Date: March 2, 2019 – March 7, 2019
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand

On our flight to Christchurch, New Zealand, we were able to see the mountains of the South Island with snow on them.

After picking up the rental car we went to the Air Force Museum of New Zealand to kill some time before checking into our Airbnb.

The Air Force Museum of New Zealand is free. We arrived shortly before 11:00 am and a free tour started at 11:00. We went on the tour and it went into the reserve collection where we were able to climb inside a Bristol Freighter.  The front of the plane opens to load cargo.

This is the main gallery display.

March 3, 2019

Our friend Mark arrived from Boston, Massachusetts for a vacation. After picking him up at the airport and settling into the Airbnb we went to the International Antarctic Centre. 

The International Antarctic Centre has little blue penguins. This is the same species of penguin we saw at the National Aquarium of New Zealand in Napier, New Zealand.

Each of the penguins at the International Antarctic Centre had a name. You can tell them apart from the color band on their wing.

Little blue penguins are the smallest species of penguin with a height of 12 – 14 inches. The biggest is the emperor penguin with a height of 43 – 51 inches.

We took a ride in a Hägglund, the type of vehicle used by scientists in Antarctica to travel.

The International Antarctic Centre also has a storm room. Jackets and overshoes were provided and we entered a room that was around 60°F. Once the experience started, the temperature in the room dropped, and in just a couple minutes it is -8°C with a wind chill of -18°C (around 17°F and -0.4°F). It was really cold, since we were wearing shorts, but we have experienced colder temperatures in Massachusetts. 

The International Antarctic Centre has a 4D theater where we watched a short film with footage from Antarctica.  There is also an exhibit and outside there are some huskies that you can pet. 

The International Antarctic Centre opened in 1992 and we felt that some of the information could be updated with more recent information. The International Antarctic Centre seemed like a place more geared towards younger children.

After the International Antarctic Centre we went to the Christchurch Botanic Gardens. At the entrance is the Peacock Fountain. 

Avon River goes around the Christchurch Botanic Gardens.

We went into the Botanic Gardens Conservatory.

This is a Devil Flower.

This is the central rose garden.

March 4, 2019
Hanmer Springs

We drove north to the Hanmer Forest Park in Hanmer Springs and hiked the Waterfall Track trail. The trail goes to the Dog Stream waterfall, which is 41 meters high, about 138 feet.

After the hike we went to Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa. We relaxed in Aqua Therapy and sulfur pools.

After Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa it was time for some food. The place we went to was near Chisholm Park. There were many Mallard ducks and I got a picture of one with its wing out  to see the patch of color on the wing feathers, the speculum.

Throughout New Zealand we saw Paradise Shelducks. The female has a white head and the male has a black head. The pairs stay together for life and are seen in single pairs as the couples protect their territory year round.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Driving back to Christchurch we saw the Fanfare sculpture. The sculpture by Neil Dawson is 20 meters in diameter, around 65 feet, and covered in 360 spinning metal pinwheels. The sculpture was made for the Sydney Harbour Bridge to mark the New Year in 2005 and in 2007 the City of Sydney donated the sculpture to Christchurch.

March 5, 2019
Canterbury Museum and Wine Tasting in Waipara

We visited the free Canterbury Museum.

On display is Fred & Myrtle’s Paua Shell House. There is a movie about the collection that was made when Fred and Myrtle Flutey were alive. Fred gathered the Paua shells to sell but had more than he could sell. In the early 1960s Myrtle was not happy that the shells were on the living room floor so they started hanging them on the wall.

By 1963 the living room’s walls were covered with over 1,100 shells and they opened their house for the public to see. The house received over one million visitors and stayed open to the public free of charge until Fred’s death at the age of 97 in 2001. Fred and Myrtle were married for 71 years and Myrtle died in 2000 at the age of 89. In 2008 the collection was moved to the Canterbury Museum.

The large special exhibit was on Pounamu. Māori are the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand. Pounamu is the Māori word for Jade.

The Canterbury Museum had a room with old clothing. I found it interesting to see grey wedding dresses from 1879 and 1883 as I thought wedding dresses were historically white. The white wedding dress trend started in 1840 when Queen Victoria wore a white dress for her wedding.

