol in the car yesterday, 35.43 litres, at a cost of NZ$68.70. That's NZ$7.34/US gallon for 91 octane, the lowest octane fuel available in New Zealand.

The Cheesecake

2008-04-25T17:59:00.042+12:00

A couple of weeks ago an email was sent around the office offering some cheesecake for anyone who wanted to eat it. This cheesecake, we were told, came courtesy of Tim, founder and director of Dial-A-Chef, located right here in Christchurch.

The only condition for eating the cheesecake, we were told, was that we should send an email back to Tim at Dial-A-Chef and thank him for the cheesecake and let him know what we thought of it.

Cheesecake certainly ranks as one of my favorite desserts and I have found only a few cheesecakes made here in New Zealand which I feel are worthy of a second tasting, so I felt obliged to taste this cheesecake and offer my honest opinion.

My critique follows in a bit, but first I need to give a wee bit of background information.

I should mention that I am not a professionally trained chef; nevertheless, I have been cursed with a discerning palate.

Historically, New Zealand food has its roots in mostly bland English cooking (It's not that all English food is bad - there is actually some great English food to be had, just not typically in NZ.) Having said that, restaurants in New Zealand have come a long way within the last decade.

I believe there is a heap of potential for great food to be had here in New Zealand - if only Kiwis would speak up and demand that chefs cook quality food - especially considering the high cost of a typical restaurant meal.

Changing what chefs cook in the kitchen may take some time - perhaps because many Kiwis have grown used to the bland English "comfort" foods they grew up with and just expect the same when dining out.

Since moving here to NZ I have dined at several great restaurants and have been told by several chefs that in order to improve the quality of the food served, we need to demand that chefs cook better food.

In light of this, I wrote to Tim at Dial-A-Chef in regards to his passion fruit cheesecake with chocolate crust:

Tim from Dial-A-Chef,

Thanks for the cheesecake which you sent over to XXXXX XXXXX at XXXXXXX on 08/04/2008. I ate a piece the day it was brought over and am only just now responding.

I would like to give you an evaluation of this cheesecake, as I am an avid baker and thoroughly enjoy a good cheesecake.

- The passion fruit topping reminded me of a piece of plastic - much too much gelatin. You could easily lift off the entire topping in one rubbery layer. If you are set on serving a passion fruit topping, it would perhaps be better as a [coulis] or simply as fresh slices.

[editor: I must confess I confused passion fruit with star fruit; however, it wasn't the fruit itself that was the issue, it was the presentation]

I much prefer not to have too much of a topping on a cheesecake as it detracts from the rest of the cheesecake. A small amount of [coulis] or even a thin layer of sweetened sour cream suits a cheesecake admirably.

- The chocolate crust - really more of a lolly - was out of place on a cheesecake. A crust such as this (with lollies and coconut) definitely detracts from the creamy richness the cheese filling has to offer.

I would recommend a more formal crumb crust - either plain buttered crumbs or chocolate crumbs, or even a nice sweet pastry rather than a lolly concoction.

- The filling - while better than the average Kiwi cheesecake filling of the gelatinous, no bake variety - while smooth and creamy, nevertheless lacked any real depth of flavour or expected richness.

A much better cheesecake filling would be made with fresh ricotta and mascarpone with the zest from one lemon and one lime.

Thanks,
steven

I then graciously received a reply from Tim:

HI STEVEN

Lets just say that you should keep your job at XXXXXXX, you would only last minutes in my kitchen, if you are the cheese cake king I think you need to make one not just talk about it. Never have I had an email about food some one has eaten for free!!!

TIM

The only way to improve the quality of the food served at restaurants is to demand that chefs prepare quality food.

So, Tim from Dial-A-Chef, I am happy to offer you a recipe for a decent cheesecake. This great recipe is courtesy of Stephanie Jaworski by way of Joyofbaking.com.

The recipe is for a New York style cheesecake - with a sour cream topping; but, I much prefer to substitute ricotta for the cream cheese, and substitute mascarpone for the heavy whipping cream, as in an Italian style cheesecake.

New York Style Cheesecake Recipe

Grease, or spray with Pam, a 9 inch (23 cm) springform pan. Place the springform pan on a larger baking pan to catch any leakage while the cheesecake is baking. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) with rack in center of oven.

For Crust:

In a medium sized bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and about 1 inch (2.54 cm) up the sides of the springform pan. Cover and refrigerate while you make the filling.

For Filling:

In bowl of your electric mixer place the cream cheese, sugar, and flour. Beat on medium speed until smooth (about 2 minutes), scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well (about 30 seconds) after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the whipping cream, lemon zest, vanilla extract and beat until incorporated. Remove the crust from the refrigerator and pour in the filling. Place the cheesecake pan on a larger baking pan and place in the oven.

Bake for 15 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C) and continue to bake for about another 1 1/2 hours or until firm and only the center of the cheesecake looks a little wet and wobbly. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the sour cream, sugar, and vanilla extract. Spread the topping over the warm cheesecake and return to oven to bake for about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully run a knife or spatula around the inside edge of pan to loosen the cheesecake (helps prevent the surface from cracking as it cools).

Let cool before covering with plastic wrap and refrigerating. This cheesecake tastes best after being refrigerated for at least a day.

Serve with fresh fruit or fruit sauces.

Makes one - 9 inch (23 cm) cheesecake.

To freeze: Place the cooled cheesecake on a baking pan and freeze, uncovered, until firm. Remove the cheesecake from the freezer, wrap it in heavy duty aluminum foil and place in a freezer bag. Seal and return to freezer. Can be frozen for several months. Thaw uncovered cheesecake in the refrigerator overnight.

Crust:

2 cups (190 grams) of graham wafer crumbs or finely crushed vanilla wafers or gingersnaps (process whole cookies in a food processor until they are crumbs)

[editor: Graham crackers are not available in New Zealand; however, I have found one box of McVitie's (The Original) Digestives crumbs work quite nicely.]

1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar

1/2 cup (114 grams) unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

32 ounces (1 kg) (4 - 8 ounces packages) cream cheese, room temperature (use full fat, not reduced or fat free cream cheese)

[editor: I substituted fresh ricotta for the cream cheese, as I find the ricotta provides a much richer flavor.]

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar

3 tablespoons (40 grams) all purpose flour

5 large eggs, room temperature

1/3 cup (80 ml) heavy whipping cream

[editor: I substituted mascarpone for heavy whipping cream.]

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Topping:

1 cup sour cream (not low fat or fat free)

2 tablespoons (30 grams) granulated white sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Tips: Sometimes the surface of the cheesecake cracks. To help prevent this from happening do not overbeat the batter, especially when creaming the cheese and sugar.

Another reason for cracking is overbaking the cheesecake. Your cheesecake is done when it is firm but the middle may still look a little wet.

Also, make sure the springform pan is well greased as cracking can occur if the cheesecake sticks to the sides as it cools.

This is a great cheesecake. I hope you enjoy it.

Cheers,
steven

ANZAC Day

2008-04-25T17:48:00.003+12:00

A day for rememberance.

Another Increase In Petrol

2008-04-23T06:29:00.002+12:00

Last night we had another increase in the cost of petrol to NZ$1.89/liter (NZ$7.19 per US gallon) for 91 octane.

The Cost Of Petrol Went Up, Again

2008-04-20T07:32:00.002+12:00

Here is Christchurch petrol (gasoline) is now NZ$1.859/liter (NZ$7.09 per US gallon) for 91 octane, the lowest grade unleaded available in New Zealand. I just filled up our little Toyota Echo - 34.61 liters (a bit over nine US gallons) - for NZ$64.34.

Ouch!

I am glad we have an economical car. Our Toyota Echo consistently achieves 5.8 liters/100 km (roughly 40 miles per US gallon.) I can usually drive around 550 km (340 miles) on one tank of petrol and fill up about once every two weeks.

Happy Motoring,
steven

The Washing Machine Repairman Came Today

2008-04-09T16:27:00.006+12:00

A few days ago our washing machine stuffed itself.

This afternoon the repairman came out from Noel's Appliance World to look at our machine.

He looked at the washing machine and concluded, "The timer is stuffed."

He said, "These particular machines (Whirlpool Front Loaders) are known for their particularly bad timers."

He did not have the part with him, informed me he would have the office look up the part, and charged me $70.00 for the visit.

"There may also be other problems; but", he said, "It looks like it is probably the timer that's causing the problems."

I asked him, "How much do you think a replacement timer would cost?"

He estimated, "Somewhere between $170-250, not including labor (another $35)."

He said, "We would not charge an additional $70.00 callout fee for the second visit."

I said," It doesn't sound like it's worth it to fix this machine."

"If it costs anything over $200 total, you would be better off buying a new machine," he suggested.

I asked him, "how old is the machine?"

He looked at the serial number and figured it was made in 1994.

I said, "In that case we paid too much for it as a used washing machine at $600."

"Yep" was his reply.

The repair shop just called to give me a quote for what it would cost to buy and install the part.

She said, "$430.00."

I just laughed.

She said, "You shouldn't laugh like that."

I said, "That must be about 1/3 the original price of the new machine."

And laughed.

She asked me, "Would you like to go ahead and repair the machine?"

I just laughed.

And laughed.

And said, "No, thank you."

Cheers,
steven

Taking a short break

2008-01-28T12:03:00.000+13:00

I am taking the week off in between jobs. Friday was my last day at NIWA and Monday I'll be starting at Alchemy Group Ltd. I will be miss all my coworkers at NIWA, and being in the thick of scientific research, but I was overdue for a change. Alchemy is a small java development shop and I am looking forward to learning all sort of new cutting edge technology.

A bird in the bush

2008-01-28T10:49:00.001+13:00

I must admit, I miss the mammals. Not that I ever wanted to come face to face with a bear or a cougar - seeing their tracks was enough for me - but it was kind of nice to know they were out there. But here in New Zealand the only mammals around are introduced ones, and most of them as now considered to be pests as they decimated the native bird population. So I've gotten into birds. Lately, it seems like our yard has been attracting a bellbird, amongst one of New Zealand's favorite native birds.

Bellbird (korimako)

Actually, I think it was here last year too, but I only heard it once and I was not exactly sure. This is really a cool thing, as these birds are not very common in urban areas. Perhaps my slashing and hacking in an effort to go native is working? Nah, wishful thinking ... for now.

Fantail (piwakawaka)

Another all time favorite is the fantail. We had quite a few in the spring and I'd swear one came to check out the young kowhai tree I recently planted in the front yard.

Starling

Other more common visitors to our garden are starlings (introduced), gray warblers (endemic), goldfinches (introduced) and blackbirds (introduced). Blackbirds have nested on our porch for two springs in a row now.

Gray warbler (riroriro)

In the Heathcote estuary we have all sorts of marine birds, and I could have sworn I even saw a kingfisher while hiking up the Bridle Path a while back. I still can't get used to seeing ducks in sea water, shags (cormorants) perching on trees in Hagley Park and seagulls in alpine lakes. I am trying to get Steven to buy some good bird watching binoculars :-)

Goldfinch

A fledgling Kiwi

2008-01-13T13:12:00.000+13:00

After what seemed an interminable wait Steven has finally received his permanent residency visa. He also gets a return resident visa for multiple re-entries. That's good for 2 years after which he will probably get an indefinite. The nice thing is that now he can vote, qualifies for low student fees, subsidized SAR (search and rescue) advanced courses and all sorts of other neat benefits only available to residents. He's going to sign up for a beginner Italian language course at the local technical institute. Expect some interesting postings :-)

A Pukeko in a Ponga Tree

2007-12-25T14:28:00.000+13:00

Well, here in New Zealand Summer has just come into full swing... BBQ's, long sunny days, Christmas at the beach... I just discovered a Maori version of the traditional "Twelve Days of Christmas" and Gaby thought it would be a good idea to share it with you.

The Maori version of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is called "A Pukeko in a Ponga Tree." Here’s the annotated version of "A Pukeko in a Ponga Tree." The Moari definitions are provided at the end of the song.

A Pukeko in a Ponga Tree
(Sing to the tune of The 12 Days of Christmas)

On the first day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
A pukeko in a ponga tree

On the second day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Two kumera
And a pukeko in a ponga tree

On the third day of Christmas…

and so on, until…

On the twelfth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Twelve piupius swinging
Eleven haka lessons
Ten juicy fish heads
Nine sacks of pipis
Eight plants of puha
Seven eels a swimming
Six pois a twirling
Five – big – fat – pigs!
Four huhu grubs
Three flax kits
Two kumera
And a pukeko in a ponga tree!

Just in case your Maori is a bit rusty... These definitions come from the New Zealand Oxford Dictionary (however, the educational links are mine :-).

Pukeko = A hen-sized tail-flicking rail, Porphyrio porphyrio, with black and purple plumage and red bill, common throughout New Zealand and found as well in Australia and elsewhere (also called swamp-hen, and this is its usual name overseas.)

Ponga Tree = A New Zealand tree fern, Cyathea dealbata, having fronds with silvery white undersides (also called silver fern, silver tree fern.)

Kumara (also Kumera) = The Polynesian sweet potato. Here's a link to the website for the Kaipara Kumara brand of kumara.

Piupiu (Piuspius in the song, but there is no "s" in Maori) = A traditional Maori skirt (think hula skirt) made of dried flax leaves attached to a waist-band. Piupiu are worn by Maori men and women for traditional ceremonies and dances.

Haka = A traditional warlike Maori posture dance accompanied by dancing.

Pipi (Pipis in the song; however, there is no "s" in Maori) = Any of several edible molluscs, especially the smooth shelled cockle Paphies australis.

Puha = A sowthistle of the genus Sonchus cooked as a vegetable, especially by Maori (also called Maori cabbage, rauriki.)

Poi (Pois in the song) = A small light ball on a long or short string (long poi, short poi) swung and twirled rythmically in Maori songs and dances.

Huhu = The edible larva of a flying beetle, Prionoplus reticularis, found in decayed wood. Some folks have described their flavor as tasting like buttery chicken.

Thumbputation

2007-05-20T15:10:00.000+12:00

Warning - the contents of this post may be a bit graphic for some people.

So, this morning I was chopping wood for kindling. Somehow I managed to place my thumb between the wood and the axe - so, off to the 24 hour clinic we went.

The doctor commented on how sharp the axe was - it easily and cleanly cleaved through my thumbnail and most of the tip of my thumb. The doctor described the laceration as a "partial amputation." I thought "thumbputation" would be more appropriate. I watched curiously as the doctor poked repeatedly around my thumb, injected drugs to numb the pain, then searched for a large, curved stitching needle and thread. My thumb swelled and blood oozed from the multiple injections, but I was thankful for the quickening numbness. The doctor deftly pushed the needle into the side of my thumb and out through the detatched bit at the end, tying off with what appeared to be a double overhand knot. I mentioned to the doctor this was my first experience with stitches, to which he responded, "Congratulations!" I then mentioned I didn't think I would need a repeat.

When the doctor left a nurse then came by and finished up by cleaning and bandaging my thumb. So, now I need only wait 10 days before I can remove my stitch!

22 May Update: This morning I changed the bandages and thought I would include an image of my thumb. WARNING: This is a graphic image.

Castle Rock

2007-05-13T15:42:00.000+12:00

Last Friday morning a bit of sunlight broke through the cloud cover and illuminated Castle Rock. This is a high dynamic range (HDR) image captured from our driveway. The image was bracketed (-2EV, 0EV, +2 EV) and processed using Photomatix Pro.

"I'm A Vegetarian"

2007-04-28T08:40:00.000+12:00

Ya-Ya: House of Excellent Tea
(from Ya-Ya's website)
I should begin by mentioning that I always seem to attract these sorts of people.

I occasionally help our good friend Diane at Ya-Ya House of Excellant Tea. In addition to selling and serving a good selection of high quality teas from all around the world, Ya-Ya's has a well designed Zen Garden located in front of the teahouse.

I should also mention that for some reason people just cannot seem to resist walking through or writing in or generally molesting the manicured gravel and sand of the Zen Garden.

Last Thursday I noticed a man taking pictures of the Zen garden located in front of Ya-Ya's.

Ya-Ya's Zen Garden
(also from Ya-Ya's website)

I watched this man for a bit and privately mused about how much time would pass before this man too would disturb the Zen Garden. Sure enough, not two minutes passed before he walked over to the garden, reached down, and grabbed a handful of the pristine white sand.

I was moved by the situation and decided to take immediate action: surely some form of penitance (or Karma, in this case :-) was on order. I walked outside and kindly suggested that perhaps he would enjoy the Zen Garden more with a cup of tea in his hands.

I certainly did not expect his response to my suggestion. He said, "I have never drunk tea or coffee: I'm a vegetarian."

The man's response seemed to be such a non-sequitor I was left speechless. I was born and raised in Southern California and the concept of vegetarianism is not entirely foreign to me.

I realize vegetarians generally do not eat meat; however, I am not aware of any vegetarian restrictions on caffeine, but I could certainly be in the wrong. I did perform a cursory search in regards to vegetarianism excluding the intake of caffeine, but did not find anything which supports the man's assertion that he does not drink tea or coffee because he is a vegetarian - It was a new one on me.

Scary Face

2007-04-27T13:13:00.000+12:00

Just One Of The Guys

The Tamaki Brothers, who operate the Maori Village and Realm of Tane Maori cultural experiences around Rotorua in the North Island, have developed their newest cultural attraction right here in our own backyard - Tamaki Heritage Experiences - adjacent to Ferrymead Heritage Park.

Yesterday the Tamaki Brothers were in Cathedral Square here in Christchurch to shoot some video and help advertise Tamaki Heritage Experiences. As part of the shoot, two Maori war parties clashed with one another while a group of concerned Pakeha (Maori for non-Maori, European, Caucasion) huddled in fear and intrepedation.

