On Vacation July 16-30

Now it was time to really, really be on vacation.   Luke came to visit three weeks.  The first week he stayed with us in Hokitika as I finished work, we emptied our rental house, we returned borrowed items and he met our Hoki friends.  The second week we rented a van and toured more of the South Island.  The only drag was traveling with six months’ worth of luggage!  The car was packed (understatement!).  

We showed Luke a couple of the favorite spots we had visited earlier in the adventure and then traveled through sections of the north part of the South Island that we had not been to yet.  We made it to Farwell Spit the most northern point of the South Island, where we could walk from coast to coast (east –west) in 20 minutes or so.  We also visited the Malborough-Nelson area, an artsy place which is world famous for white wines.  We visited some wineries to taste and become educated in the art of wines.  In the end, however, Greg and I decided we really like beer better! 

The NZ flag - so pretty - obviously has some English influence - the four stars represent the southern cross which is the one southern hemisphere constellation I learned to identify in the sky

Revisiting pancake rocks

A great stop along the road - recommended for it's beer

And Luke tried their mussels - a local specialty - green lip mussels

Ain't that a pretty potty?

Inspired by the local art - we created some of our own

The wineries were quite beautiful

Trying to look serious about this wine business

Lea wanted in on the action too! 

In the end we decided we prefer a nice beer in a local pub!

Nearly picked up some extra (priceless) baggage on the road trip.

Operation Nest Egg - Saving kiwis - July 16

One of the fascinating challenges that New Zealand and DOC are faced with is exploding populations of non-native mammals.  The only mammal that is native to New Zealand is the bat.  All other animals were introduced and you know what happens when you mess with mother nature….things go bonkers and out of balance. 

Stoats are animals similar to ferrets but smaller.  They were introduced to the South Island in 1884 to control rabbits.  The introduction of stoats is commonly regarded as one of the worst mistakes ever made in New Zealand due to their impacts on native animals, especially birds.

Stoats kill many types of birds, including young kiwis.  If a kiwi can make it to about 9 months old, or 1.5 kg, it can survive in the wild.  Under that size, stoats will kill it.  The survival rate of kiwi chicks in the wild is only 2% because of those mean ol’ stoats.  To help the kiwis survive, DOC and other groups have kiwi preservation programs.  We got to visit one of the kiwi crèches.  The Bank of New Zealand is a partner with DOC for this site.  The crèche is 300 hectacres enclosed by a serious fence.  It’s the type of fence with a double door entry and which extends below ground so animals can’t burrow under it.  DOC rangers collect kiwi eggs from the wild, transplant them into the protected crèche and then monitor the chicks growth until they are heavy enough to go back into the wild and hold their own against those mean ol’ stoats.  

Kiwis are nocturnal and the birds in the crèche have transmitters on them.  So while they were sleeping in burrows, we found them with a device which picked up beeping noises from their transmitters.  The DOC ranger reached deep in the burrow, woke them up and then we carefully got to hold them, weigh them, snap photos and put them back to bed.  It was so cool!  They are sooooooooo cute!  Save the kiwis! 

The sign outside the kiwi creche (best translation - sanctuary ?)

Proper attire for kiwi catching - gumboots! 

The serious fence around the creche

The creche - kiwi habitat

Each bird had an individually numbered transmitter on their leg.  We were using this tracking device to find two particular birds. 

The beeping from the transmitter led us to this nest.

The DOC ranger had to reach in far to find the bird.  Luckily there's no snakes or scary creepy crawlies in New Zealand or I'd be a bit more leery about sticky my arm in this hole.

There he is! 

This chick was about 6 months old and about 1/2 of the weight needed before being released.

Toooooooo cute

The transmitter is on this kiwis leg - it's the brown thing

So fuzzy

This one fell back to sleep in Greg's arms (they are noctural - I guess this disruption didn't bother it too much!)

Measuring it's beak growth

Measuring it's weight

Making the Paper

A day of news in the Hokitika Guardian – July 16^th 2012

While living in Hokitika, I really enjoyed reading the local paper, published daily, Monday through Friday.   I bought it about once a week , preferably on Friday, so I could read it from cover to cover (all 12 pages or so) on Saturday morning while Greg was working (his Friday).  Reading the Guardian was a great way to gain insight to the community.   I especially liked reading about local events and people, knowing what community groups were up to and reading the letters to the editor.   It was easy to figure out what topics were ones that I’d likely hear discussions about, either during tea break or in line in the grocery store.  Local issues included rate (tax) increases, the church closing due to a low earthquake inspection score, animal management (1080 poison spraying), what to do about the eroding shore line at Sunset Point, arrests, frustrations with the local government, etc. 

