Day 14....Timaru to Christchurch

We have had a easy day today only having to drive 200 klms to get to Christchurch....We stopped at Geraldine & it was such a quaint town....We also had something happen that hasn't happened since we got here....The temperature reached 32 degrees........Miracles do happen.....

That is one massive jumper, a Husband & wife run this shop  in Geraldine & the Husband does all the knitting & the wife sew's it all together....They are knitted on a old knitting machine by hand....I did try on a cardigan but they style just didn't suit me....

Hot Chocolate in a cafe in Geraldine, this was a really thin layer of printed chocolate....

Lemon Meringue Slice- Same Cafe

That's proof that we did get in the 30's.....

Dan thought that the bright yellow lines were so cool, I think it must be because of the snow....

Someone could just not stay awake.....

After nearly a year, things must be very slow going as these signs are everywhere....

This is across the road from where we are staying tonight, the Churches have not fared well at all....The red sign on the fence says "Church shaken worship services continue"

We went to the pub for dinner tonight & we all had a Stonegrill, this was Greg's Surf & Turf....All was going well until Dan dropped his steak & plate on the floor & the plate smashed in 4 pieces.....The waitress went & got him another steak which was really nice of her....

Ummm. Asian Kosco.....that's funny...

We are booked on a flight back home tomorrow afternoon arriving into Sydney early evening, I think that we are all looking forward to getting back home, Greg is not looking forward to going back to work.....We have had a wonderful time & seen some amazing things but as the saying goes there is no place like home....

Day 13....off to Timaru

The Hedgehog from last night, so cute...

"Shiver me Timbers" this house was mad....Dunedin

New Zealand Fur Seals at Dunedin.....

Dan & I may or may not have walked right past these.....hahaha they just look like rocks...

Moeraki Bolders -According to Maori legend, the boulders are gourds washed ashore from the great voyaging canoe Araiteuru when it was wrecked upon landfall in New Zealand hundreds of years ago.

Hope they don't crack with Ethan standing on them......Scientists explain the boulders as calcite concretions formed about 65 million years ago. Crystallization of calcium and carbonates around charged particles gradually formed the boulders in a pearl-like process that took as long as four million years. The soft mudstone containing the boulders was raised from the seabed around 15 million years ago; waves, wind and rain are excavating them one by one.

The inside of a cracked bolder...

The harbour at Oamaru....The colours were amazing.....

Dan on the flying fox....."Dad can we build one of these"

The swings at Oamaru...

Some of the old buildings most were wool & grain stores...so amazing...

Steampunk HQ.....I so want one of those trains in our backyard....

More steampunk....I want all of it & we are on a quest to build something.....Who do we know that can weld?

The building was a old grain store the top two floors burnt down so they just put a roof on it..

Inside the Steampunk train....

This was in the main street, the town was fabulous, we spent the day there...

The old Bank of New South Wales

Hourse drawn carriage $5.00 for adults & $3.00 for kids....bargain I think...

Steampunk HQ- From their website: Steampunk HQ, ancient home to curious machines, steam powered aetheric devices from other worlds, portals unexplainable mysterious dimensions and unusual sights to fascinate and delight! Steampunk HQ is a very mysterious building on the edge of Oamaru’s Historic Precinct. Oamaru is a town on the coast of the South Island of New Zealand that features many well preserved and often visited Historic buildings built in classic Victorian style.

The side of Steampunk HQ

We did try to see the Penguins last night but it was so cold & the wind was coming straight from Antartica....We needed full snow gear. We didn't stay because they were not due in till dusk which was between 9.30pm - 9.45pm...

The boys on a old bike not sure what you call this one, they had Penny Farthings....

We all had a go, no suspension & so hard to steer...

This is from last night, a Hedgehog on the side of the road....Ethan has Googled to see if we can have one....ummm no mate...we can't....