Maori Warior

After the shoot was completed, the cast handed out pamphlets about the new attraction to curious onlookers. I couldn't resist a photograph of me taken with two of the Maori warriors. As I posed for the photo one of the fierce looking wariors kindly asked me to put on my "scary face" for the camera.

Gaby and I have reservations for this Sunday evening for one of the first public performances at Tamaki Heritage Experiences! Tamaki Heritage Experiences focuses on the first meetings between the Maori and Pakeha and the impact of Pakeha upon the Maori way of life. The experience includes a reconstructed example of a Pa (Maori fortified village), live performances, and a hangi (traditional Maori meal cooked in an "earth oven").

ANZAC Day

2007-04-25T08:11:00.000+12:00

"They shall not grow old as they that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn:
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them."

-The Fourth Stanza of Lawrence Binyon's poem For the Fallen, also referred to as the Ode of Remembrance.

Anzac Day Dawn Parade held at the War Memorial on the Bridal Path Road, Heathcote Valley

Why Wear A Poppy?
by Don Crawford

"Please wear a Poppy" the Lady said
And held one forth, but I shook my head
Then I stopped and watched to see how she'd fare
Her face was old and lined with care
But beneath the scars the years had made
There remained a smile that refused to fade.

A boy came whistling down the street
Bouncing along on carefree feet
His smile was full of joy and fun
"Lady" he said, "may I have one?"

As she pinned it on I heard him say
"Why do we wear a Poppy today?"

The lady smiled in her wistful way
And answered "This is ANZAC Day
The Poppy there is a symbol for
The gallant men who died in war
And because they did, you and I are free
That's why we wear a Poppy you see.

I had a boy about your size
With golden hair and big blue eyes
He loved to play, and jump and shout
Free as a bird he would race about
As years went on he learned and grew
And became a man, as you will too.

He was fine and strong with a boyish smile
But he seemed with us such a little while
When war broke out he went away
I still remember his face that day
When he smiled at me and said 'Goodbye
I'll be back soon so please don't cry.'

But the War went on and he had to stay
All I could do was wait and pray
His letters told of the awful flight
I can see it still in my dreams at night
With tanks and guns and cruel barbed wire
And mines and bullets, and bombs and fire.

Till at last the War was won
And that's why we wear a poppy my son"
The small boy turned as if to go
Then said "Thanks Lady, I'm glad I know"
That did sound like an awful fight
But your son, did he come alright?

A tear rolled down each faded cheek
She shook her head and didn't speak
I slunk away, head bowed in shame
And if you were with me, you'd have done the same
For our thanks in giving, is oft delayed
Though the freedom was bought, and thousands paid.

And so you see when a poppy is worn
Let us relfect on the burden borne
By those who gave their very all
When asked to answer their country's call
That we at home in peace may live
Then wear a poppy, remember and give.

Cenotaph Party

Dedicated to those from Heathcote Valley who died in the service of their country: You are not forgotten.

Menacing Mantis

2007-04-10T14:39:00.000+12:00

I found this praying mantis crawling around on the front porch this afternoon. It seems rather large at roughly 6cm in length. I have seen quite a few of these around the house (both inside and outside) and couldn't resist taking a picture of such an awesome insect.

New Zealand praying mantis - Orthodera novaezealandiae

Note the distinctive bright blue patches visible on the inside of the raptorial fore legs. Also, though a bit difficult to see in these images, the pronotum is the same width as the head. These characteristics seem to be evident in the native New Zealand praying mantis, Orthodera novaezealandiae.

Orthodera novaezealandiae

Appearently, there are only two species of mantis in New Zealand: the native Orthodera novaezealandiae and a recently introduced (ca. 1978) Springbok Mantis or South African mantis, Miomantis caffra. According to Landcare Research, Orthodera novaezealandiae occurs only in New Zealand.

According to Landcare Research, the invasive, introduced South African mantis, Miomantis caffra, which mainly occurs in the North Island, continues to spread across the country as shown here (PDF 899KB). According to An Illustrated Guide to some New Zealand Insect Families, by Elizabeth A. Grant (ISBN 0-478-09326-8), "the pronotum [of the South African mantis, Miomantis caffra] is very slender and therefore narrower than the width of the head." (pg.30) Also, according to Landcare Reasearch, the South African mantis, Miomantis caffra lacks the distintive bright blue patches on the raptorial fore legs as evident on the New Zealand mantis, Orthodera novaezealandiae.

Furthermore, according to The Penguin Natural World of New Zealand: An Encyclopedia of Our Natural Heritage by Gerard Hutching (ISBN 0 14 301925 2), even though it appears European mantid copulations frequently result in decapitation of the male by the female, this behaviour does not seem to be the habit of the New Zealand mantis, Orthodera novaezealandiae. (pg. 277)

Mig 21 On Litchfield

2007-04-10T10:21:00.000+12:00

Last week Gaby mentioned to me in passing she had seen a Mig 21 aircraft parked on Litchfield Street in downtown Christchruch, so I grabbed my camera and went to check it out; after all, it's not everyday you get to see a Mig 21 parked on the street - unless, of course, you live in Christchurch ;-).

Typical Rush Hour Traffic

It turns out the presence of the Mig is most likely a publicity stunt advertising a recently developed section of downtown called Sol Square (Sol is a not so very creative acronym for South Of Litchfield).

Dining Al Fresco at His Lordship's Cafe and Bar

The Mig is parked along Litchfield Street at the intersection with the newly developed pedestrian throughfare called His Lordship's Lane. There are several retail stores and restaurants situated in areas that were vehicle access ways or alleyways for the old mills which once occupied the buildings.

Flying Low along Litchfield Street

The wing of the aircraft extended rather close to traffic lanes and someone thoughtfully placed a high visibility vest at the wingtip in hopes of avoiding a collision.

The General Store: Objects for Home, Presents with Attitude, Accessories for Play

When I saw the sign for The General Store I wondered what sorts of intersting things were on offer there and wandered along the lane for a closer look. Unfortunately, it didn't appear the Mig was for sale...

Mig on Litchfield Street

There did seem to be quite a few folks interested in the Mig. Maybe a few folks were actually attracted enough to walk through the newly revamped back alleys! There are several downtown areas in Christchurch which have attracted development of the old industrial areas. Unfortunately, it seems most often these interesting areas lack sufficient advertisement/attraction to draw folks into these gems. I would encourage the City of Christchurch to spend some money to make these areas more attractive to folks on the street. Many of these pedestrian alleyways have great retail potential, but sometimes people walking along the street can be a bit leery of entering these back alleys - perhaps because some of them seem reminiscent of derilect intercity areas - not exactly the sorts of places folks seek out.

Lyttelton Tug vs. Queen Elizabeth 2

2007-03-26T07:26:00.000+12:00

Cruise ships regularly come to call at the port of Lyttelton. Often when these large cruise ships arrive and depart, boats from the port meet the ships near the mouth of the harbour and escort them as they are piloted along the harbour. On 14 February, the stately Cunard oceanliner the Queen Elizabeth 2 was set to sail from the port. A couple of weeks prior to this we were wandering around the port and noticed a sign near the famous old steam tug the Lyttelton which advertised for a late afternoon cruise aboard the tug to escort the great ship out of the harbour. We also thought the cruise would make a great date in celebration of Valentine's Day.

The Lyttelton Tug , first put into use around 1907, is maintained and preserved by a group of devoted volunteers. We boarded the old tug around 4:30 P.M. Our first objective was to make our way over to where the QE2 was berthed - outsite the inner harbour, due to the size of the ship.

The wheelhouse was in immaculate condition, as were the the instruments and telegraphs.

Prior to departure everything seemed to need a bit of grease - everything! All the machinery is original and a little bit of tender loving care keeps it all running smooth.

From the inner harbour the Lyttelton Time Ball can be seen high on the hill. At noon, the ball would drop from the top of a long mast and a cannon would fire to signal to ships in the harbour Greenwhich Time for ships so they could adjust their chronometers and get a fix on their longitude before setting out to sea again. The Lyttelton Time Ball is the last remaining operational time ball left in New Zealand. At noon the ball still drops and a cannon is fired!

We slowly made our way to where the grand ship was berthed and waited for her lines to be cast off.

I was more intrigued with the steam engines on the Lyttelton than the more modern QE2, so I headed down to the engine room for a wee visit. The ship has two sets of steam engines which drive two shafts. Each shaft has a high pressure piston and a low pressure piston.

It was impressive to watch the big engines turn the crankshaft. One of the guys in the engine room was Scottish and reminded my of Mr. Scott from Star Trek.

I watched the engine room crew at work for a while and finally realized how the telegraphs from the wheelhouse operate.

Just forward of the engine room is the boiler room. It was neat to see the huge fireboxes blazing.

I spent at least half an hour talking to the fireman in the boiler room about how the whole thing works.

I came back up on deck to see where we were in the harbour.

The QE2 lumbered slowly along as it was piloted through the harbour. However, once the pilot left the ship it gained steam and easily overtook us!

The Lyttelton Tug has steam assisted power steering - not bad for a 100 year old ship.

At the headlands we left the QE2 as she sailed on towards Sydney. Goodbye QE2!

Eventually we made it back to port.

We thought we would complete the evening with a great Italian meal at Freeman's Dining Room in Lyttelton What a great day!

Auckland Adventure

2007-03-24T09:00:00.000+12:00

My birthday, 06 February, falls on Waitangi Day - a national holiday here in New Zealand. What better excuse to head out of town and go explore? I had not yet visited Auckland (aside from the airport) so we flew up to Auckland to explore a bit of New Zealand's largest city.

Foremost on my list of things to see was the Auckland Museum. The Auckland Museum contains a large collection of Polynesian artifiacts - a must see for anyone who has time to visit the Big Smoke.

Our first stop was a private guided tour of the recently finished Grand Atrium, an interesting structure which actually hangs down from four large pillars and is not connected to the main building - impressive.

At the time of our visit the museum had a display called Vaka Moana, which told the story of the seafaring peoples of Polynesia. The exhibit was well done and informative.

Part of the permanent collection at the Auckland Museum is this diorama of Wandering Albatross. I just had to include an image of our namesake!

Another exhibit at the museum was on volcanoes. New Zealand has quite a fair share of volcanoes, and Auckland itself contains no less than 28 of them!

The Auckland Museum has a beautiful collection of Maori artifacts, including complete maraes dating from the mid 1800s

Our next stop was to the New Zealand National Maritime Museum. This museum has a great collection of old boat stuff and interesting historical artifacts. One of the interesting displays is Ms Chippy, the ship's cat aboard Shackelton's epic Antarctic expedition.

The museum's collection includes several boats docked at the wharf. One such boat is a neat old steam engine sea crane. We saw a similar crane docked in the Wellington harbour.

One day we took a ferry across to Davenport, located on the North Shore. The weather was wonderfully warm and semi-tropical.

We walked around Davenport for a bit then scaled the mighty Mt. Victoria (yes, another volcanoe). Mt. Victoria still retains some old fortifications from WWII, such as this disappearing gun emplacement.

Above the bunkers (which, unfortunately, were off limits), the vents were all painted like big toadstools.

From the top of Mt. Victoria there is a great view of Rangitoto (yet another volcanoe).

Our next stop was the Sky Tower. Tickets for the elevator ride up to the observation deck are a bit steep at NZ$25.00 per person, but it is worth doing once for the high vantage point of the city. We were thinking of dining at the restaurant at the top, but I guess that's a whole different elevator ride from the observation deck - oh well.

During our entire 5 day trip to Auckland we had no rain, even though at times the skies appeared threatening.

The next day we walked over to the Auckland Art Gallery. The collection at the museum includes some of the great early portraits of Maori around New Zealand.

After our tour of the Auckland Art Gallery, we bussed on over to Kelly Tarlton's Antarctic Encounter and Underwater World.

The acquarium stands as a testimont to Kelly Tarlton's devotion to the sea, and includes what was the first underwater viewing tunnel ever built into an aquarium. On display was a preserved giant squid, a huge animal, which pales in comparison to the recently recovered complete collosal squid now at Te Papa museum in Wellington, waiting to be thawed out.

Gaby and I enjoyed just walking around Downtown Auckland, especially at the harbour, watching the ferries come and go.

Our last stop was a brief visit to Mt. Eden (also a volcano). It was interesting to note the Maori believe the summit crater to be sacred. As such, people are asked not to defile the crater by walking into it. Ironically, cows are allowed to tramp around the crater at will.

We had a great time in Auckland! On our next visit we hope to explore some of the not so touristy areas of the city.

This parting shot is for all the Italians out there. We were walking around downtown Auckland and passed by this restaurant. I just had to take a picture of it! We suspect the owners are Italians with a sense of humour :-)

Shocking Price for Toyota Seatbelts

2007-03-08T10:52:00.000+13:00

Yesterday I took my 2005 Toyota Echo to the Ilam Toyota dealer here in Christchurch for a Warrant of Fitness inspection. After the inspection I was informed our car had failed its WOF due to two damaged rear passenger seatbelts (our dog Kuri had a go at them). I was then informed by the Toyota dealer the rear seatbelts could not be repaired because of the proprietary endings on the belts and the belts would have to be replaced with factory units. He then informed me these units were not currently in inventory in Toyota New Zealand, and, in fact, one of the rear seatbelt units had never before been in the Toyota New Zealand inventory. Consequently, I was informed these two rear seatbelt units would have to be imported from Toyota Japan. It was his next sentence that made me do a double-take. He informed me that these two rear seatbelt units would cost NZ$1530 plus GST and installation, which works out to around NZ$1700!

That's right, NZ$1700.00! I was shocked! How can it possibly be that two rear seatbelts for a 2005 Toyota Echo (the least expensive vehicle sold by Toyota at the time of its manufacture, BTW) could amount to a full 10% of the entire purchase price of this vehicle? Even the insurance inspector was shocked by the price of these parts.

Then, to add insult to injury, the Ilam Toyota dealer informed me it would take 14 WORKING DAYS to receive the product - That's three weeks!

Recall that this is a late model Toyota vehicle we are referring to here, not something long out of production. I don't uderstand how it could possibly take so long to get this product? When I asked this question to the Service Manager I was told that's how Ilam Toyota's contract with Toyota of Japan works. Boy, if that doesn't sound like a run-around I don't know what is.

I find this situation more than a little annoying. Every vehicle which I have ever owned has been a Toyota. I have previously owned a 1979 Celica, a 1984 3/4 ton pickup, a 1992 FJ88 Landcruiser Wagon, and I currently own a 2005 Echo. My past experience with Toyota in the States has been very good - parts and service are available and the work has been up to Toyota quality.

I would hope Ilam Toyota would do their best at obtaining replacement parts for a valued Toyota customer.

23 March Update: The price Ilam Toyota quoted me for two replacement seatbelts was so absurdly expensive we searched for alternative sources. We eventually found a Toyota dealer in Sydney, Australia, that listed the exact same part numbers - also ordered directly from Japan - for one third the price! I ordered the replacement parts and contacted the insurance company to notify them I would like to withdraw my insurance claim. Once the parts arrived, I contacted Ilam Toyota and they installed the replacement seatbelts. The total cost including the parts and service ended up being less than half of Ilam Toyota's original quote! So, we now have five functional seatbelts in the car and can breath easy for another year - when our Warrant Of Fitness inspection is due once again.

10 April Update: Late last week I decided to move the car a short distance down the driveway. Later, when I decided to move the car back it would not start. Actually, at first the engine started, but emitted such a terrible noise (like only one or two cylinders were firing) I quickly shut the engine off again. After that, the engine would turn over, but not start up. I called Ilam Toyota. They graciously offered to tow my car to the dealership. The next day I received a call from the dealership. They very kindly informed me the engine was flooded, nothing more. It turns out, as the mechanic informed me, these engines can rarely be subject to engine flooding if the engine is started and then stopped after a short period of time, for example, when a car is moved out of a garage and into the driveway for a wash. I was very satisfied with the mechanic's response. I have regained my faith there are at least a few honest mechanics still around - Kudos to Ilam Toyota!

Nelda Goes to Hokitika

2007-02-13T10:02:00.000+13:00

Gaby and I wanted to take Nelda to the West Coast before she left for home at the end of January, so, on the third weekend of January we packed our bags and traveled west over Arthur's Pass to Hokitika. Of course the weather forecast was for rain - lots of rain, but we didn't let the weather dampen our spirits!

As we headed west on State Highway 73 out of Christchurch, we stopped before heading into the mountains to enjoy the scenery.

I gained an audience gathered from a nearby paddock. Cows always seem to be quite curious. I have to admit, it's sometimes a bit nerve wracking to have all these critters just looking at you, as though they can read your mind... Or, they may just think that you might feed them.

From Hokitika we took a drive around nearby Lake Kaniere and stopped to see the picturesque Dorothy Falls, just off the road. The waters which drain off the valleys acquire a reddish tint from the plant material.

Just opposite the road from the short walking track to Dorothy Falls is a track which leads to the shore of Lake Kaniere. We decided to take Nelda to the lakeshore for a look. The bush was thick and shady along the track.

Large tree ferns made me think of remnant forest of a distant past. I half expected to see therapods wandering through the bush.

After about half a kilometer of easy walking track we reached the scenic shore of Lake Kaniere.

Nelda took her colorful purse with her wherever we went. She was seldom seen without it. She made up for the dull and dreary West Coast weather.

One last destination on our wee driving tour was to see the Hokitika Gorge and Swingbridge. The waters which course through the gorge have a wonderful greenish blue cast.

We enjoyed the swingbridge for a while, then continued on down to the river to take a look.

