Oh, but before I get to the dramatic conclusion, I have a little story. So on the aforementioned Saturday after I had spent a good deal of time in the sun watching the Busker Festival, I decided to come back home and rest my weary self. As I was laying down, I heard a knock on the door. I went to answer it and it was Sarah, a friend of Karen's, the Kiwi who lives in the house with me. She had some of Karen's stuff and was just dropping it off. As she was leaving she asked me if I was going to Karen's going away BBQ. BBQ? I had no idea there was a BBQ. I told her that I hadn't heard anything about it and she said that Karen probably hadn't thought about it but she would say something when she got home. Later that afternoon, Karen comes home talks to everyone she's ever met on the telephone telling this about this party and then procedes to ask me that if she didn't make it home in the morning, could I feed her cat. Ugh! I hate that cat. Oh, sure I'll feed your cat. So, that leads me to really needing something to do that particular night.
As a result of my lackluster encounter with a roomie, I change and go to the City Centre to find a pub. This is where desperate, rude American Will comes out. While in the pub I met a French businessman named Xavier. As I am desperate for friend, I talk to him for a while. He works for a company that sells humane pet collars that act as an invisible fence. He also speaks French, German, English, Spanish, and Japanese. CRAZY!!! Turns out he has car while in town and it going on a driving tour the next day. Being the rude American, I invite myself along. Here are the pictures from that journey and let me tell you, I don't regret my out of place invitation at all!
As we're leaving Christchurch our first stop is the sign of the Kiwi. Which is literally a sign of a Kiwi. These Kiwis are original.
Next we took a small hike around what used to be the edge of a volcano that over looks Lyttelton Harbour on one side and Christchurch on the other.
The trail had fences dividing everything up. They had these odd little bridges bulit to cross over them.
This is called Castle Rock. The Rock is a distinctive geological feature in that the rock is strongly magnetic and because of the many facets and aspects of the rock, a uniquely diverse range of plant species abound within a very small area.
This is the Bridle pat and Memorial to Pioneer Women. This hexagonal shaped stone memorial is to the courage of the European pioneer women who rested at teh top of the path that led from the Port of Lyttelton. They had disembarked after a four month journey by sea from England to Christchurch, and the arduous tamp over the Bridle Path, often carrying their children and possessions, was the only practicable route to Christchurch from Lyttelton. Side note, New Zealand was the country to give women the right to vote.
So they trekked up this...
and down this.
My First New Zealand SHEEP!!!
The area looks kind of brown, not what we typically think New Zealand looking like, but here's a little bit of New Zealand geography. On the South Island they have a mountain range called The Southern Alps. The mountains are big enough enough the actually stop rainfall from passing over from the west side of the island. Christchurch being on the east side of the island is quite a bit dryer. Also, remember that it's like their August right now. Their hottest and dryest month.
Next we went to Sumner. From Christchurch's earlys days, city residents have enjoyed coming to Sumner and neighboring Scarborough beaches for their summer fun.
While at the beach, I ordered an American Hot Dog. It was HUGE!!!! Notice the bun. It's like one long roll. They also put shredded cheese underneath the hot dog. That's a new one to me.
Well, hopefully my forwardness wasn't to creepy but if that's how I'm going to get to see New Zealand, then so be it.
1 comment:
I dont care about any of those landmarks or any of the history or sheep or anything... but man? That HOT DOG?! Looks DELISH. I want to move there. Now.
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