Sunday 18 February. Yesterday we arrived in Mt Cook Village. The sky is blue and the temperature high. Perfect view of Mt Cook and a nice track to the lake. The valley with the steep mountains and snow on top is so beautiful. Today more early pictures of the mountains from Mt Cook Village. On the road stops at the lakes and again more pictures. In Christchurch Barbara picks me up in the center. She shows me the mountains near CHCH and the port at the other side of the mountain range. The scenic route back to Lincoln. We talk a lot and it’s good to see Barbara again and meet her partner Harmen.
Monday into town and walk around in the center. See the Quake City (Earthquake museum), the remains of the cathedral and only new modern buildings, with a lot of space in between them. A big part of the city has still to be rebuilt. The river is a big park and nice to walk along. The Botanic Gardens are nice and the Canterbury Museum quite good. In the park I run into Pieter and Dominik again. Dinner at Barbara and Harmen’s place and at the dishes she calls me to see something outside. A Pukeko is behind the window of there bedroom. So, it’s inside. I catch it like a chicken and put it outside. It’s a bit messy, but not too much. Strange, but another story to tell.
Tuesday is a rainy trip to Kaikoura. Nothing is going to happen today, besides the next tropical storm coming directly over Kaikoura.