The scenery is great. We would have spent more time there except the biting flies found us.

We had to do a bit of scrambling to reach the scenic spots.

We stayed overnight in Hokitika and the next day drove north along the West Coast to Charleston and back over Arthur's Pass. It rained just about the entire time, but we had heaps of fun.

The constant rain made it a bit difficult to get out and walk, but we did manage a cook's driving tour along a fair bit of the West Coast. We enjoy visiting the West Coast and look forward to our next trip there.

Kaikura Day Trip

2007-02-13T09:12:00.000+13:00

On 13 January, we took Gaby's mother Nelda with us to Kaikura for a day trip.

On this trip we decided to try something new for lunch, and stumbled upon a Malaysian Restaurant located on the main road at the north end of town. This restaurant (at the moment I forget the name) serves some of the best Indian/Malaysian food I have ever had. When we were finished with our meal, Nelda went to the kitchen to complement the chef of the small, family run restaurant. It was then that we learned we were dining on the last day this restaurant would be open before being shut down for a year while undergoing a move and renovation! Supposedly they will open back up in the new main shopping center at the north end of town near the New World.

The weather was once again great and we had a great view looking south from the Kaikura peninsula.

The small downtown section of Kaikura.

This is a cryptic sign warning visitors to keep away from the animals - at leat 10 meters. I think the picture shows a person holding a pair of binoculars?

Looking north from Kaikura you see the Kaikura Ranges.

The birds enjoyed the sunshine while relaxing on the parked vehicles.

Western Center For Archaeology and Paleontology

2007-02-10T17:02:00.000+13:00

[All images of The Western Center for Archaeology and Paleontology were taken by Arthur Kesler and are used here with permission.]

Before Gaby and I left California for New Zealand I worked at the San Bernardino County Museum as a field paleontologist, collecting fossils from the field. In the mid to late 1990s our division worked on a large earthmoving project just south of Hemet, CA. The project was to construct two large earth fill dams for a large water reservoir. During the course of construction (1993-2001) our field crew found and excavated a veritable treasure trove of Ice Age fauna, similar to what is found at the La Brea Tar Pits at the Page Museum in downtown Los Angeles.

Our team excavated and recovered several impressive sites which contained semi-articulate specimens. These finds were carefully stabilized and preserved. After construction of Diamond Valley Lake was completed, the Metropolitan Water District, along with a few inspirational individuals, decided to pursue the construction of a new natural history museum devoted to the natural history of the surrounding area, including fossil finds recovered during the construction of the reservoir. This grand concept led to the planning and construction of Western Center for Archaeology and Paleontology.

The folks at the Western Center wanted to put on display several of the larger specimens, complete with mounted replicas. Again, the San Bernardino County Museum Geological Sciences division staff was called upon to make this happen. Through the hard work and creative minds of folks like Michael Stokes, Craig Manker, Quintin Lake, James Bowden, and myself, our team was able to create replicas of these fine specimens. After many months of planning and problem solving, we got the job done.

I have had the great fortune of witnessing this process come full circle: from the search for fossils through the excavation and recovery, the preparation and stabilization, the reconstruction, and finally, the replication. The Western Center for Archaeology and Paleontology in Hemet has recently opened its doors to museum visitors. Since I don't know when I will be in Southern California again, I asked my parents to travel to the museum and snap a few photos of the displays.

In 1995, Senior Field Paleontologist Quintin Lake discovered the first largely intact specimen from the reservoir. Thankfully, much of the construction in the area was completed by the contractors, which allowed crews to excavate the find without interrupting their work. This was an impressive find, as it appears to be the largest Mastadon found on the West Coast of the United States. Most impressive about this specimen was that the skull was mostly intact.

The cast of Max's skull is in the mount of the animal, while the original skull is on display beside it.

Quintin's impressive find highlighted the potential for great discoveries in the area. As construction progressed the field crew continued to find many more fossils. Then, in 1997, I found another impressive site: not just a single mastodon, but a collection of at least 6 different large mammals - camel, bison antiqua and bison latifrons, among others. The mastodon, named "Little Stevie," is one of the most intact mastodons found on the west coast with around 60% of the animal found.

Excavation of the "Little Stevie" site took three weeks. There is a display which adds some detail to what is involved in the excavation of a fossil site.

Carefull attention to detail in the field can offer valuable insight into reconstruction of what the area might have been like thousands of years before.

My Mother enjoys the "Little Stevie" display!

The field crew again continued to recover large numbers of great fossils from the reservoir. The next "big" find was when I found what turned out to be a mammoth which is caled "Zena." Astonishingly, the skull of this individual was found to be mostly intact (along with the tusks). The field crew had a great time overcoming the challenges of recovering this specimen.

Again, the original skull is on display next to the mounted replica.

"Zena" mounted for all to enjoy.

There were of course other animals found as well. This mount of a Sloth is similar to the species of incomplete sloth specimens found during the project.

"Zena" and "Max" stand side by side for visitors to enjoy.

Behind The Scenes

What may not be evident from the finished museum displays is the hard work and devotion of the entire field crew. These folks worked tirelessly for over seven years, diligently searching for fossils which may have been exposed by construction. It is the field crew which made all this possible, for they are the ones who showed determination and perserverence in the search and recovery of these splendid specimens. These are the folks who had the knowledge and desire to recover these awesome fossils for future generations. They are the ones who laboured hard and long, and deserve to be recognized for their efforts. I wish to thank all those folks who were a part of our field crew at the musuem.

I would like to extend a special thanks to my good friend and former colleague Quintin Lake, who taught me much about looking for fossils and how to recover them. He continues to be an inspiration for me.

I would also like to thank Craig Manker, who picked up where others had left off in order to make sure this project would get finished. He stuck in there for the long haul, devoting countless hours and working through much frustration to complete the task at hand. I congratulate you Craig on a job well done.

I have never worked with such a wonderful group of friendly, eccentric folks who love what they do.

My last great highlight before leaving the San Bernardino County Museum was to be able to make one of the first successful casts of a tusk!

I would also like to thank Jim Bowden, whose expertise helped to replicate the colours of the original specimens. His great skill definitely shows in how well the casts came out. I am sorry I do not have a photo of you to post here Jim, but I wanted to thank you for your efforts none the less.

If you ever find yourself wandering about around Southern California, I would encourage you to make a stop at the Western Center for Archaeology and Paleontology in Hemet and discover what might be found beneath your feet!

Scotts Valley Track

2007-02-10T15:41:00.000+13:00

On slopes of the ridges surrounding Heathcote Valley there is a walking track called the Scotts Valley Track, which meanders across the valley slopes around our house. In late Septemper, 2006 we decided to check out the track.

The carpark for the track is just a few blocks down Bridle Path Road.

The start of the track is rather steep, but the views are worth it! Along the ridgeline, Mt. Cavendish is on the left and Castle Rock is on the right.

The trail passes through an old abandoned stone quarry.

The floor of the valley is where Heathcote is, and the top of the ridge runs along Mt. Pleasant. It's the area between the valley floor and the ridgeline which constitutes the reserve.

There were groups of these small, colourful flowers along the track.

The yellow flowers seemed to be abundant along the slopes.

These are our neighbors. They have a voracious appetite. We can often hear their occasional bleating from the house.

A view of Heathcote Valley from the Scotts Valley track. The large building in the center is the old maltworks.

The track mostly traverses the slope as it heads towards the Bridle Path.

To the north Heathcote Valley opens up to an estuary.

Near the juncion with the Bridle Path, the Christchurch Gondola heads to the summit of Mt. Cavendish.

The Scotts Valley track ends at the Bridle Path, and a short walk back down to our house. The Bridle Path is the original route over the Port Hills to Lyttelton Harbour. The Bridle path is also a nice track.

Nelda Goes Tramping

2007-02-09T13:25:00.000+13:00

Gaby's mother Nelda stayed with us for a couple of months and we decided it would be nice to show her around a bit. Over the first weekend in January we decided to lend a pair of hiking poles to Nelda and take her into Arthur's Pass for a short hike along one of the many walking tracks. We chose to drive into the community of Arthur's Pass and take Nelda along the Devil's Punchbowl Falls track. We had perfect weather for our hike.

I asked Nelda if she had ever hiked any sort of track like this, to which she replied that she had never hiked in her life. What a great opportunity. I am glad we had the opportunity to take Nelda with us and show her the outdoors up close and personal. We had a great leisurely walk along the trail which gave me the opportunity to snap a few images.

The Devil's Punchbowl Falls track leads through the beach forest along the valley sides.

It was great to see Gaby and Nelda together enjoying a bit of nature.

I find the plants here to be very interesting. Around every corner there is something new to investigate.

There was still a bit of snow in the mountains.

We noticed these interesting tracks on the leaves of this plant.

I love ferns, and there are many, many here.

When we looked at our walking track options I voted for this track because I thought we would have the opportunity to walk very near the falls. I was a bit disappointed when I realized this stream was about as close as I would get to the falls, which were much higher up the slope. Still, the track was great and Nelda enjoyed it.

There were loads of other things to see aside from the waterfall. Besides, it was a perfect day to be outside.

The track continues over the river and eventually leads back to the main road, but we decided to turn back towards the carpark and weigh our options.

I really wanted to see a waterfall, and the nearby track to Bridle Veil Falls is best described as walking up and down a very long staircase. Nelda decided she had had enough tramping and opted to enjoy a rest on a comfortable rock while Gaby and I hiked up to see the falls.

The route description to Bridle Veil Falls is aptly described, as there are newly built stairs which climb the steep slope. However, the track is short and the view is awesome: just the sort of waterfall I was after!

Craigieburn Forest Park

2007-02-09T11:43:00.000+13:00

Located along State Highway 73, just 40km east of Arthur's Pass and an hour west from Christchurch, Craigieburn Forest Park, in addition to its many walking tracks, is one of the few inland areas where dogs are allowed. In early December, 2006 we decided to take our dog Kuri and team up with our friends M and C1 and their daughter C2, along with their dogs Chewbaca and Leo and head out for a leisurely Sunday tramp. Our goal for the afternoon was to walk to Lyndon Saddle and continue to Lyndon Hill (Helicopter Hill).

It is interesting to note that in California dogs are not usually allowed on beaches, but it is often just fine to take a dog to the mountains, while in New Zealand dogs are usually allowed on beaches (outside of manned lifeguard stations) and generally are not allowed in inland mountainous areas.

This track is very popular with mountainbikers, and everyone seemed to get along together well. Much of the track winds through shady beech forest, at least up to the saddle leading to the Lyndon Hill summit, where the ridgeline becomes more exposed.

The forest is lush green, with mosses covering the forest floor like carpeting and green leafy plants attaching wherever they can find a place.

Under the shade of the beech trees the temperature was nice and mild, a perfect temperature for an uphill walk.

Sometimes we would walk through areas of the forest covered in light, airy moss which resembled sphagnum moss.

We paused at the saddle and grabbed a bite to eat, enjoying the beautiful surrounding beech forest.

Chewy and Kuri tackle M as he takes a break. The dogs seemed to enjoy playing together along the trail.

The summit of Lyndon Hill was covered only in low scrub and allowed for a great view of the surrounding Craigieburn Range.

Just a day or two before there was a bit of a nasty little storm which dumped some snow, some of which lingered on the summit for the dogs to play in.

We had a great view of the valley we ascended, all the way back down to State Highway 73.

Leo enjoyed the view.

After a brief stay at the summit we headed back towards the saddle.

Soon we were walking within the shady ramparts of the beech forest.

M's daughter C2 was a real trooper.

Kuri enjoyed playing with his new friends and the opportunity to get outside.

Tenacious D

2007-01-10T09:28:00.000+13:00

When we found out Jack Black and Tenacious D was performing a live concert here in Christchurch we thought the opportunity was too good to pass up. Last night's concert was awesome. True to form, a couple days ago Jack Black was walking around Cathedral Square and happened to hear a couple of young musicians (buskers) rocking out and asked them to be his opening act! These kids were great. They played a great set of classic rock and the crowd went wild for them. Once Tenacious D took the stage they ramped up the rock with their accoustical guitars and the concert took off from there. The whole house was rocking when the duo was joined by electric guitar, bass guitar and drums, and we were treated to a full and very capable display of rock and roll. Tenacious D's Pick of Destiny is a great journey through rock and roll history. Those folks who have listened to rock for many years will appreciate Tenacious D's thoughtful integration of playing styles and their homage to those who came before. Black's creative lyrics and playing are a great tribute to the greats of rock and roll. The set and theatrics were also top notch; the production was well done. Jack Black is in town to promote this week's New Zealand release of his latest film The Pick of Destiny and an album and live concert tour is a natural progression for this great duo. If you have the chance to see Tenacious D in concert go for it!

I just have one thing to say: Tenacious D rocks!

Hoary Hedgehog

2006-12-23T06:37:00.000+13:00

When I walk around the backyard after sunset I usually get the feeling I am not alone. I often hear rustling in the bushes. Being still fairly new to NZ wildlife I was not quite sure what it could be until one night I finally caught a dark glimpse of something walking across the yard. I quickly walked back to the house, grabbed a torch, and headed back outside for further investigation (kind of like the scenes in those scary movies. You know, the ones where someone hears some dreadful noise outside and decides to investigate, alone, at night. I mean, can't they hear that ominous music playing?). Luckily, the critter was still ambling its way across the yard and my torch illuminated a fairly large and cute hedgehog! Unfortunately, by the time I ran back into the house to grab my camera the hedgehog decided it had had enough and walked back into the bushes.

Ever since that first encounter I have wanted to capture an image of one of the hedgehogs. Well, last night I had another hedgehog encounter and managed to grab my camera in time to capture it digitally.

Hedgehogs are nocturnal, which explains why I usually start to see them around sunset. They are also insectivorous, so usually eat insects, but also vary their diets with quite a few other things. While hedgehogs have spines, they are unlike the quills of a porcupine in that they remain attached to the animal. The standard defense is to put their head down (the spines are only on the top of their bodies) and remain motionless, and if that doesn't deter a predator they can also roll themselves up into a tight little ball, exposing only their spines to any would be predator. Hedgehogs are fairly benign to humans and throughout Europe folks commonly attract hedgehogs to live in their gardens to help keep insects under control.

Hedgehogs are not native to New Zealand, but were most likely brought over from Europe by early immigrants who wanted to have the critters to help out their gardens in their new home. There is still a common belief that since hedgehogs are insectivorous, that is all they eat. Unfortunately, that is not the case; in addition to insects, they have an apatite for invertebrates, some plants, and bird eggs, for example. Hedgehogs have no natural predators here in New Zealand, and so have grown to quite a large population. Also, recent evidence has pointed out that hedgehogs run a close third behind possums and stoats as predators of New Zealand birds, sometimes decimating ground nesting bird species.

"Please don't wipe your feet/
Upon my back. Be more discrete./
For I am dressed to the nines/
With my coat of bristling spines."

Curious Kuri

2006-11-09T12:54:00.000+13:00

We talked about getting a pet - perhaps a dog, so we decided to check out the Christchurch City Dog Shelter to see if there were any that we liked. We wanted to adopt a dog from a shelter because there are already so many dogs out there that people regard as objects to be thrown out when they are not wanted anymore. We also wanted to avoid purchasing a dog from a pet store because many pet stores get their dogs from "puppy mills."

It is often possible to find great dogs from a shelter and it is amazing just how many dogs are not adopted by folks through these organizations. So about a week ago we decided to visit the Christchurch City Dog Shelter, where dogs are kept for a period of 8 days, after which, if they are not picked up, are sent to Dogwatch, a shelter here in Christchurch. This is good because the Dogwatch shelter is a "no kill" shelter, which means it will board these animals until a home can be found.

Our first trip to the shelter was a quick trip on a Saturday and we spent about a half hour looking at the dogs they had. We both liked one particular dog - a puppy - which was not barking even though the other dogs' barking made for quite a cacophony. After we left the shelter we decided I would return to the shelter on the following Monday, and if that dog was still there I would put my name down to adopt him.

I drove to the shelter on Monday and the dog was still there so I put my name down by his number. I was informed that if no one claimed the dog by the following Saturday we could adopt him - Great! We talked about what we would need to get for a dog and wondered about a name (BTW, I was not sure if he already had one :-)

The next Saturday Gaby and drove by the shelter to see if the dog was still there - he was! - and made the necessary arrangements to pick him up. They then informed us he did not have a name and asked if we had a name picked out for him for their records. We didn't have one.

I had a friend who once had a dog name "dog" (pronounced "dee-oh-gee"). I asked Gaby to look up what "dog" translates to in Maori and she said it was "kuri" - which sounded like a good name to me. So, now we have a dog named Kuri. We were informed by the folks at the shelter that he was a 5 month old male. He is a mutt; or, as the Kiwis say, a "bitsa" - bits of this and bits of that. Of course, without knowing what breed his parents were we will never know exactly what he is a mix of (his parents could have been mixes themselves.) That being said, the best consensus I have heard so far: he appears to be a mix of a staffordshire terrier and a fox terrier. He has the brindle coloring (black and brown stripes) and white paw(s) common to a staffordshire and the forward flopping ears common to a fox terrier.

Yesterday Kuri had an appointment with the vet for neutering and a general health checkup. I picked him up in the afternoon and the vet said he was a very healthy dog. He seems to be doing fairly well today given the type of procedure he had only yesterday :-)

Since Kuri is only five months old, he is very curious about his new environment. I know it takes quite a bit of love and devotion to raise a puppy to a well behaved dog; however, I know the effort will be worth it.

"It seems our Kuri likes to please/
Let's hope we have the expertise."