The Canterbury Museum also had a room about Antarctica and we found it more interesting than the International Antarctic Centre. I liked reading about the parachute harness that was created for dogs. 

There was also a short clip showing the dogs parachuting down. The dogs looked very happy floating down with their tails wagging. Some appeared to have hard landings but the dogs got up right away and moved around.

This is in the bird hall showing all the birds that are in New Zealand.

After the Canterbury Museum, we walked around and saw the Christchurch Cathedral. This is what is left after the earthquake in 2011.

After lunch we started a wine tour of the Waipara area we booked. The driver picked us up and there was one woman, Jasmyn, who was also on the tour.

The first stop was Waipara Springs Winery.

The next stop on the wine tour was Greystone Wines.

At Greystone, the Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc grapes were picked the night before and we were able to taste the grapes.

The third stop was Waipara Hills.

We had a great view from inside the tasting room.

The fourth and final stop was Pegasus Bay.

Pegasus Bay has wonderful gardens but we didn’t have much time to look around after the tasting.

The wine tasting was good but we felt rushed by the driver the whole time.

March 6, 2019
Arthur’s Pass

We drove through Arthur’s Pass and stopped at the Otira Gorge Rock Shelter Lookout. Rockfall from the cliffs above was a problem since the road was constructed in the 1860s. In 1994, an earthquake caused so many rocks to fall that the road was blocked. The rock shelter was built to capture and deflect the almost continuous rockfall.

Shortly after driving under the rock shelter we turned around. On the way back we stopped at Otira Viaduct Lookout. The Otira Viaduct opened on November 6, 1999. The road prior to the Otira Viaduct was a zig-zag road further up the hill but required a lot of maintenance. Otira Viaduct Lookout was previously called Death’s Corner.

At the Otira Viaduct Lookout in the other direction.

We parked at the Devil’s Punchbowl Carpark to do the Devils Punchbowl Walking Track and Arthur’s Pass Walking Track. From the parking area you can see the Devils Punchbowl waterfall.

The trail starts out flat and goes over a bridge.

Along the way we got another view of the Devils Punchbowl waterfall.

Here is where the trail ends with a view of the 131 meter, 430 feet, Devils Punchbowl waterfall.

Shortly before getting back to the car we took the Arthur’s Pass Walking Track. There is a lookout for the 60 meter, 197 feet, Bridal View Falls.

The Arthur’s Pass Walking Track has a large section of boardwalk.

Here is the view from the boardwalk. The road below is the one we drove on earlier in the day.

The trail goes by Jack’s Hut.

After passing Jack’s Hut, instead of staying on Arthur’s Pass Walking Track, we took the Bealey Valley Track. The trail ended at the Bealey River with a view of Mt. Rolleston.

After returning to the car we went to the visitor center and did the short Millennium Walk to Avalanche Creek Waterfall.

On the way back to Christchurch we stopped at the Waimakariri River Lookout.

Across the road there were lots of sheep. Their wool was dusty so they blended in with the brown grass.

We stopped at the Cave Stream Scenic Reserve.

We went and looked in the cave.

On the way back to our Airbnb, the final stop before dinner was Castle Hill.

The large limestone formations are up to 30 meters high, 98 feet.

March 7, 2019

Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial

We visited the Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial. On February 22, 2011, a 6.2 magnitude earthquake caused widespread damage.

185 people died as a result of the earthquake and their names are engraved on the monument that opened in 2017.

Christchurch Gondola

We then went and took the Christchurch Gondola to the top of Mt Cavendish.

At the top, in addition to the views, there is a time tunnel ride experience that gives the local history.

This is looking towards New Brighton.

This is looking over Lyttelton Harbour and Quail Island.

Before starting our move to Lake Tekapo we stopped for lunch. While these look like pancakes they are called pikelets.

In the Peel Forest area we saw many deer farms. New Zealand is the largest supplier of farm-raised venison.

In the Peel Forest Park Scenic Reserve we did the Emily Falls hike. The hike started going up.

We then walked along the stream and crossed it.

Brian had a shadow along the way, as a Fantail bird followed us for awhile.

This is Emily Falls.