Thursday, March 02, 2006

Christchurch

Greg and I flew to Christchurch and then continued on from ther to Kaikoura.

We were fortunate enough to arrive early enough to go to church first. Rod and the Radekas picked us up from the airport. We went back to the Airs place where they spoiled us with an amazing breakfast. (Homer "mmmmm")

After church we went to Debbie and Tims for a bbq lunch and had a great time fellowshipping and laughing.

Friday we drove up from Kaikoura just in time to help Rod and Yensun move house. Rod and Yensun were so busy with shifting and working that Greg and I ended up spending more time in their lovely new house than they did. As well as greeting visitors and farewelling them. So we decided that the house was ours. Only, Rod and Yensun went too keen on that idea. Funny that.

Saturday morning we had breakfast with a nice young man called Stephen Clearwater. Said young man was responsible for telling Greg not to be a bum and drive buses because he didn't think that that was really what God had planned for young Greg. And to go back to University. Greg listened to him but he still thinks it would have been cool fun to drive buses.

In the afternoon, Debbie took us for a tikki tour of Christchurch. I've never been to CCH in summer and I've only ever really seen the sheep station where my family used to stay, Mt Cook, and the Cathedral. We did still stop off at the Cathedral and climbed the stairs to the tower and yes my legs were still twinging. We also visited House/Son? of Takahe where we had an ice-cream and I watched with great enjoyment, some people who weren't me climbing a hill. We also visited the rock cave and drove past son of Kereru? something oo?

Back to the Airs for lunch and then home to Auckland.

Kaikoura

Greg had a biology conference in Kaikoura which I was also fortunate enough to go on.

We had a lovely time. I met some lovely people. Read 3 books and had to buy another.

One thing I didn't take into account is that instead of just my own darling geek, I now got to listen to 49 other geeks talk about things that are completely over my head. Even if they were very nice people.

So, our first night there, we had a very romantic dinner of fish and chips on the beach. We were really enjoying the cool climate and the lovely sunset when I realized that I had lost my bag with all my important documents in it - passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate. We retraced our steps and saw it sitting in the fish and chip shop window. Which was great, but the shop was closed. But they were still there, so we were able to get ny bag back.

The people running the conference took very good care of eveyone. They provided breakfast and lunch. And even for me. Our day would go like this; Greg would rush out early about 8am. I would laze in bed reading etc... until about 10 or 11 am. Walk in to have lunch with Greg. which was about 2hours. After lunch I would go to the beach or the pub and read my book until Greg was finished and then we'd do something with the group.

Monday, we walked around the coast and sat ont he talking and enjoying the scenery and weather.

Tuesday, we went to the seal colony, which was almost completely bereft of seals. Walked around the rocks, climbed up one of those random rock formations, (greg's like a billy goat and I trailed after him like grandma wishing for her walker), then walked quickly up some hill trail and embarrased myself by just about bursting into tears cos it was so difficult. Embarrassing becos it was tiny, and I huffed and I puffed, and ached for days afterwards. You know it must have been bad when your husband asks if you're mad at him.

Later we went out for dinner, which took a really long time and had poor service but the food was nice. The best thing about the poor service is that it really brought the group together and gave us a common interest. Amazingly, the lobster platter was $100 and people were ordering it?????

Wednesday was a free day. Greg and I chose not to spend $125 to swim with the dolphins or whalewatch. We relaxed, read our boooks, had a leisurely lunch, read some more, went to the wine ...I mean poster night. Which had the grand total of one poster. So guess who won the poster prize?

Thursday, dinner at a winery. Lovely food. Great views. Cute cat. Later we went to the pub.

Friday we checked out of our cabin early and the conference finished at 12 noon. I ended up talking to a lovely young lady and while I was telling her about losing my passport, I suddenly realized that I had left it at the cabin. Talk about feeling stupid. Kim kindly gave me a lift to pick it up. I made sure to tell Greg that I had it, straight after telling him I'd left it. And thats all I'll say about that so I don't get in trouble with my husband.