Flower Power

2006-11-07T12:28:00.000+13:00

One day I noticed flowers starting to bloom on the cherry trees in Hagley Park. Soon every cherry tree was ablaze in color as the flowers were in full bloom, so grabbed my camera and walked to the park to take a few images of the Spring Fling. We do live in the Garden City after all!

Cherry Blossoms along Riccarton Avenue

The day I was out taking pictures the wind started to pick up. By the following day practically all the petals had already dropped off the trees. I am glad I took some time to walk around and see the flowers in their glory.

More Cherry Blossoms

Not every tree was in bloom. Some trees had neither flowers nor leaves and provided a dramatic contrast to the vivid colors of the flowers and grass.

Stark Trees Along Hagley Avenue

Even the clouds seemed to cooperate, providing a great backdrop for the scenery.

Tree and Clouds

Daffodils planted along the perimeter of the park were also in full bloom. It reminded me of the daffodils planted near my house in Arrowbear, California. I could not believe just how many daffodils there were!

Field of Daffodils along Hagley Avenue

These flowers are large and the petals have a great texture. Most flowers were some combination of orange and gold for the petals and the center of the flower.

Outstanding In Its Field

The perimeter of Hagley Park along Hagley Avenue is quite a wide area, perhaps 100 meters. This border area separates the playing fields of Hagley Park South from the street.

Flower Palette

As it turns out, Christchurch has a fairly shallow water table. Much of the area that is today Hagley Park was originally swampland. To drain the water from the swampland ditches were dug to nearby rivers. Many of these drainage ditches are still evident in both Hagley Park and around many parts of town.

Contrasting Branches

While touring the park, looking at the scenery, I noticed this curious exoskeleton hanging from a tree. Upon closer inspection I noticed many of these. Interestingly, I only saw them hanging from the trunks and branches of certain kinds of trees and only on the north side.

Hanging Suit of Armor

When we moved from Southern California it was late Winter and when we arrived in New Zealand in late February Winter was just beginning, so this will be our first Summer down under! I look forward to seeing what Summer at 43º south latitude has in store! My mind seems to still have a Northern Hemisphere bias. I mean, here it is - mid November - and when we get late Spring storms like the wintry blast we had last night I keep thinking that it figures, since we will be heading into Winter soon - Wrong! I am having a hard time adjusting to the fact that it's Summer during Christmas time here - folks out camping, wearing short pants and short sleeved shirts.

One evening Gaby and I attended a kayaking group meeting here in Christchurch. At one point one of the guys was describing a kayaking trip to Quail Island in Lyttleton Harbour for a spot of tea for Christmas. As he described possible weather conditions to expect he said, "It probably won't snow - probably."

"The daffodils are blooming bright/
And Spring is here to my delight."

Wandering Willowbank

2006-10-27T15:22:00.000+13:00

The Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, located on the outskirts of Christchurch, is not simply another reserve, but strives to link the local animals and the Maoris who first inhabited this land. There are many endemic and introduced animals on display.

This curly feathered goose is apparently one of the most threatened species of endemic goose. I thought it was cool. I have never seen a goose with curly feathers!

The pukeko (Porphyrio porphyrio) is a native swamphen the locals refer to as the New Zealand chicken - not to be confused with the chook, which is Kiwi for chicken. These birds have beautiful iridescent bluish black feathers and bright red beaks and are often seen walking dangerously close to roadsides and in pastures on the outskirts of town. Even though these are beautiful birds, they are allowed to be hunted. There are some folks who worry these birds may be endangered by the prolific hunting. Recent articles report these birds are often shot and just left there :-(

Mother ducks with their broods have been a common sight this spring. The ducks seem to inhabit the most "citified" places and can often be found waddling along residential streets. Unfortunately, even though the mother duck can fly, their ducklings cannot, so when the duck wants to cross a street with her ducklings she walks with them across the road. We have watched mother ducks with a long line of ducklings cross even in front of buses - the bus drivers waits patiently for the ducks to cross before proceeding. However, we have seen many ducks that were hit on the road.

The Willowbank Wildlife Reserve serves as a way station for animals which have been injured. They nurture them back to health and even release them back into the wild if possible. One neat exhibit is mostly devoted to keas. They have about 10 kea or so (again, mostly those birds which they have nursed back to health and are in the recovery stage. These parrots are big and beautiful.

One female kea was particularly friendly and liked to fly over and land on people's shoulders. Later in the evening we took a guided tour of the native section of the reserve and we were in for a treat as the guide opened a cup of honey and spooned the honey out to give to the keas!

My favorite area was the kiwi house. The reserve cares for many injured kiwis as well as rearing young chicks from the wild until they are of sufficient size to defend themselves against predators. This is by far the best kiwi house I have seen yet. The pens do not have glass or wire mesh surrounding them as most other kiwi house do. Visitors can get a great view of the kiwis in their "native" environment, waddling around poking their long beaks into the ground and through leaves looking for worms and insects - very cool. We saw perhaps 6 kiwis inside the enclosure. They also have outdoor enclosure which would be great to visit at or after dusk.

Within the native portion of the reserve they have built a replica Maori village, or pa. As part of our tour we encountered a group of Maori in native attire and were greeted the traditional way - with a very aggressive show of warrior strength and language as well as the swinging of their great stone clubs and spears! Luckily our appointed "leader" chose not to intimidate these folks and we were allowed to enter their village to learn how the Maori pa was laid out - very interesting.

After our tour of the native animals and the pa we were led to a small amphitheatre and treated to a group of Maori who related a bit of their culture through dancing and singing. Because it was the off season and there were only a handful of visitors there, we were then all forced into a bit of dancing ourselves. The women perform a dance called the poi utilizing a small ball tied to the end of a string which is swirled around in different positions throughout the dance. The folks there indicated the poi - a ball tied onto string - may have either been used to "tuffen up" the women who repeatedly strike their forearms with the ball while they dance or they may have been used as weapons. I am not sure which is correct.

The men perform a dance called the haka, and yes, I did indeed have to dance the haka with the rest of the guys in our group - ugh! Probably the most famous haka in the world is performed by the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team. If you have ever seen their intimidating dance before a rugby team you have seen a haka.

After our humbling dance experience we were led to a nice dining room and were treated to a buffet including carved pork, beef, and lamb, as well as all the necessary scrumptious vege dishes! I even had my first opportunity to try a standard Kiwi dessert, pavlova. Pavlova is essentially a pie made of sweetened meringue - a bit too sweet for my taste.

The reserve is open until late in the evening during the summer and it would be worth it to check it out in the evening sometime.

"We watched the Maori dance with glee/
But the haka is not for me."

On The Move

2006-10-07T13:51:00.000+13:00

I have not posted lately because I have been very busy moving out of our apartment and into our house in Heathcote. Now that we are all moved out of our apartment I thought I should post a few images of our almost 100 year old character New Zealand house in Heathcote Valley, about 15 minutes southeast from Cathedral Square - the center of Christchurch. Heathcote Valley is located in a peaceful setting where we are able to hear the occasional bleating of sheep as they graze on the hills around the valley.

The previous owners have lovingly planted many beautiful flowers all around the house. The front yard has a small courtyard with a grassy area.

One day I mentioned to Gaby I thought I heard a peacock in the neighborhood. I stopped at the local coffee roaster - Upshot Coffee - (located just around the corner :-) and the proprietor mentioned there were 4 or 5 peacocks living in the valley. Yesterday we spotted one of the "locals" across the street.

The house has three bedrooms and a lounge and was originally heated by four fireplaces. Two fireplaces were removed completely while one of the other two was replaced with a fireplace insert. Thankfully one of the original fireplace surrounds was left intact.

From the kitchen there is a great view of Castle Rock, a popular local climbing location. Castle Rock is located along the ridge line of the Port Hills, which divide the plains of Christchurch from Lyttleton Harbour to the south. The tree visible through the left side of the window (the one which looks like a yucca) is a native New Zealand plant called a Cabbage Tree. The Cabbage Tree is currently considered to be part of the lily family - the largest lily in the world - although the taxonomy of the Cabbage Tree is up for debate and may soon be reclassified.

The backyard has many flowers in all their Spring glory.

I ordered 6 cubic meters of wood to help heat the house. It reminded me of stacking many chords of wood with my brothers back home in Southern California (lots of work!)

At the back of the house, just off the kitchen is a partially covered patio and behind that is a two car garage.

Behind the garage and woodshed is the rest of the yard, a colorful collage of flowers all in bloom. One of my major gardening goals is to have a kitchen garden. I plan to restore the raised garden planters and lay pavers down around the beds. I hope to grow some jalapeno peppers. My first job is to plant the herb garden so we will have fresh herbs at the ready for cooking.

I mentioned to J, a friend of ours here in Christchurch, that we bought a character house. J explained to me the reason they are called character houses is because maintaining and renovating them builds character in the owners! We look forward to building quite a bit of character in the coming years.

07/11/2006 Update:

"We packed all of our possessions with care/
Hoping they would still be intact once there."

Slow Food

2006-09-26T09:03:00.000+12:00

Sunday evening we went to a local restaurant called The Bicycle Thief for a five course Slow Food event.

The first course was canapes and cocktails followed by:

Bagna Cauda with witloof, cardoons, baby vegetables and organic rye bread
paired with Cracroft Chase Pinot Gris 2005.

Trio of shared pasta dishes: Gorgonzola Gnocchi, Buckwheat Pasta with Salmon Roe and CrÃ¨me Fraiche, Butternut Pumpkin and Sage Ravioli.
with San Silvestre 2003 Barbera D'Alba.

Roast Porchetta with Cavolo Nero and Puy Lentils
with Pegasus Bay 2004 Pinot Noir

Masticha-infused Rice Pudding with Rhubarb compote
paired with Lombardo Sicilian Moscato NV

As it turns out the owner of the restaurant sat next to us for dinner, and we had long conversations about the restaurant business and of course - food. The event was held as a fundraiser to help Chef Nik Mavromatis (The Bicycle Thief) to attend the Terra Madre conference and the Salone del Gusto in Turin in October. The opportunity to participate in these events is in itself a great honor as only 1000 chefs from around the world are invited. The concepts learned there will hopefully help further the Slow Food movement here in New Zealand. The food was great and we look forward to getting involved with the Slow Foods Convivium here in Christchurch as we were in LA.

Gaby and I went to the dinner with our good friends J & D here in Christchurch who recently opened Ya-Ya House of Excellent Teas. Ya Ya Tea House is a direct importer of high quality teas from around the world. Last week we attended their first tea tasting event, with a sampling of all the major types of teas including black tea, oolong, green tea, white tea, and pu-erh - all outstanding teas. I never knew there was so much to learn about tea and tea making! My favorite tea at the moment is a Japanese Green Tea called Genmaicha, which looks much different from other teas in that it contains roasted rice grains (I call it the puffed rice tea). Genmaicha has a wonderful aroma and great flavor.

"Slow down, you move too fast/
You've got to make the moment last."
-Simon & Garfunkel

Salazar, Wee Posterboy

2006-09-13T16:24:00.000+12:00

When we left the US for New Zealand we had to leave behind our beloved guinea pig Salazar (guinea pigs are not on the list of acceptable animals allowed entry to New Zealand). Salazar is an older loving guinea pig and we were sorry we couldn't take him with us. Fortunately we have a dear friend named Fenella in Southern California who agreed to take in our guinea pig. Fenella runs a fantastic guinea pig and small animal rescue called Wee Companions in San Diego.

As it turns out, Salazar was an eligible bachelor and during his stay at Fenella's he was keen about building a relationship with a beautiful female guinea pig named Cinnamon. We are happy these two guinea pigs have found each other! Wee Companions recently published a poster showing Salazar and Cinnamon together to help increase awareness of their pet adoption efforts.

Gaby and I both really enjoyed the friendship of our beloved guinea pigs and we look forward to the time when we can once again have a guinea pig or two as an addition to our family. We would also like to thank Fenella and Wee Companions for their loving support of Salazar - Thank you Fenella!

"If a pet is what you desire/
Consider adoption as a buyer."

Culture Shock

2006-09-13T08:50:00.000+12:00

I am lucky to have a wife who is interested in the arts as well as the sciences. Gaby has encouraged me to stretch my comfort zone and become a more rounded person - that there is more to life than rocks and computers.

Although Christchurch is not a huge metropolis known for the arts (the capital city of Wellington has traditionally been known as a center of arts and culture in New Zealand) we are not a city devoid of culture.

On 9 June we watched a performance of Maui - One Man Against the Gods at the Isaac Theatre Royal. Maui is a character from the Maori Creation Myths who, according to Maori Legend cast a magic hook into the sea and hauled up Te Ika a Maui (the Fish of Maui), the North Island of New Zealand (among other things).

The Christchurch City Choir performed Rachmaninov's All Night Vigil: Vespers in the Christchurch Cathedral 13 August. We braved bouts of hail and blustery winds during our walk to the cathedral. The stormy weather created an interesting backdrop for the Vespers. The choir performed to a packed audience and the acoustics of the cathedral matched well with the powerful voices.

On 9 September the Christchurch Symphony along with the Christchurch City Choir and Tower Voices New Zealand performed Beethoven's Missa Solemnis in D Major Opus 123 at the Christchurch Town Hall. Missa Solemnis is not often performed in New Zealand because it is a difficult piece. The conductor related to the audience many musicians described this piece as the most difficult music they have performed. I informed Gaby this concert was my introduction to live classical music. What struck me most was hearing the human voice as an instrument along with the rest of the orchestra - amazing.

We look forward to attending some great upcoming events.

"The arts make your character gleam/
Like pebbles tumbled in a stream."

The Sky Is Falling!

2006-09-12T17:30:00.000+12:00

At 2:55 p.m. this afternoon a meteor entered the atmosphere just over Christchurch, streaked through the sky in a blaze of fire and broke into a couple of smaller pieces before it disappeared. The event created a massive sonic boom that shook many buildings. Folks thought the buildings they were in were breaking apart! The massive sonic booms were recorded by seismographs operated by Geonet.

Of course, during this time I must have been rocking out to Led Zeppelin's Cashmere in the car driving back home from The New World grocery store, because I completely missed it. Oh well, such is life.

"An extraordinary boom did sound/
As this meteor was Christchurch bound."

27/10/2006 Correction: The name of the last track of Led Zeppilin's Physical Graffiti is in fact Kashmir and not Cashmere. Cashmere is a suburb of Christchurch located on the south side of Christchurch, at the foot of the Port Hills, which, coincidentally, according to The Reed Dictionary of New Zealand Place Names was named by Sir John Cracoft Wilson who purchased land at the foot of the Port Hills and named this land after Cashmere in India (Reed notes Cashmere was an alternative spelling of Kashmere in the nineteenth century.)

Nasa Imagery of New Zealand Storm

2006-09-08T10:06:00.000+12:00

An intense winter storm hit New Zealand 12 June 2006. As it turns out, the storm was one of the worst in 50 years, dumping snow across much of the South Island. We had snow here in Christchurch which I have posted in Our First Snow of the Season. Around 3-5cm of snow fell here in downtown Christchurch, but much of the Canterbury Plain received 20-50cm of snow, with some areas of higher elevation receiving roughly 1 meter. Snow level was down to sea level with the waves washing up the beach over the newly fallen snow! The heavy snow caused long term power outages to outlying areas in inland and south Canterbury.

This image was captured 13 June 2006 by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on Nasa's Aqua satellite.

There is also a high resolution version (2.08MB) if you would like to see the awesome detail of this image. Please note the high-resolution version is a large file.

"The view from above tells the story/
Of Winter in majestic glory."

Design Changes

2006-09-07T11:36:00.000+12:00

You may notice Te Toroa: The Wandering Albatross has a little different look to it (at least, I hope you noticed :-). Our blog has been a great introduction for me to programming and web design. I have been on a steep learning curve and now feel the time is right to introduce a few design changes.

I am constantly striving to learn all I can about this new medium in the hopes that we may better be able to communicate to you. My greatest thanks goes to my loving wife Gabriella who has diligently provided support for me in my quest to develop this blog and hone my skills. She continues to teach and inspire me in spite of my ignorance and stubborn nature - Thanks, I love you. (My wife says I am turning into a geek.) I would also like to thank Jo Bind for his innovative and inspiring blog Kiwi Tracks. And, thanks to all those talented, artistic, creative folks who have selflessly provided insight into how things work!

I have already implemented some changes. You may notice when you click on an image it will now load a larger version of the image as an overlay onto the page. Also, once a larger image is loaded you may step through all the photos in that post or view each image by itself as you read through the post. I have added some handy instructions for handling the images in the sidebar in case your memory is as faulty as mine, although I am sure you will figure out how it works.

I am currently working on a few other design changes which you may notice as you check back with our blog. Many changes are subtle, but I do hope to add a couple of exciting features in the near future - no, I won't tell you what those features are - you'll just have to watch and see.

Steven

Crater Rim Walkway

2006-09-04T17:09:00.000+12:00

On Sunday 03 September we decided to get out and enjoy the fine weather we have been having by going on a hike. The Port Hills, which form the northern extent of the Banks Peninsula, border Christchurch on the south side and offer many great tramping opportunites. The Crater Rim walkway generally follows the crest of the Port Hills from Coopers Knob near the head of Governor's Bay to Evans Pass near the mouth of Lyttleton Harbour (connecting trails make it possible to hike all the way to the end of Godley Head.)

To gain access to the Crater Rim walkway we ascended Dyers Pass Road through the community of Cashmere to Summit Road. At the intersection of Dyers Pass Road and Summit Road lies the Sign of the Kiwi, an historic rest house turned cafe and teahouse. This is one of several historic rest houses built in the early 1900s including the Sign of the Bellbird, the Sign of the Takahe, and the Sign of the Packhorse, all part of entrepreneur Harry Ell's vision for the completion of a Summit Road from Godley Head to Akaroa. The Sign of the Kiwi provides great views to the north overlooking Christchurch. A great place to take a break and have a spot of tea while enjoying the view.