We left town on Monday, July 16^th, my birthday.  Before driving away, we had coffee at my FAVORITE local cafe, The Cheese and Deli, with friends Julia and Sue.  On the way, Greg picked up a farewell copy of the paper.  Good idea!  I knew I’d have enjoyable reading material for the long car ride.  As we sat enjoying our coffee with the paper in front of me,  Lea and Greg kept asking questions about the ads on the last page of the paper….What are houses renting for? What’s for sale? FINALLY, I noticed the best ad of all.  What a perfect birthday surprise!!!!!  We all laughed hard because it took me a while to notice the ad. 

The Hokitika Cheese and Deli - Yum, yum, yum

Luke, Julia, Sue, Birthday Girl and Lea - Greg must've taken the photo

The local paper

A fine day for reading the paper! 

Finally saw this ad in the paper!!!! How cool is that?!

Coverage of a local event - an AgFest held in town.  A Guinness Book of World Records record was set for the most people wearing gum boots at an event.   Total of 1613 people.  Greg and Lea borrowed gumboots and went to the event.

Always interesting to read the letters to the editors.  Really helped to understand the hot topics of the area.

1080 is the poison used for pest control throughout many DOC sites in the area I worked.  This was a big, big hot topic.

And what worth is any New Zealand paper if it doesn't report about rugby?

Final Days in Hokitka

Luke's here.

Works done.

Got to go have fun.

Bonfire on the beach.

Sausies on the bonfire.

Stunning views at the most photographed reflection.

Final fish and chips and tea with friends.

We still love each other!

A friend offered to do a photo shoot for Lea's senior portrait

We finally had a bonfire on the beach

Wow...it's a lovely beach

Katrina and Nellie - I'm not sure who likes the beach better.

One of the last sunsets we'll see in Hokitika

Kids skipping stones - The stones here are so perfect for skipping

Lake Matheson with Reflection of Mt. Cook

One of the most photographed scenes in New Zealand - the weather was overcast and rainy and then broke when we got here.  Perfect.

Our extended family - Luke, Lea, Maise, Tim, Greg and I

Smile - we should be tired of posing by now.

The Ball

 

The ball, similar to the prom, was held the last day of Term 2 just before the 2 week winter break and the last day of school for Lea and a few other exchange students.  With a Roaring 20's theme, the school hall was decorated, the teachers were dressed up, some in period attire, and the students were the stars. 

Without places to shop for a gown in Hokitika, girls mail ordered dresses or traveled to Christchurch, earlier in the year, to shop for a dress.  Hair appointments were booked months ahead of time.  Lea didn't make a hair or makeup appointment but got together with friends two weeks before the ball to have a test run on hair and makeup. 

Best of all, the kids figured out who their date would be months ago.  A nice young man in Lea's physics class, Logan, asked her to join him.  At school, they were taught ballroom dances so that they would be able to dance at the ball.  How incredible is that?  Goodbye grinding, hello salsa, fox trot and swing!  

The ball was the talk of the town. The community was invited to come see the inside set up at 7 before the students arrived at 8.  Lea and friends gathered at a friend's house before the ball for snacks, drinks and photos (with a professional photographer).  Each couple arranged for a special car to drive them to the ball.  Shiny BMWs or other nice cars and LOTS of restored classics, from the 1930s to more recent.  The kids must have had connections all over New Zealand to borrow these cars.  One car would drive up to the school entrance at a time, the couple would get out (each car had a separate driver), they would walk up a walkway lined with friends and family or interested community members, everyone would clap, the couple would parade up, get their photo taken at the door and then another car would drive up.  Kind of like the Academy Awards.  The music teacher was outside playing jazz in a stripped suit.  

Another event whole-heartedly supported by the community.

Lea and Logan - pre party party photos.

I didn't expect a photo op for us to be in a photo!  (Felt like wedding photos).

The walkway up to the school entrance

Music provided by the music teacher (sax player) outside the entrance - a hired band played for the dance.



Lea's friends Laura and Zach, arriving in style, notice the miniature horse and carriage in the background.



Lea and Nina in an old Land Rover - no photos of their dates? They had two couples in their car. 

Lea and Logan going up the walkway.  She had HIGH heels on, I texted her ahead of time to walk slow so that she wouldn't fall in front of everyone.  I had noticed before she arrived that some of the kids seemed as if they would have preferred to run up the aisle. The boys must have been taught to keep their left arm behind their back.  Well done!

Inside set up - the hall all ready for the ball

Everyone got to bring a glass home.

All of year 13 - kind of blurry but you can get a sense of the size of the class.  Girls out number boys!