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Published: June 28th 2008
Hey guys! We made it to OZ!!!!!!!! It is a GREAT feeling to walk outside and not realize it because the temperature outside is as nice or nicer than the controlled inside. We got here late last night after a bumpy landing!
We last left you on our first full day in Christchurch. Well, the next day we took a bus to Akaroa for our harbor cruise to see some pretty sites. AND LET ME TELL YOU they were pretty! Akaroa is a town with a giant harbor, in fact Akaroa means "long water" in Maori. We stopped at a beach which had no swimming allowed because the waves were so crazy! And the sand was actually huge rocks. We stopped at a lovely hilltop cafe on top of the volcano (now extinct) that created the harbor as we see it today. We then meandered down into Akaroa town. We walked around the town for a bit before eating some breakfast (at lunch). Dennis had yummy bacon, it was the first that was actually like our bacon, not like a piece of ham. Then we hopped onto our cruising boat for our trip. We hung out at the front of
Akaroa Bay
This is definitely a hidden gem of Christchurchthe boat in the wind and started the search for wildlife! We explored the various caves and then Dennis spotted a little blue penguin swimming in the water. How Dennis, Mr. Color Blind, spotted the smallest penguin in the world, blue, and against the blue waves, is beyond me. But he did. Twice.
Then we headed outside of the harbor where if you headed straight you would hit Antarctica. Then, yet again, Mr. Eagle Eye spotted the Hectors Dolphin, the smallest and rarest dolphin in the world. They are only about the size of a 5 year old child and can only be found in New Zealand waters. 3 or 4 of them started swimming towards our boat where they played and danced in the waters. It was amazing. Dennis got some pretty fantastic photos and when we started heading back into the harbor, they swam underneath and alongside the boat, jumping out for air. So magical.
Next we spotted the fur seals just chillaxin on the shore. Well... Dennis did first... again! A square inch of their fur is so dense it could cover a small dog. Then we just headed back into shore where Dennis and
Cathedral Cave
Formed by a trapped ball of gas during a volcanic eruption that was eroded by the sea. I grabbed an ice cream before catching our bus and promptly falling asleep. We then headed back to Memphis Belle for some more tasty pizza before falling asleep in bed.
When we got up, we ate breakfast and packed, before catching a shuttle to the airport where we checked our bags so we could go to the Antarctica exhibit!!! It was really neat. We got to experience -18 C windchill! WOWOWOOWOWOWOWO! I mean... wait a minute, that's like a breeze. It was cool though, they had an ice slide we both went down and lots of "REAL" snow and ice!!! They also have like 25 injured/crippled little blue penguins so we watched them swim around. These have been rescued because they were either a) maimed, b) sick, or c) blind? One of them was blind, it was weird. And one was in the water all the time because he only had one leg, so he couldn't really... waddle I guess. They were cute!!!!
Afterwards we went back to the airport, went through security, paid a $25 DEPARTURE FEE each!!! Crazy Kiwi's, charging us to leave their country. Then just chilled until our flight left. It was a little
Hectors Dolphins
At their finest, within 5 feet of us! delayed because of rainy weather. When we arrived in Sydney we just walked around until our next flight left. We finally arrived in Cairns at 10:30 at night and arrived at our hostel at 11:15. Late night!
Today we booked a Great Barrier Reef snorkeling tour for tomorrow and just walked around town. We caught a bus to Trinity Beach too. Unfortunately, its not the greatest weather, but its still 26, cloudy, and the water is still 24! Dennis played in the water and got pretty wet, and unfortunately dropped his towel in the water. Shucks. We hit up mass today too at St. Monica's Cathedral.
Tomorrow, SNORKELLINGNGNGNNGNGN!
Love and miss you all!
Kim and Dennis
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Mom and Dad at home
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A Thrills, A Thrills
You two must be just off the ground excited with all the neat things that Dennis can actually see. Maybe the cold Kiwi winter has cured his color blindness. Well we are leaving tomorrow, wait that is actually today for you, but anyway it will still be Sunday, somewhere. Grandpa and Grandma stayed over last night on their way to Valleyview and Grande Prairie for someones anniversary party. Went to Dinner and relaxed on our first day of summer vacation. Keep the blogging going, loving it. Have even more fun in the land of OZ. Kim - GAME DAY!