Heathcote Valley from the Bridle Path

As it turned out the Sign of the Kiwi proved extremely popular and we could not even find a parking place, so we decided to continue on towards our planned carpark near the Bridle Path. We headed east along Summit Road and paused briefly at Castle Rocks to check it out. Castle Rock is a prominent volcanic outcrop and popular local climbing area.

Castle Rock provides a great view to the north of the Heathcote Valley and the Bridle Path from Heathcote up the valley to the crest of the ridge where it intersects Summit Road and the Crater Rim walkway. The Bridle Path was hastily constructed in the winter of 1850-1851 to provide soon to be arriving settlers with a route from Lyttleton Harbour north over the Port Hills to the plains which Christchurch now occupies. The Bridle Path is steep; consequently, most luggage and freight was ferried around to the north through the estuary and up either the Avon River or Heathcote River.

Lyttleton Harbour

We parked our car at the Bridle Path carpark to begin our tramp. From the Bridle Path carpark, if you look to the south you can see much of Lyttleton Harbour. To the north you get a fine view of the Heathcote Valley northwards to the estuary. This is also the point where the Bridle Path intersects the Crater Rim walkway. There is a carpark at the start of the Bridle Path adjacent to the Gondola carpark. From the carpark at the valley floor the trail winds its way up to the head of the valley at the Summit Road. From the crest of the ridge the Bridle Path continues over the ridge and descends to the town of Lyttleton.

From the carpark at the Bridle Path along Summit Road we tramped eastward along a section of the Crater Rim walkway along the Mt. Cavendish Bluffs Track, which traverses around Mt. Cavendish and the Gondola through isolated sections of bush and shrub. The Christchurch Gondola is an aerial tramway which begins near the Gondola carpark on the floor of Heathcote Valley and ascends the northwest flank of Mt. Cavendish. At the top there is an interpretive center and cafe. We persevered against the temptation of an ice cream and a spot of tea available at the gondola cafe and continued along the track.

Gondola Building and Clouds

Soon after traversing Mt. Cavendish the bluff track meets up once more with the Summit Road and another carpark. From this point we continued westward along the Mt. Pleasant Bluff Track. The weather was fine, though a bit windy. The track wound up and down along the ridge, so at times we were exposed to the pleasantly cooling winds only to turn a corner and drop back down into a quiet, isolated section of shrub.

Red White and Blue

The ridge in this section of the Port Hills consists of a series of bluffs, and the trail negotiates its way along ledges between the cliffs. In some places the rocks are covered with colorful lichens, which add a bit to the scene. Not long after starting the Mt. Pleasant Bush Track we passed a lookout providing clear views to the south towards Lyttleton Harbour. We continued on for just a short while before we decided to call it a day and head back towards the carpark.

Tramping along the Crater Rim Walkway

We soon made it back to the carpark and decided to finish our short tour of the Port Hills by continuing eastward along the Summit Road and head back down the ridge via Mt. Pleasant Road. Mt. Pleasant Road slowly winds down a ridge through the community of Mt. Pleasant, finally ending at Ferry Road and back home.

There are many tracks to explore in and around the Port Hills and we look forward to exploring more tracks in the area.

Tranquil Lake Tekapo

2006-08-31T10:55:00.000+12:00

On the weekend of 4-6 August, Gaby and I made our first trip south of Christchurch to Lake Tekapo. We met up with our friends Dave and Elizabeth for a weekend of fun exploring the area. We left Christchurch early Friday afternoon so we could see the countryside in daylight. From Christchurch we traveled south on State Highway 1. When we reached Rangitata we turned off onto State Highway 79 through Geraldine to Fairlie.

Just after turning onto State Highway 79 we passed through the small town of Geraldine, where we both just happened to spot a cheese shop, so we had to stop and see what they had :-) The cheese shop, located in the Berry Barn Complex, stalks a fresh selection of Talbot Forest Cheeses, a local artisanal cheesemaker. After perusing their unexpectedly fine selection of artisanal cheeses, we bought a wonderful blue cheese and a hard sheep's milk cheese with chives. I also bought a nice cast iron fondue set - a definite necessity.

Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear.

From Geraldine we made our way to Fairlie and the junction with State Highway 8, where we headed west over Burke's Pass and entered Mackenzie Country, named after James McKenzie (this is supposedly his actual name), an early explorer and supposed sheep wrangler. The Mackenzie Country refers to the upland area lying in the foothills of the Southern Alps and contains several mountain lakes, including Lake Tekapo. State Highway 8 winds through the Albury Range, then drops to a large plain of rolling hills with an astonishing view of the surrounding snow capped peaks.

The lakes in this area (and others around New Zealand) contain what is referred to as glacial flour, a fine particulate matter eroded from the surrounding mountains by, you guessed it - glaciers. This glacial flour defracts sunlight and causes the brilliant azure blue and turquoise colors of the lakes, adding to the already picturesque environment.

We finally arrived at our weekend bach (that's Kiwi for a weekend cottage) around 5:00 pm. Dave and Elizabeth arrived shortly thereafter, and we then decided to walk to the store and buy something to cook for dinner.

Lake Tekapo

We settled on a community cooked affair of a great Indian vegetable curry with fresh broccoli, kumara (Kiwi for yam), cauliflower, etc, along with a wonderful rice. To accent this savory meal we bought a good Tripel, a locally produced specialty beer from Monteith's - it's quite nice.

That evening we settled in for a relaxing evening by the fire and decided what we wanted to do for Saturday. We were told of a good ski resort called Ohau, within about an hour of Tekapo and we decided to check it out. Gaby opted out of skiing because her shoulder was still bothering her, so she decided to take a short hike around Tekapo and visit some of the famous sights along the shoreline.

Bringing in the Sheaves - I mean, Sheep

Saturday morning Gaby took advantage of the opportunity of a warm quiet morning to sleep in to her heart's content before setting out to see the sights. A church, the Church of The Good Shepherd, was built on the shoreline in 1935. I suppose part of what makes this building so popular is its setting amongst such beautiful mountains. Lake Tekapo lies along a major route to Mt. Cook and during the height of the tourist season bus loads of folks flock to the church along the shores of the lake. It may also help that there are restroom facilities nearby :-)

Church of the Good Shepherd

Not far from the Church of the Good Shepherd is a statue of a collie dog. The bronze sculpture stands as a tribute to all the working collie dogs of the area.

Tribute to Working Collie Dogs

The Tribute:

"This monument was erected by the Runkolders of the Mackenzie County and those who also appreciate the value of the collie dog, without the help of which the grazing of this mountain country would be impossible."

On Saturday I joined Dave and Elizabeth on a trip to the ski resort Ohau. I had only been on skis once before and was keen to get some instruction on the basics. We headed off towards the skifield, winding through the hills and valleys, always heading towards the precipitous snow capped peaks. It is very evident this area was carved by glaciers, as most of the mountains rise from the valley floors at a heart stopping incline. This was where things got fun. Being from Southern California, I am used to wide, paved roads leading to expansive parking lots. The roads to ski fields are a wee bit different here in New Zealand. Keep in mind that it's currently winter here, with ice and snow on many of the roads, and we were driving in a two wheel drive car.

The ski fields are at the top of the tall rugged peaks and the only access is via narrow single lane dirt roads carved into the mountainside - with no guardrails! Just the drive to the parking area was exhilarating. I suppose that during storms no one can access these resorts. I was glad for our fine weather.

A Natural Mountain High, Ohau

Dave and I rented skis and headed off for our basic ski training session while Elizabeth headed for the slopes for a bit of intermediate instruction. Ohau has a neat conveyer belt system called "The Magic Carpet" which you can ski onto for a ride to the top of the bunny slope - Cool! Our instructor was friendly and knowledgeable and taught us the basics of maneuvering around on skis with the snow plow technique. I had a blast on the bunny slope practicing turns and stopping. I am definitely excited about skiing - what a blast!

We left Ohau around 3:00 pm and headed back to Lake Tekapo to meet up again with Gaby. After cleaning up we all ventured over to a local tavern for a couple of pizzas.

On Sunday we all slept in and enjoyed a lazy breakfast before deciding on what to do next. We all wanted to get out and hike a bit so we decided to walk from Lake Tekapo to the top of Mt. John, just above Lake Tekapo, where the University of Canterbury has built an observatory. Lake Tekapo boasts that it has the darkest sky in all of New Zealand, and is also one of the darkest skies in the world. After seeing so many stars come out at night I don't doubt it. An outfit called Earth and Sky organizes guided tours of the facility.

Mt. Dobson from Mt John

The area around Lake Tekapo is full of tracks (Kiwi for hiking trails). This particular track zig zagged up the steep face of Mt. John, but was definitely worth the effort (you can drive to the top of Mt. John if you want to.) The summit of Mt. John gave us a great view of Lake Tekapo and its namesake town. You also get a wonderful panoramic view of the surrounding snow capped peaks.

University of Canterbury's Mt. John Observatory

After a brief but necessary stop to eat some potato chips we headed back down the trail towards Lake Tekapo. The air was crisp but the scenery was great.

Lake Tekapo from Mt. John Observatory

We enjoyed our first trip south of Christchurch and look forward to exploring a bit farther south in the near future.

Playing in Punakaiki

2006-08-28T12:53:00.000+12:00

Over the weekend of the 28-30 July Gaby and I decided to get out of town once again. We again traveled along State Highway 73 west from Christchurch, over Arthur's Pass, to Greymouth. We then turned onto State Highway 6 and headed north out of Greymouth for our weekend destination - Punakaiki. The West Coast of the South Island is chock full of interesting and beautiful places, and Punakaiki pulls its weight in both departments.

A few months ago a group of friendly folks gathered together to explore a few of the caves and other sites along the West Coast. That trip was such a success that another trip to the nearby area of Punakaiki was organized. We were informed there were several backpackers available for us to use as our home base, and several people mentioned they had stayed at the Punakaiki Beach Hostel. What sold us on this particular backpackers was the fairly accurate description that it was "only a stone's throw" from the Punakaiki Tavern, one of the better restaurants in town :-)

The Punakaiki Beach Hostel is also only a "stone's throw" from the beach, especially after a particularly harsh set of storms battered the area last year and promptly removed 30 meters of beach!

Punakaiki Beach Hostel

Gaby and I left Christchurch early on Friday so we could see Arthur's Pass during the day and arrive in Punakaiki in time for dinner. As it turns out, the Punakaiki Tavern offers some great food. When I traveled through this area last month I stopped here for a healthy dinner of fish & chips. Let me tell you, this place really knows how to cook fish & chips! The lusciously battered fish was delicately fried to a mouthwatering crispness and the chips (that's Kiwi for French fries) were perfect: crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. After a long hard day of bushwhacking I was definitely up to the task of cleaning my plate.

It was with thoughts of wonderful food that we arrived at the backpacker early enough to register for our room and unload our gear - I was hungry! For dinner I convinced Gaby that we should eat at the Tavern (she agreed: she was hungry too). We both decided to order the big, juicy stake with extra savory rosemary & garlic butter - outstanding!

With a full stomach I was able to clear my thoughts and concentrate on the task at hand - visiting with friends we haven't seen for a while and determining what we were going to do this weekend. I had to put Gaby on the disabled list as she had injured her shoulder on a previous trip (as it turns out, she injured her shoulder on our previous trip to this area.). One of my goals for this weekend was to follow up on a lead for a cave in the area we explored on a previous trip. Unfortunately, with Gaby's shoulder hurting she didn't feel up to whacking through the bush for hours on end looking for new caves, so she decided she would go for a great day hike on one of the many tracks around Punakaiki while I went exploring with a determined group of cavers.

Pick a Pack Track

I gave the camera to Gaby to take with her on her hike while I bashed through the bush. She was driven to the carpark (that's Kiwi for trailhead) at the end of Bullock Creek Road where she decided to hike a loop trail back to Punakaiki. She hiked east along Bullock Creek until she met up with the Inland Pack Track, then turned south and hiked to the Pororari River, crossed it, and back out to the coast and Punakaiki.

The Path of Least Resistance

This area of the West Coast has a few karst areas, and while the tracks (that's Kiwi for a hiking trail) are maintained, the bush is dense. Trampers (that's Kiwi for hikers) who wander off trail without paying attention run the risk of falling into one of the many grikes (solution cracks) in the limestone - ouch!

Sage Advice

The trail was fairly straightforward, and Gaby was easily able to hike the entire route. And while the Pororari can be a challenge to cross when the water is high, she found the river to be low and was able to ford it without incident.

The Ford

note: if you don't see a car in this image, that's because there isn't one: a ford is a river crossing :-)

Crystal Clarity, a Rarity

Pretty Pororari Gorge

Lower Pororari Gorge

When Gaby finished her hike she walked along the beach near our backpackers.

Punakaiki Coastline

The coastline is scenic all around Punakaiki, even near our backpackers.

The Beach, Punakaiki

While Gaby enjoyed the loop track around to the Inland Pack Track and back, I headed off to finish exploring an area I visited on a past trip. This time we even managed to collect a few more accomplices. We geared up early and made a mad dash for our goal because we wanted to get there early enough to explore it. Forty five minutes later we arrived and began rigging the entrance drop into the cave.

Unfortunately, this cave did not go. While there are many holes and fissures in the rocks, few go anywhere. So, after satifsfying ourselves that this cave probably didn't go, we ventured through the bush again, looking in any potential dark holes. After a few hours of fruitless bushwhacking we gave up the hunt to head back to the car before nightfall. Such is the life of a ridgewalker: hours and hours of bushwhacking in the hope that one day something interesting will be found. Oh well. There will be other days.

I worked up an appetite bushwhacking all day and after I returned to the backpackers and cleaned up, I eagerly awaited Gaby's return so we could go eat dinner. We decided to head back to the Punakaiki Tavern to eat more of their great food. This time I ordered three fish sticks and a bowl of chips - that was a lot of food. It was heavenly. The fish was hot and delicate and the crisp chips really hit the spot. I had to work to eat it all, but it was such great food!

On Sunday we slept in :-)

Te Miko

When it was finally time to pack up and check out, Gaby suggested we hike down the Truman Track, as I had not seen it the day before. A forecasted storm hit that morning, but the wind and driving rain only added to the scenery of Te Miko. The tide was rising but still low enough to allow us to hike along the beach for a bit and see what this part of the coast looked like.

Just a short distance north along State Highway 6 is the Truman Track. This easy and beautiful fifteen minute walk takes you from the carpark along State Highway 6 through native bush with several nikkau palms and cabbage trees to a picturesque beach called Te Miko.

Sea Cave, Te Miko

The dark clouds and isolated blocks of rock along the beach made for some dramatic scenery. The beach at Te Miko is dramatic. At low tide you can walk along the sandy beach amongst big blocks of sandstone that have been broken off and scattered around by the waves. You need to keep an eye on the tides though. At high tide you get stuck, which is alright if you planned it that way.

Serpentine Swash Marks

By this time the storm was raging, and we stopped at Pancake Rocks to see if the ocean swells were big enough to make the blowhole spout. Through a driving rain and blasting wind we worked our way along the trail to the beach. Unfortunately, the situation was not quite rite for the blowhole. The tide has to be near high tide and the swells need to come out of the west or west south west for it to blow. Next time.

Mainline Steam

2006-08-03T14:54:00.000+12:00

On Saturday, July 22, Gaby and I traveled by rail west from Christchurch along part of the Tranzalpine route to Arthur's Pass. For a few select weekends the train along this route is pulled by a restored steam engine. I read quite a few reviews of how beautiful this particular route is, as it winds its way west through the Rakaia Gorge, and thought the match of great scenery and a nostalgic steam engine were too good to pass up.

I like steam engines. Even from a distance they evoke a connection to a different time period. Not to mention they are very cool: a maze of pipes and valves, a great calliope of sight and sound. They are a marvel of engineering. In New Zealand, as in many parts of the world, steam engines are from a bygone era, replaced by more efficient and powerful diesel electric locomotives.

When New Zealand switched from steam to diesel electric, a group of dedicated souls fought to retain one of the steam engines and press it into service along the Transalpine route. The Transalpine route crosses the country from Christchurch on the east coast to Greymouth on the west coast. Mainline Steam operates day excursions between Christchurch and Arthur's Pass, near the midpoint of the Transalpine route.

From our previous trip along the Transcoastal route, I knew these trains were equipped with an observation car, open to the outside, where passengers could get great, unobstructed views of the passing countryside. I looked forward to seeing the sights along a different section of rail, and knew the steam engine would add a different element to the scene.

Waiting for departure, Christchurch

Of course, steam engines are powered by... steam! Fuel for early steam engines in New Zealand was provided by coal, found in abundance along the West Coast of the South Island. The boilers have since been converted to oil burners, but the end result is the same: the water heats up enough to boil - creating steam - which is captured and stored in pressure tanks, piped through a myriad of valves into large pistons attached to the drive wheels.

Steam engines (and, I suppose, other types of engines as well) are given a description based upon the number and position of their axles. JB 1236 is referred to as a 4-8-2. Simply stated, the engine has two axles in the front of the engine which are not driven, 4 axles which are driven - the large steam piston is attached to the wheels on the axles to provide "go" power, and finally, these four driven axles are followed by two additional non powered axles. Everything seems to have its own related language. You learn something new everyday :-)

It was a cold and clear morning (the day before we experienced a particularly nasty sou'easter in Christchurch), and we saw the mushroom cloud puffs of steam from the engine as it was moved out of the railyard. Everyone gathered at the end of the station and mustered for a chance to capture an image of the steam engine connecting to the passenger railcars.

JB 1236 with water tender

This engine was built in 1939 (J 1236) in the UK and transported to New Zealand the following year. After many years of service a concerted restoration effort was begun in 1998. During the restoration the boiler was converted from a coal burner to an oil burner, and the engine was reclassified as JB 1236.

No Smoking

Steam engines require water and must periodically refill the water tenders. JB1236 is no different, and makes a stop at Springfield to replenish the water supply. I had visions of the train stopping under a large elevated wooden tank equipped with a long metal spout hinged at the bottom, lowered down to hang just above the water tender while someone pulled a cord to turn on the valve and gravity feed the water into the tank.

Stop for service, Springfield

I took this opportunity to get off the train and take a closer look at the steam engine. My nostalgic visions were destroyed when I watched the steam engine uncouple from the train and cruise down the track. I grabbed my camera and followed.

Valves and Dials

Instead of an elevated water tank, the engine moved down the track and stopped on a bridge over a small river. One of the crew then lowered a hose into the river, started a petrol powered water pump, and proceeded to fill the water tender - so much for my nostalgic vision.

Filling the water tender, Springfield

I was able to walk around the engine as the crew worked to fill the water tender. Occasionally bursts of steam would shoot out at odd angles from various places on the engine.

Drive lines

JB 1236

Christchurch is located on the Canterbury Plain, a large coastal plain along the central East Coast of the South Island, a deposit resulting from the intense erosion of the Southern Alps. This area is the bread basket of the South Island - agriculture is prevalent here. Springfield is located at the western extent of the Canterbury Plain, at the base of the Southern Alps.

West from Springfield the rail follows the couse of the Waimakariri River upstream for quite a way. Soon the terrain steepens, and the views are outstanding.

Lower Rakaia Gorge

The Southern Alps are steep and the views are spectacular. I grabbed my camera and headed for the observation car, hoping to capture some great pictures. As the railroad grade steepens, the steam engine has to work harder to pull the train along the track. When the engine works harder, more billowing clouds of steam are created. Oh, I forgot to mention the tunnels. The tracks go through many tunnels. There are something like 16 tunnels between Springfield and Arthur's Pass.

Gaby and I happily peered out over the side of the observation cars, gazing out at the scenery. I wanted to get a shot of the train rounding a corner, so I could see the whole train and the engine belching out steam. Very cool. We passed through the first tunnel. It was neat to be within 25 cm from the walls of the tunnel as we sped our way through. The tunnel was short and we quickly emerged back into daylight. The tunnels are also separated by viaducts (that's Kiwi for a bridge :-). It was fun to cross the viaducts and enter yet another tunnel, feeling the wind in your face.

Chugging up to Arthur's Pass

After a few tunnels something finally dawned on me. There is, of course, steam which blasts out of the stack of the engine - this I was fully aware of. What I did not realize however (but something that would have occurred to most average thinking people), is that exhaust (originally soot from burning coal, but now soot and unburned oil) exits the stack along with the steam. This was all well and good and quite attractive when the train was viewed around bends in the track, wending its way through the narrow gorges. However, standing in the open observation car whilst the steam engine pulled the train through the long narrow tunnels was altogether different.

The first short tunnel was not a problem. When the train passed through longer tunnels, the belching exhaust from the engine's stack filled the entire free space withing the tunnel, which inevitably engulfed the open air observation car near the back of the train. At times the oily exhaust was so thick I could not see Gaby standing 1 meter away! We both tried in vain to cover our mouths and breath through our scarves. After the fourth or fifth tunnel we gave up. We made a quick exit back to our seats. That was when we noticed the funny looks.

As we made our way back to our seats people would look at us in an odd way or even snicker. The thick clouds of oily exhaust coated everything in a thin layer of black oily soot - our hair, our clothes, and our faces were coated in it - yuck! After a quick trip to the bathroom I resolved to keep inside the train for the rest of the trip.

We made great progress up the pass, at least while the engine was holding sufficient steam pressure. The old engine had a difficult time keeping a good head of steam and on three different occasions the train had to stop to allow the boiler to "blow up" (generate enough steam pressure to continue up the pass. However, these pauses were a great excuse to get a good look at the surroundings. We eventually made it into the Arthur's Pass station (albeit, 1.5 hours later than scheduled).

The day before our trip a nasty storm rolled over the South Island, dumping 25 cm of fresh snow in Arthur's Pass. The snow was beautiful, even if it was cold. Our original plan was to spend an hour or so relaxing in a restaurant before the train's scheduled departure back to Christchurch; however, since the train arrived 1.5 hours late, we only had 50 minutes before the train was scheduled to depart. We decided to quickly get out of the station and head to a cafe for a quick bite to eat and a hot chocolate.

One of my goals during this trip was to find some keas. Kea are mountain parrots. These are large beautiful birds and very curious animals. I do not usually associate keas and snow. These birds really like attention, and often perform crazy antics so people notice them!

Curious Kea

The recent snow entirely covered the tracks in the rail yard, and after we ate lunch, Gaby and I walked back to the station to watch the steam engine head to the round-a-bout for the return trip. It was exciting to watch the engine plow the snow from the tracks as it maneuvered around to the front of the train.

Railway Station, Arthur's Pass

JB 1236, Arthur's Pass

Playing on the West Coast

2006-07-14T15:07:00.000+12:00

I managed to get away last weekend for a couple of days of fun on the West Coast of the South Island. I joined a group of friends to look for caves in an area between Greymouth and Westport, along the West Coast. I have not had the chance for much cross country travel (called bushwhacking in New Zealand) and was excited about the trip. We left Christchurch around 6:00 A.M. Friday and drove west over Arthur's Pass. The weather has been cold lately and we were all a bit surprised to see how much snow has fallen in Arthur's Pass. Our clear weather window held however, and we made it over the pass with no trouble. We made a quick stop at a cafe and I purchased a couple of savory meat pies to hold me over until dinner. Once our appetites were satiated we were eager to get into the bush. After a short time we parked the truck and geared up for our day of bushwhacking.

We ascended a ridge, fighting our way through the sometimes dense bush. I had the chance to get acquainted with a wonderful plant called supplejack. I don't think this vine has leaves because I never did see where the vines led to. The vines are generally about as thick as your index finger and have the annoying habit of growing in lazy loops and arches and occur in sufficient numbers as to catch on everything - arms, legs, boots, packs, etc. All of us experienced a bit of "bushrage" at one point or another :-)

Lunch stop at the top of the ridge

The flora and fauna was amazing! Aside from the supplejack, we encountered cabbage trees, lancewood, tree ferns, kauri, and many other beautifully green and luscious plants. Curious robins would flitter about, land on a rock or branch within a meter or two and watch what you were doing. No doubt they were thankful for the insects we disturbed.

Most of the ridge is covered in thick bush

Our goal was to look for cave entrances. However, the bush was so thick in places you could be standing within 5 meters of an entrance and not see it. I could not help but think about search principles like "Probability of Detection." Sufficient coverage of this area would be difficult. I am sure we unknowingly walked by as many entrances as we found.

Cave entrances are sometimes hidden by the bush

We found many entrances, but most were either blocked with silt or constrictions which were two small to negotiate. However, it only takes one small passage to connect to a larger system within the ridge, and chance to find virgin (unexplored) cave drove us onward.

This cave descended into a tight and incredibly unstable crack.

At the very end of the day - as is usually the case - we found an interesting feature: A tomo (vertical entrance) with what looks to be a 20 meter drop. We had to leave this cave to explore at a later date as it was getting late and we wanted to get back to the main trail by nightfall. What a wonderful experience! We may not have covered much ground, but there are enough interesting features in this area to make us all want to return. Now we have another goal: to find out where this cave goes.

We got back to our car around 6:00 P.M. and headed back into town to grab a bite to eat. After a relaxing dinner of fish and chips we drove back to Greymouth and stayed with a West Coast caver for the night.

I began the weekend with a bit of play on Friday. We then went to work on Saturday (well, ok, this is really playing also :-). On Saturday our group joined up with a few folks from the West Coast who are all involved in cave rescue. Our goal for the day was to rig a mineshaft to lower an attendant to the bottom (if possible) and back up. Some folks told a story about a person who disappeared many years ago in the area (the body was never found), and it might be possible that this mineshaft could have been the final resting place. Who knows? However, the area is riddled with mineshafts from a previous era of gold mining. The story did, however, add some interest to the operation.

Sorting gear

We measured the pitch with a rope tied to a rock and measured it at about 20 meters, although we were not sure if the shaft continued at an angle or not. This mineshaft was dug into alluvium. Large cobbles lined the walls of the shaft, and we watched as some of the cobbles spontaneously dislodged from the wall to crashed to the bottom. Because of the dangerous objective rockfall hazard, we decided to rig the shaft with a deflection so we could lower an attendant into the shaft without disturbing the walls.

I wonder what's down there?

As this was a rescue practice, we all got the chance to hone our rigging skills by setting up the rope systems. Part of our training included a short presentation about the dangers of bad air present in many mines, and we were encouraged to observe proper safety procedures by utilizing an oxygen monitor. We were also reminded of proper belay technique. After these presentations we set out to rig two tripods, one on either side of the shaft, rig the haul system for the deflection, and the haul system and belay for the attendant.

Proper belay technique

After a quick lunch we commenced the operation, and a brave soul was lowered down the shaft. Actually, due to the instability of the shaft, the attendant was only lowered about 2 meters before being hauled back to surface.

Two tripods, one deflection

Well, we did not solve the mystery of the missing person, but we all had a great day of training! I still wonder what's down there, but I will let someone else find out.

We wrapped up the operation as rain started to fall. We left shortly after packing the truck because we had to drive over Arthur's Pass back to Christchurch. Luckily, only rain fell in the pass and we soon made it back home.

Orana Wildlife Park

2006-07-03T12:37:00.000+12:00

On Saturday Gaby and I visited the Orana Wildlife Park, located just west of Christchurch along the Waiamakariri River. The park focuses mostly on large game animals from Africa, but does have a few exhibits of native New Zealand wildlife. Orana is described as an "open range" park, which means, when possible, fences or containment features blend in with the environment - except, of course, for the large, industrial wire screens which separate the lions from the visitors :-) As it turns out, Orana designers took much of the native terrain into account, utilizing the naturally shallow water table to maintain moats which form part of a natural containment perimeter around the paddocks

Self portrait at the entrance to Orana Wildlife Park

The water table has recently risen in the vicinity due to a higher than average rainfall. The higher water table has led to flooding of some areas, such as the ring tailed lemur paddock. Fortunately, a boat has been provided for them.

The ringtailed lemur paddock.

Orana Wildlife Park does house some native New Zealand species, such as the kiwi. The kiwi is a nocturnal animal, so it sleeps during the day and forages during the night. This arrangement would normally make for a boring display - the birds would all be asleep during normal business hours. To add more interest to the display, kiwi are usually housed in what is known as a "kiwi house." The birds are placed inside a light tight building, and the lights are slowly shifted twelve hours off. In other words, inside the building the birds are fooled into thinking it's dark outside, when they are more active. This was perhaps the first kiwi house I have visited in which the kiwis were active! It was great to see these big funny looking birds waddle around the enclosure. Flash photography was not allowed inside the kiwi house, so you will have to settle for this lifesize replica of a kiwi - the bird, not the person :-)

The kiwi house.

There was a nice display of some native and endemic bird species, such as the kea, tui, and pukeko. They have a small aviary which contains a variety of New Zealand birds. The exhibit was lush and the air filled with interesting bird calls.

The New Zealand bird aviary.

A picturesque clumb of stalks in the moat which formed the front perimeter of the Rhino paddock. I felt quite safe knowing this clump of twisted sticks and twiggs formed the heart of the perimeter enclosure and would stop a potential charge from the 4000 pounds of malice roaming beyond the moat.

Reflections

I had to try out the flying fox located in the Adventure Playground. In New Zealand a flying fox is a system where a cable is suspended between two points with a basket or seat attached to the cable with a pulley. These systems were originally developed as a means of transporting goods or people across a river or gorge. The flying fox has since been transormed into an exhilerating use of a zip line!

The flying fox.

Hmmm....This could be interesting!

I am fascinated with big cats. I grew up with house cats and have always thought it interesting that our pet cats share many of the same behaviours with their distant wild cousins. I enjoy watching the big cats on display, especially when I see the same behaviours my house cats have shown. I like to imagine that my house cat is a wild cat, hunting for prey in the wild. From afar, I can even imagine one of these as a house cat - from afar! From close up, you can see these cats are not quite the same as your house cat.

The Lion Encounter Ride: It seems Orana Wildlife Park offers a special visitor engagement whereupon a park visitor may encounter the feeding of lions from a most advantageous point of view. It was just after 2:00pm and I hadn't eaten lunch yet; at least this would provide me with the opportunity to watch other critters eat. Upon paying the necessary $12.00/person fee I was handed two tickets - printed on red paper no less. The intrigue rose when I read the tickets. Printed on the tickets was a list of rules:

Lion Encounter Ride Ticket

Rule #1. I will follow the instructions of the animal keeper at all times.

Rule #2. I will keep my whole body (including arms & legs) behind the central barrier.

Rule #3. I will not attempt to touch the lions under any circumstances

Rule # 4. I am taller than 1.4 metres.

After reading this list of rules, a few thoughts came to mind: Rule#1 is sensible enough. I wonder what happend that caused the phrase "including arms & legs" to be added to Rule #2 ? Isn't Rule#3 a bit redundant? I mean, this is supposed to be an encounter with feeding lions. And apearently, according to Rule#4, whatever size the appetizer, it appears the lions have a minimum size for a main...

The chuckwagon - I mean - our lion encounter transport vehicle.

According to the animal keeper, in captivity these lions usually eat around 8 pounds of meat at a sitting. We were then informed that if the lions are fed that much every day they become lazy. So, to maintain healthy activity in the animals, they are not fed every day, but have "fast days," which provides the big cats ample opportunity to digest the bone and sinew they eat along with the more choice bits. Needless to say, these lions had an appetite.

Hungry lions.

These were BIG CATS. They had BIG CLAWS and BIG TEETH. I guess our animal keeper has not read Rule #2.

Oddly enough, their breath smelled faintly of liver and kidney slices in gravy...

Our lion encounter vehicle stopped in front of the large viewing stand positioned safely outside the paddock (do they know something we don't?). At this point a couple of the more "active" cats decided to jump up on top of the cage. Above our heads. The big cats walked back and forth across the top of the cage. The lion was hungry. It was drooling on us. Occasionally the animal keeper would reach into a bucket, pull out another chunk of meaty bits and push it through the heavy metal cage for the big cat to gulp down. The big cat jumped off the top of our cage as easily as it jumped up - what a site!

The lions ride for free.

Wondering how to get at the soft pink meaty bits inside?

The moat in front of the giraffe paddock.

A curious giraffe.

Yes, you can feed the giraffes. If you can hold onto the stalk hard enough the giraffe will wrap its toungue around the branch and strip it clean of leaves.

A hungry giraffe.

The giraffe shared their paddock with a few pukeko.

Our First Snow of the Season

2006-06-12T14:37:00.000+12:00

A big storm finally arrived late last night and brought with it our first snow of the season here in Christchurch. It rained hard last night, and early this morning everything grew quiet, a sure sign of falling snow! I opened the front door when I got up this morning and was greated by large fluffy snowflakes kissing my face. Snow fell on and off all day, and temperatures hovered around 0-1 degree Celsius. The ground was not quite cold enough for the snow to stick, especially on any paved surface; but, on rooftops and bare ground the snow laid down a beautiful white blanket. This is pretty neat, considering that we live at an elevation of 9 meters above sea level. I went for a walk this morning around town to see what the city looked like. What a relief to not have to get up every hour on the hour to shovel snow from the driveway!

Centre City, Christchurch

Our neighbor's obligatory snowman.

Hagley Park looking northeast towards Riccarton Avenue.

The intersection of Hagley Avenue and Riccarton Avenue.

The Antigua Boat Sheds along the Avon River.

The kitchen garden at The Curator's House.

At the Botanic Gardens looking from The Curator's House towards the Canterbury Museum.

The Botanic Gardens.

Looking east along Worcester Street towards Christchurch Cathedral in Cathedral Square.

A photogenic telephone booth. Don't laugh. There are folks out there with a passion for telephone booths.

Christchurch Cathedral, Cathedral Square

Looking west down Cashel Street from Oxford Terrace.

This was foul weather, at least for this pair of Putangitangi, the Paradise Shelduck.

Scarborough Head

2006-06-11T17:59:00.000+12:00

Today we decided to get out of the house before the next storm hit. We decided to tramp along the coast on a spectacular cliffside trail from Scarborough Head to Taylor's Mistake. The hike starts out at Sumner, 10km east south east of downtown Christchurch. From near the beach the trail ascends the volcanic cliffs of Scarborough Head (some maps show this peninsula labeled as Sumner Head), winding along the steep cliffs above the sea, just behind some great houses built to take advantage of the great views. The trail winds its way around Scarborough Head, switchbacking up and down a couple of ravines, to end up at the beach at Taylor's Mistake. Near Taylor's Mistake the trail passes by several Baches (simple beach houses) precariously perched on top of the wave cut bench at the base of the cliffs. We were met on the trail by a friendly three legged border collie who seemed to enjoy our company. The weather remained agreeable for our hike and provided some interesting cloud formations.

We returned to Sumner Beach along the same route and had lunch at a restaurant along the beach. After lunch we wandered towards Cave Rock, a remnant of a volcanic headland with a cave which runs right through it. You can hike through the cave at low tide.

For a short note on the history of Godley Head and the surrounding area, including Tayloy's Mistake, click here.

A Topo of Scarborough Head (Topographic Map 260 N36 &N37 Akaroa, Toitu te whenua, Land Information, New Zealand)

A descriptive hiking map from Canterbury Coast: a guide to beaches, bays, and river mouths, by Mark Pickering (pg. 29), published February 2006 by Mark Pickering.

View from Scarborough Head looking towards Sumner Beach.

The trail skirted the properties along the top of the cliff.

Looking southeast from Scarborough Head to Godley Head.

We passed some formidable beasts grazing along the trail.

View of Taylor's Mistake from Scarborough Head.

Baches located just north of Taylor's Mistake.

A sign affixed to a rock above this bach reads: "Whare Moki. The original Cave Dwelling erected by the Hobson Family 1891." Click here to see a photo of the interior of the bach from circa 1910.

These baches have lots of character.

Walking along the beach at low tide just north of Taylor's Mistake.

Our three legged hiking companion.

A burst of blue flowers.

Storm clouds brewing over Christchurch.

Gaby happy that lunch is on the way.

Cave Rock front door.

Cave Rock back door.

Steven and Gaby Self Portraits

2006-06-08T15:42:00.000+12:00

Yes, these are photos that you may have seen in other posts. I decided to post these photos again in case you have forgotten what we look like. Actually, I just needed to post some pictures to the blog again so I could include them in our profiles :-)

We've Got Wheels

2006-06-07T18:49:00.000+12:00

Today I picked up our car from the Toyota Dealer. Gaby and I are now the proud owners of a 2005 Toyota Echo, complete with a mighty 1300 cc engine! It's interesting to note this cylinder volume is only moderately larger than the average water bottle we put in our pack when we hike. The Dealer was quick to tell me this car could easily do 180km/hour. I can't imagine how SCARY that would be! Actually, we both wanted a good, economical car, and Toyota had just want we needed. I was very impressed with the whole car buying thing here in New Zealand. The entire process was the antithesis of car buying in the U.S. I simply walked into the dealership, asked to take a test drive, and was handed the keys. The salesman then said, "I'll see you when you get back." When we decided to buy the car, we walked into the office and I asked how much the car would cost to buy, and he informed me that the price on the sticker was the price of the car, with everything included. No taxes. No delivery fee. No extras whatsoever! When I picked up the car today I wrote a personal check for it. Pretty low key.

Note that the steering wheel is on the right.

It's either gear or Gaby when we go on trips :-)

Caving in Charleston

2006-06-07T15:28:00.000+12:00

The first weekend of June is a three day weekend, a celebration in honor of the Queen 's birthday (no, New Zealand is not a monarchy, this is a celebration in honor of the Queen of England). Every year for many years now the Canterbury Caving Group has been the driving force behind a weekend of caving on the West Coast of the South Island around Charleston. This would be our first opportunity to go caving with our own gear!

We had hoped to have our new car by the time we left, but that was not the case, so we rented a car for the drive over Arthur's Pass to the wet - I mean West - Coast. This would be a rather posh weekend, our accommodations being a Motor Park on the edge of town, with a pub just around the corner. We had our own room with a shared kitchen and bathroom.

We left early Saturday morning to give us a chance to make some stops along the way. I have not been through Arthur's Pass so we wanted to see it during daylight, rather than leaving late Friday evening. In the pass we stopped at a coffee shop for some well deserved hot chocolate, hoping to catch a glimpse of a kea or two. Unfortunately, the keas decided not to show, probably due to the approaching fowl - I mean foul - weather. Just after leaving the visitor center in Arthur's Pass the sky became grey and ominous. The weather had decided not to follow the weather forecast. It then rained almost non-stop until the next morning.

Out of Arthur's Pass we hit the West Coast at the town of Greymouth, stopped for lunch, and continued north along the coast to Punakaiki and the nearby Pancake Rocks, a picturesque eroded limestone formation along the coast and part of Paparoa National Park. We braved the approaching storm for a chance to see the awesome blowhole there. Unfortunately we missed high tide by about an hour and the prevailing weather conditions were not conducive to big blowhole action, so we contented ourselves with hiking around the very cool track which winds along the seacliffs and over arches and seastacks in the making.

Just a wee bit north of Punakaiki is the small town of Charleston, a relic of a once large gold mining town which boomed in the 1860s when placer gold was found in the area. After unloading our baggage into our cottage, Gaby and I hiked the short distance to Constant Bay, an extremely small, hazardous bay which was once used by ships for an anchorage, although now much of the bay has been silted in from the mining activities.

When we walked back to the house we were met by Alice Shanks who pressed us into making a quick trip into Metro, a cave located not far from our motor lodge. Gaby and I kitted up and practically ran to the entrance, ran around the cave for about half an hour, took a few pictures and ran back out to the motor lodge just in time for a dinner celebration at the pub. A local West Coast caver was being honored with an honorary life membership to the New Zealand Speleological Society. It sounded like a good enough reason to end the day at a pub.

On Sunday, after sleeping in for as long as possible (lately, until about 6:00 am for me), Gaby and I took a hike back out to Constant Bay so I could take some photos of the area before the rain came again. We cruised around the cliffs and then headed back to the motor lodge to sign up for a cave trip.

We joined up with Lindsay Main who expressed an interest in finishing a survey in a little visited cave called Kohatu. This would be a fun cave, as it included just a tad of vertical - a sloping entrance of 20m followed by a 10 m pitch into a rift - cool! We kitted up and off we went. This part of the West Coast has great masses of thick bush; but, as luck would have it, the trail to this cave was fairly easy going, following a small streambed for most of the time, giving us somewhat of a track to follow. At the entrance we waited as Lindsay rigged the pitch, and were promptly dumped on by a short but intense downpour. This gave us incentive to be inside the cave. Unfortunately, the rain did make for a bit of a wet pitch. Once down the pitch we entered a chamber with a small river running along the bottom, but we crossed the room on a sporting rock bridge over the chasm 10m below and followed a rift. The rift closed down to a crawl, forcing us to slither through the layer of mud and muck which conveniently lined the bottom of the passage. I will take mud anyday over hard, pointy rocks bashing against my knees and shins! This passage continued for some 200m or so before entering another chamber which meets the river once again. A quick climb down a slope put us into the stream which we followed for another 30 meters until it sumped out. Unfortunately, we were unable to figure out where the last survey stopped, or where the other passage we were to survey began, so after exploring the stream passage for a while we headed back out of the cave. What a fun cave: a little vertical work, some mud crawling, a good size cave stream and big rooms.

On Monday we decided to take it easy and join a group of folks tramping around some of the old goldfields just outside of town. When placer gold was discovered in the area, miners utilized the local streams for large monitors and sluices. The trail we followed ran along an old water race which was often dug through the low ridges for greater access. The neatest part of this trail was finding some old tunnels which had been eroded over time by the streams, some in excess of 5 meters! They looked like canyons one might see in the mud caves of Anza Borrego in Southern California; but, if you looked at the ceiling you could see the pick marks from the original hand dug tunnel - very cool!

After our hike we returned to pack up and head back over Arthur's Pass to Christchurch. I wanted to get a pretty early start over the pass because I did not have chains and the weather was turning cold, with icy roads a real threat. However, we made it home without a glitch!

Charleston is between Greymouth and Westport on the West Coast of the South Island.

Detail of the West Coast of the South Island between Greymouth and Westport.

Looking North along the West Coast, somewhere north of Greymouth. This is the Tasman Sea.

Yes, that bad weather is heading this way.

Gaby and Nikau Palm.

There are faces in the cliffs.

Gaby and flax.

A large surge pool.

Looking south from Pancake Rocks.

Pancake Rocks detail

Rugged coastline

The trail cuts through the thick bush.

I just had to take a picture of this sign. Yes, that is a penguin.

The entrance to Metro.

Cave pretties

Big passage

There were sections of passage with a white mineral coating on the walls.

Group shot.

Much of the floor of the cave was simply packed mud.

Great formation out of a fracture in the ceiling.

All in a row.

Attempting an artistic shot.

Constant Bay in foul weather.

Two masted schooners used to pass through to anchor in the bay!

Constant Bay and flax.

Steven and Gaby self portrait.

The bush extends right to the sea.

Charleston

Constant Bay, now silted in a bit. I have seen pictures of two-masted schooners anchored here.

Entrance pitch of Kohatu Cave.

View from bottom of 10m pitch.

Gaby overtaken by a cave nebula. Look what it did to her cave suit!

Exploring the trail along the water race through the goldfields.

The trail passed through several hand dug tunnels.

Believe it or not, there is a trail here.

This started out as a hand dug tunnel for the water race, and the water has eroded the bottom to create tantalizing stream passage through the ridge.

A quarter moon illuminates the snow capped peaks in Arthur's Pass.

Home Sweet Home

2006-05-20T12:14:00.000+12:00

Our stuff finally arrived today! Our belongings have traveled for over 3 months, and today, the movers pulled up in a big truck and offloaded our belongings. Now our back room is completely full of boxes, and I have to go through the boxes and inventory them to make sure they all survived the trip; but, at least our stuff is here.

When I told the truck driver that it took over three months for our belongings to get to New Zealand he informed me that the rest of the load on his truck belonged to a woman who moved from Hawaii, and she had been waiting 5 months for her stuff!

All of our boxes filled our back bedroom nearly to the ceiling. Let the sorting begin.

Foundation Ropes Course

2006-05-20T09:24:00.000+12:00

On the weekend of May 12-14, 2006, Gaby and I took part in a basic technical ropes course here in Christchurch. In New Zealand Search and Rescue training is funded by the government, through an organization called SARINZ, the Search and Rescue Institute New Zealand, and classes are offered through Tai Pouitini Polytechnic. What a great way to support the instruction of those folks who contribute so much as volunteers.

The course was taught over three days, and Friday evening we went over several of the knots commonly used in Search and Rescue. All day Saturday and Sunday morning we utilized class time and hands on skills tests to reinforce concepts. The chief concept was to train complex, and act simply. In other words, to train at a high level, and then implement only to the complexity that needs to be done. We were taught many skills to enable the quick setup of expedient anchors to move a patient in a safe manner.

On Sunday Afternoon we took to the field to put our newly learned skills to practice. We braved a fresh southeaster bringing cold winds and plenty of wet while we had fun setting up progress capture systems, haul systems,and edge protection around a route chosen by the instructor. The exercise was a great success! This was a great opportunity for folks to understand what it takes to set up systems and just how simple and fast they can be. One of the most difficult aspects of technical rescue is to be able to look at a situation and implement a system which is only as complex as it needs to be. Oftentimes simple is best, as well as expeditious.

Andy and Kirsty practice the use of a münter hitch.

Class instruction.

Gaby rapelling with a munter hitch.

Simple mechanical advantage.

Constructing a "set of fours." A compact block and tackle setup.

The absence of the familiar

2006-05-07T11:25:00.000+12:00

I guess I am a creature of habit too. After all, I've lived at the same address for almost 10 years now, the longest I've ever lived everywhere. My head still can't get itself around the fact that, no, this is not a temporary arrangement. What makes it harder, I have decided, is the lack of familiar objects to make it feel like home. Everything is new, including our home furnishings. So, besides the practicality of getting our stuff, there is also a desire to re-establish that feeling of "home" that is definitively lacking: familiar pictures, books, knickknacks, the chime of my ship's clock... From past experience, I know it'll take over a year before I'll really feel "home", and about 5-6 years before I'll really feel "plugged in". We've got a ways to go.

Longing for Belongings

2006-05-03T07:43:00.000+12:00

We packed our belongings in January, with a final mad dash the first week of February, and the movers picked up our stuff for shipping on February 8. We were told that our shipment would reach Auckland in 8 to 10 weeks time. We had heard from others that their shipments had arrived in even less than 8 weeks, so Gaby and I left LA on February 12, spent a week in the Cook Islands, and figured that in as little as 4 weeks we would have our stuff. However, that has not been the case. In the beginning of April we were contacted by our shipping company and informed that our belongings would arrive in Auckland on April 22. We were also given the container number and the manifest for the ship it was loaded on. Gaby researched the ship on the internet and found that it did not even leave Long Beach harbor until March 13, and the ship was destined for Hong Kong via the North Pacific, with several stops at various Chinese ports along the way, no doubt picking up numerous containers filled with cheap plastic toys before heading back to LA. At some point the container was offloaded in Hong Kong, and then loaded onto a ship destined for Australia. Last week I received another call from our movers who informed me that due to severe weather in Australia - Australia was hit by a bad hurricane the week before - shipping schedules were behind. The soonest possible ship that would get underway for Auckland would arrive on May 9, with no guarantee that our container would be on it. The saga of the stuff continues...

Wellington Weekend

2006-04-30T07:29:00.000+12:00

We took advantage of a long weekend to travel to Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. We decided the best way to see more of New Zealand would be to travel by train from Christchurch to Picton and take a ferry across the Cook Strait to Wellington.

New Zealand's passenger railway is called the Tranz Scenic Railway. We booked passage on the tranzcoastal route. Our train left Christchurch at 7:00 a.m. for the 6 hour train ride to Picton. The train had a neat open car which allowed you to look out of the train from the open car and feel the wind in your face as you traveled around the countryside - very nice. One of our stops was in Kaikoura, where we walked off the train to the beach (about 100 meters away) and watched a large pod of dusky dolphins play right next to shore! The section of rail line near Kaikoura is a spectacular beach, reminiscent of the central California coastline. Around 1:00 p.m. we arrived in Picton, where we transferred to our roll-on/roll-off ferry.

We booked passage on the Interislander Ferry. Our ship was the Kaitaki. The crossing of the Cook Straight was uneventful, although beautiful, as we left the scenic Marlborough sound around Picton and traveled to the harbour at Wellington, on the north island. The seas were calm and the weather was nice for our trip. We were lucky, apparently the weather can change extremely fast, and can get pretty nasty.

At about 4:00 p.m. we arrived in Wellington harbour and made our way to the Wellington Downtown Backpackers. This is an older art deco style hotel converted into a hostel. They also have a small cafe on the 1st floor. Our backpackers was conveniently located along the waterfront, near downtown Wellington, which allowed us to walk to most of the city.

On Sunday we visited Te Papa, the National Museum of New Zealand. This museum houses the largest collection of native pacific islander artifacts in the region. They also just happened to open the newly returned traveling exhibit of Lord of the Rings - very cool! We spent all day walking around the museum. One neat exhibit they have is a section of bush, complete with a replication of a cave.

That evening, while walking along the waterfront back to our backpackers, we heard something in the water and looked around for what was making the strange noise. After looking for a bit, we noticed some strange small birds in the water, and then it dawned on us - these were blue penguins, and right here on the waterfront in the middle of Wellington!

On Monday we visited the Museum of Wellington City and the Sea, which has displays portraying the role that shipping has played in the development of Wellington through the years.

On Tuesday morning I got up early and took a walk along the waterfront; at least, I did until the rain came. Then, we packed up, left our bags at the backpackers, and wandered around Wellington. We decided to take a ride on the Wellington funicular up to the botanical gardens above the city, where we visited the Carter Observatory and watched a great planetarium show of the skies of the southern hemisphere.

We then picked up our bags and headed to the airport for a plane ride back to Christchurch. The weather was bad on Tuesday and many of the flights were delayed due to bad weather, including our flight. When we finally made it back to Christchurch, the landing was fun as there were high winds!

Wellington is located near the south end of the North Island.

The Cook Strait separates the South Island from the North Island. Our ferry traveled between Picton and Wellington.

The view from the open air observation car on our Tranzcoastal train ride from Christchurch to Picton.

A passing freight train.

Wellington harbour from our Interislander ferry.

Across from our backpackers a ship was docked in the harbour which had on its deck the largest spools I have ever seen - they were easily 10 meters in circumference!

Gaby standing sentinel at the cave entrance at Te Papa.

Well decorated cave passage at Te Papa.

Glow worms in Te Papa cave.

This is a small salad bowl, approximately 2 meters in length and 1 meter in height. The largest bowls require approximately 30 people to move! According to the text, the whole village participates in providing the fixings.

Carvings inside a Marae at Te Papa

A poor picture to be sure, of a blue penguin along the waterfront, downtown Wellington.

Sunrise over Mt. Victoria.

Sunrise in Wellington Harbour.

Paturau River

2006-04-18T16:49:00.000+12:00

Gaby and I had a long weekend for Easter and decided to head out of town. As it turns out, the New Zealand Speleological Society holds an annual caving trip to the Paturau River. We were able to borrow many camping items from several of our friends, as our belongings have not yet arrived in New Zealand.

The Paturau River is located near the northwest corner of the south island, in the Nelson Region. Normally this is a fairly wet region, but the rain held off for three days in a row, providing wonderful weather for the cavers. Paturau is about an 8 hour drive from Christchurch, which allowed us to explore some of the beautiful countryside here in New Zealand.

We estimated about 100 people showed up for the event, a pretty good number of people! We were able to meet cavers from all over New Zealand and explore some of the great caves of this region. I unfortunately do not have any photos as yet of the caves in this region as I do not have a waterproof camera; However, I have uploaded some images of the absolutely gorgeous area where we camped. Our camp was situated along the mouth of the Paturau River, in a small grassy paddock surrounded by Nikau Palms on one side and the beach on the other!

Gaby and I were invited to go on our first "real" caving trips this weekend - what a blast. I have had to redefine the term "dry cave." Before our first trip I asked if this was going to be a dry cave, as I did not have a wetsuit. I was told, "No worries, this is a dry cave." Well, we got about 10 meters into the cave and had to ford through cold water up to our thighs! I said I thought this was a dry cave, and that was when it was explained to me that in New Zealand, a cave is considered a wet cave if the water puts out your carbide lamp - anything less is considered a dry cave!

Our tidy paddock.

The view from the first floor

The beach was quiet in the morning, noon, and night.

There were many neat rock formations along the beach.

The native bush is considered "tiger country."

Much of the bush around Paturau has been cleared for farming, but there are still untouched patches to be found.

See all the people?

...And this is Easter weekend!

Back to Work

2006-04-12T10:59:00.000+12:00

Well, not just yet - I have to get a job first. On 11 April, 2006, I was granted a work permit for New Zealand! That means I will be able to work at any job with any employer (yes, only if they hire me). With the work permit granted, I can now focus on putting together my resume and figure out what kind of work to do...

In the mean time I have thoroughly enjoyed being in the kitchen. I find it relaxing (most of the time), and it allows me to put some quality time into cooking some delicious food. For instance, earlier this week I made a glorious homemade ragu, fire roasted some yellow, orange and red peppers, blanched fresh spinach, and yesterday I baked a homemade fire roasted pepper and spinach lasagne (complete with homemade ragu, fresh herbs, pasta, Parmesan cheese and bocconcini). I can't wait for dinner...

Diamond Harbour

2006-04-10T08:11:00.000+12:00

On Saturday Gaby and I took a bus to Lyttleton because they have a farmer's market we wanted to check out. We have looked around for farmer's markets in Christchurch and check them out when we can. We bought a loaf of fresh baked bread and some organic tomatoes (which look like a version of roma) and then headed off to explore Lyttleton before taking the bus back home.

We decided to take the ferry across Lyttleton harbor to Diamond Harbour, a small settlement atop the bluffs. We walked around a little park and then took a look at a garden shop at the top of a hill.

Lyttleton Harbour is just south southeast from Christchurch

Our ferry boat ride.

View of Diamond Harbour from a hole in a shed

Diamon Harbour nestled between bluffs.

A park adjacent to the ferry landing.

A curios dog.

Salvia.

Striking orange flower.

Riccarton Bush

2006-04-01T22:21:00.000+12:00

Today Gaby and I visited the Riccarton Bush, here in Christchurch. Riccarton Bush is one of the last remaining remnants of podocarp forest which once covered the Canterbury Plain. Riccarton Bush is an old homestead which also contains the oldest building in Canterbury, Dean's Cottage, built in 1840. It is great that interspersed between the homes of Christchurch are these small pockets of wilderness.

Dean's Cottage, circa 1840

Gaby enjoys the path through the podocarp forest.

lots of twisted plants

patterns on leaves.

everybody twist

plant corkscrew

elevated pathway

umbilical cord.

podocarp canopy

pythons in the forest.

The cabbage patch. No, cabbage does not grow on trees, usually. These are called cabbage trees, some botonist type people put them in the lilly family, same as Joshua trees and Yucca, although that may now be up for debate.

inviting path

tree texture

cabbage tree

Gaby

Gaby's view from the bench

Cool coins from The Cook Islands

2006-03-30T09:51:00.000+12:00

I found some coins that I saved from our trip to Rarotonga, The Cook Islands, February 2006. These coins are so interesting, I thought I would share them with you. The figure on the $1.00 coin is the Maori god of fertility, Tangaroa (which is fairly obvious). According to the islanders, the triangular shaped $2.00 coin is the only triagular shaped coin in the world. I don't know how true that claim is; however, these are some of the most interesting coins I have come across. The $5.00 coin is a special edition issued in 2003, and not many are seen day to day. It is interseting to note that on all coins, the head figure is that of Queen Elizabeth II.

Kaikoura, New Zealand

2006-03-27T14:57:00.000+12:00

On 25 March, 2006, Gaby and I took a road trip north from Christchurch along highway 1 to the small town of Kaikoura. After visiting The Maori Leap Cave, we headed into Kaikoura and explored around the peninsula. We began with a walk along the Peninsular Walkway, which follows along the rugged coastline around the tip of the peninsula, then continues along the top of the cliff back to the carpark.

The beach is home to many southern fur seals, some of whom like to sleep on patches of seaweed.

I think this may be a seal skull.

These birds are shags

After completing the Peninsular Walk, we travelled just north of Kaikura along highway 1 to Ohau Point, a rookery for southern fur seals. There were many wee seals playing in the safety of the isolated tidal pools.

Just north of Ohau Point is the Ohau Stream walk, a ten minute hike from the road.

Hmm...I wonder what is above this waterfall?

The Maori Leap Cave

2006-03-27T10:25:00.000+12:00

Gaby and I took a road trip this weekend, 25 March, 2006, north from Christchurch along Highway 1, to a town called Kaikoura, located on a small peninsula. About 5km south of Kaikoura, right beside Highway 1, is a tourist cave called The Moari Leap Cave. I wanted to make a short side trip to see the cave. It turns out that in the 1950's some folks set up a small mining operation within the Kaikoura Limestone to use the limestone for soil amendment. In 1958, after mucking material from the latest blast, a hole was discovered in the bottom of the quarry. The miners were intrigued by the hole and soon asked a couple of geologists to come out and explore it. It turns out that the miners had quarried an opening into a fossil sea cave within the bluff, which had no known openings. The cave is a sea cave, as is evidenced by its location within the bluff above the current coastline, and the well rounded pebbles located on the cave floor. Subsequent to the formation and uplift of the sea cave, pretties have formed within. Most of the decorations have a slight orange cast to them, which sets them off from the cave walls nicely. The vertical entrance was deemed a wee bit difficult for tours, and a lower entrance to the cave was later dug. The cave opened as a small commercial cave in 1962, and guided toors have been available ever since. Why, do you ask, is the cave known as The Moari Leap Cave? It seems that long ago there was a local Maori Chief that was attacked by a fierce warring party and escaped by leaping down the cliff. Anyway, the tour guide said it sounded better than "Limestone Quarry Cave."

The cave is located in the bluff on the left, an old wave cut terrace now uplifted.

The limestone quarry. The original entrance is gated up and is at the back of the bottom of the quarry.

The lower, more accessible entrance dug open later.

Gaby at the entrance.

Our brave tour guide and small tour group.

The point of original discovery, seen from below. Appearently, before this entrance was gated, a cow was found inside the cave. It had fallen into the cave, and landed on the talus pile below unhurt!

The back of the cave.

Where in the world do we live?

2006-03-26T16:55:00.000+12:00

I thought I should take some time and let you know just where in the world we are. We live in the Southern Hemisphere, just a wee southeast of Australia.

New Zealand consists of two main islands, the North Island and the South Island.

We live on the South Island.

New Zealand is further subdivided into Regions. We Live in the Canterbury Region, which encompasses the coastal plain along the leeward side of the central east coast of the South Island.

We live in the biggest city in the Canterbury Region, Christchurch.

Christchurch is a city of approximately 400,000 people. It's just big enough to have a "city" feel to it, but not overcrowded. We live within the City Centre, adjacent to the southern end of Hagley Park.

We live in a small two bedroom apartment on Selwyn Street.

Don't mind the mess, we just moved in and are looking for furniture.

I think that the older you are, the harder it becomes to get yourself off of a bean bag ;)

Mmmmm...Barbeque

From in front of our complex, to the south you can just see the Port Hills.

To the north, just about 100m up the street, is Hagley Park. The southern end of Hagley Park has many rugby and cricket fields, but just to the north is the arboretum and Canterbury Museum.

Akaroa, Banks Peninsula

2006-03-26T08:44:00.000+12:00

On 11 March, 2006 We visited the city of Akaroa, on the Banks Peninsula, just southeast of Christchurch. Akaroa is a French settlement, and it defiinately has a great French flavor. There is a great little harbor there, and the Akaroa lighthouse , complete with all the original Fresnel lenses - very cool.

Godley Head Walkway

2006-03-26T08:06:00.000+12:00

On 18 March, 2006 Gaby and I took a walk along the Godley Head Walkway, in the Port Hills, along the coast just south of Christchurch. The trail followed the cliffline along the beach, with stunning views of the coastline and the many baches, or beachhouses that people have built along the shore.
The trail follows the headland around to the south and once on the other side, the trail leads us through a 100m long tunnel bored through the cliff by the NZ military to gain accress to the water level for gun emplacements at the mouth of Lyttleton Harbor. This is perhaps our first trip underground together in NZ!

Christchurch, NZ

2006-03-26T07:28:00.000+12:00

We were picked up from our place at Vara's Beachhouse at 2:30 a.m. for a 4:00 a.m. departure, but soon the sun came up and we could see New Zealand down below us! We landed in Auckland, on the North Island, and then transferred to the domestic terminal for our flight from Auckland to Christchurch. We were met at the airport in Christchurch by Gaby's new boss from NIWA, who drove us to our accomadaton, at Charlie B's Backpackers.
After getting settled in, I was itching to get out and explore some of Christchurch, so we walked to Cathedral Square, which is at the center of Christchurch, and is most famous for the Christchurch Cathedral, built around 1860. Christchurch has only about 400,000 people, small compared to the 4 million people of greater Los Angeles, and that suits us just fine. Because of Christchurch's relatively small size, we are able to walk to most places downtown within a very short time, which is good in that we do not have a vehicle. We have rented a tourist flat at Charlie B's, which includes a bedroom, living room, kitchen, and bathroom - not bad for NZ250 a week. Our first priority is to get familiarized with the city and find an apartment to rent which will be close enough for Gaby to walk to work. Well, ok, we also have some fun.
Christchurch is known as the Garden City, and, true to form, adjacent to the center of town is giant Hagley Park, which contains an enormous arboretum, a museum, and many areas for cricket and rugby. Christchurch also happens to be one of the main transfer points to Antarctica, and on the north side of town is the International Antarctic Center, where there are several countries based together who have Antarctic Research bases close together in Antarctica. There is a very informative visitor center, where they offer rides on a Haaglund, one of the current vehicles of choice on Antarctica. They took us on a wild ride which included crossing a 2 meter wide crack or crevasse, and fording a 3 meter deep pool of water (Haaglund's are also amphibious (for short periods of time). Then we got to experience a fierce storm where they put a group of people into a giant freezer and turned on a large turboprop fan which blasted us with 40 mph winds.

The fountain located at the entrance to the Botanic Gardens at Hagley Park, adjacent to the Canterbury Museum

The Christchurch Cathedral in Cathedral Square

It's called a Haaglund...very high cool factor!

Now We're Getting Somewhere

2006-03-14T17:19:00.000+13:00

We left LAX late in the evening on Sunday, February 12 for Rarotonga. We had a short visit to the airport of Papeete (Tahiti) before arriving in Avarua, Rarotonga, The Cook Islands!

We stayed in a suite at Vara's Beachhouse, about 10 km from the only city on the island, Avarua. Our accomadation was located high on a hill, away from the beach, where we could catch a breeze. When it blew, the breeze kept the hordes of mosquitos (or mozzies as they are called here) at bay. They loved Gaby, but I was their staple diet.
And..it was hot! 28-32 degress Celsious (80's) doesn't seem hot, until you realize that it rains just about every day on Rarotonga in the wet season.
When we at last made it to our room, I felt an irresistable urge to get out and do something, so I started walking to town, in shorts and flip-flops, 10 km...
After about 6 km I realized my mistake and from then on took the bus to town.

Gaby and I snorkled many times in the great reef that mostly surrounds the island. Unfortunately, last year saw many hurricanes hit the island, and it looked like the reef suffered.
Mostly we did absolutely nothing, but the island was just too interesting to not do anything at all.
One day we rented bikes and rode the circuit around the island, which is only 32 kms.

We found that produce grown on the island was really cheap, and everything else was really expensive, and the choice was not great. On the last evening we were on the island a new Indian restaurant opened which we tried it out.
While there were many squalls, there was rarely any lightning with the rain. One day while snorkeling a squall came through which was very refreshing.

I'm Leaving, On A Jet Plane

2006-02-12T04:16:00.000+13:00

We began the process of packing for our move during Christmas, 2005. After a little over a month of hard work itemizing and packing all of our belongings, the movers came to our appartment in Pasadena and picked up all of our boxes, plus our bikes, and loaded them into a moving van.

Watching the moving van drive away with our stuff was a relief, as it was now out of our hands. Later on the 8th of February we got word from our movers that all of our belongings (except our bikes) fit into just one of the large wooden crates that the shippers fill and then put into the large metal containers :)

The bikes will be shipped separately.

Hopefully, after two months, we will be able to contact our movers and they will show up with our belongings at our new place in Christchurch!

Our job was not yet finished though. We still had to clean out our appartment, sell our vehicle, and try to accomplish what seemed like a never ending mountain of paperwork and phone calls to wrap up all that we could on this end.

We both have tickets in hand and our plane leaves for Rarotonga on Sunday, February 12th, at 10:30 PM.

My personal goal is to find a coconut crab climbing a coconut palm and take a picture of it :)

The final push

2006-02-02T12:49:00.001+13:00

These last few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity. I don't remeber on day from the next, or what day it is. We've had to give up our beloved pets: my guinea pigs Salazar and Willie and Steven's monitor Lizard Skynard. We've had to make interminable phone calls here, there and everywhere. And packing, and more packing. We're selling some of our things, amazing how time consuming that can be. Steven quit his job last week, enough of the 14hr work days already! My last day at work is this friday, Feb 3d. Many things to do to help with the transition and so many people to say goodbye to! Well, we hope that a lot of those people will come and see us in our new home. We will be very happy to wave good bye to our stuff next wednesday, at least it'll be out of our hands for a couple of months. - Gaby

Sharing our lives and love

2006-01-22T04:06:00.000+13:00

Gabriella and I were married on January 5th, in Beverley Hills! I am a very lucky man to have Gabriella's hand in marriage. We both look forward to sharing our lives as we put final preparations together for moving to Christchurch. We leave on February 12th for Rarotonga; however, we need to have all of our belongings packed and ready for the movers to pick up our things on February 8th!

For our honeymoon, we plan to spend a week on the island of Rarotonga, The Cook Islands, before flying on to New Zealand. We will be staying at Vara's. Our plan is to recharge our batteries while relaxing on a beautiful island. We hope to recover from our hectic, stressful time of packing and planning, before we reach Christurch and have to hit the ground at a full run!

We leave Rarotonga on February 20th and arrive in Christurch, New Zealand on February 21st. No, our flight is not at around midnight (although I believe we leave Rarotonga in the small hours of the day). It's a short flight, but the Cook Islands are located just east of the International Dateline, so, our flight of only a few hours will put us into the next day!

We've got tickets

2006-01-05T07:42:00.000+13:00

Last night we bought plane tickets. We will spend about a week in Rarotonga, in the
Cook Islands so we can catch our breath. Maybe I'll try to go diving, last time I was there I could not do it because I was sick, and judging from the snorkling it's bound
to be spectacular. We also made reservations at the backpacker's I stayed at before in Christchurch. Hopefully we will find an apartment soon, but until we get our stuff (end of March) accomodations will be pretty spartan. - Gaby

2006-01-04T11:45:00.000+13:00

So thursday is the big day! Getting married in the 90210, what a trip. I think getting married in a cave would have been a lot more fun, but if one's strapped for time
Beverly Hills will have to do. It's just soooooooooooooo LA baby. - Gaby

So much to do, so little time

2005-12-27T09:29:00.000+13:00

As the time for our departure nears, there seems to be so much to do...Eventually all the pieces of the puzzle will come together. If I was not organized before, I will be very organized by the time we leave Southern California. We are currently sorting through our belongings to determine which items to take and which to leave behind - it's a kind of cleansing of the soul. - Steven

In the beginning

2005-10-22T08:59:00.000+13:00

There was an empty page... Probably will be slow in starting anyways, as this is really meant to be a travelog when we finally cast off. - Gaby

Te Toroa: the wandering albatross

Petrol Surpasses Yet Another Milestone

Petrol Passes NZ$2.00 Per Litre

Petrol Rises NZ$0.03 To NZ$1.969/Liter

Petrol Up NZ$0.05/Litre To NZ$1.939/Litre

The Cheesecake

ANZAC Day

Another Increase In Petrol

The Cost Of Petrol Went Up, Again

The Washing Machine Repairman Came Today

Taking a short break

A bird in the bush

A fledgling Kiwi

A Pukeko in a Ponga Tree

Thumbputation

Castle Rock

"I'm A Vegetarian"

Scary Face

ANZAC Day

Menacing Mantis

Mig 21 On Litchfield

Lyttelton Tug vs. Queen Elizabeth 2

Auckland Adventure

Shocking Price for Toyota Seatbelts

Nelda Goes to Hokitika

Kaikura Day Trip

Western Center For Archaeology and Paleontology

Scotts Valley Track

Nelda Goes Tramping

Craigieburn Forest Park

Tenacious D

Hoary Hedgehog

Curious Kuri

Flower Power

Wandering Willowbank

On The Move

Slow Food

Salazar, Wee Posterboy

Culture Shock

The Sky Is Falling!

Nasa Imagery of New Zealand Storm

Design Changes

Crater Rim Walkway

Tranquil Lake Tekapo

Playing in Punakaiki

Mainline Steam

Playing on the West Coast

Orana Wildlife Park

Our First Snow of the Season

Scarborough Head

Steven and Gaby Self Portraits

We've Got Wheels

Caving in Charleston

Home Sweet Home

Foundation Ropes Course

The absence of the familiar

Longing for Belongings

Wellington Weekend

Paturau River

Back to Work

Diamond Harbour

Riccarton Bush

Cool coins from The Cook Islands

Kaikoura, New Zealand

The Maori Leap Cave

Where in the world do we live?

Akaroa, Banks Peninsula

Godley Head Walkway

Christchurch, NZ

Now We're Getting Somewhere

I'm Leaving, On A Jet Plane

The final push

Sharing our lives and love

We've got tickets

More links

So much to do, so little time

In the beginning