Sunday, February 28, 2010
Tsunami!
We are fine! There wasn't any damage in Christchurch, although apparently it made for some interesting tides... We actually didn't know about it until after the fact since we are media shut-ins, and live a 25 minute drive inland! But here is what the local press had to say about it:
A "hell of a lucky" low tide saved Christchurch from damage after tsunami surges triggered by a massive earthquake in Chile hit yesterday, scientists say.
New Zealand was on high alert yesterday as oceanographers and Civil Defence watched waves move across the Pacific from South America after Saturday's magnitude 8.8 quake left more than 300 people dead.
Three large surges struck the Canterbury coast yesterday with one breaching the shores of Lyttelton Harbour, flooding paddocks, submerging jetties, washing across a road and filling the car park of a country hotel.
Ports including Lyttelton and Auckland closed for the day and evacuated ships out to sea.
The Marsden Point Oil Refinery was briefly put in an emergency shutdown and events nationwide such as a fishing competition at the Rakaia River mouth were called off.
Residents in some low-lying areas of the Banks Peninsula coast were advised to be ready to evacuate and campers were moved to higher ground.
Civil Defence warned that people should stay away from the coast and river mouths for the next few days.
The first surge in Canterbury, between midday and 1pm, was "a big one" that raised the sea level in the harbour 2.2 metres in less than an hour, coastal geographer Bob Kirk said.
Fortunately, it was low tide when the wave arrived, averting major damage.
Two further surges were recorded an hour either side of the 5pm high tide.
A reported one-metre wave hit the Chatham Islands about 8am yesterday. About 11am water dramatically sucked out from several Canterbury beaches. Yachts were left grounded when the water disappeared from Cass Bay on Banks Peninsula. Similar dramatic surges were seen at beaches in Northland, East Cape, Otago and Chatham Islands.
Lyttelton Harbour tidal gauges showed a surge raising the sea level 2.2 metres in the hour between 11.45am and 12.45.
Press reporter Martin van Beynen was almost caught by the returning surge at Purau Bay on Banks Peninsula when he went onto the beach to investigate fish stranded by the earlier outflow.
The 4pm surge submerged the jetty at Governors Bay and caused a stream beside the Wheatsheaf Tavern in Teddington to burst its banks.
Patrons at the tavern, which was flooded in the 1960 tsunami, rushed outside as water started flowing through the car park.
All the vehicles escaped serious damage. The surging tide carried on past the pub to flood a paddock.
Farmed salt marshland on the east side of the Teddington road was also flooded.
Wheatsheaf owner Susan Hamilton said she was at an outside table when the car park started filling with water.
"We weren't shocked. It was more, `Wow, we are going to see something'," she said. "The water gushed in and then went out again before coming back." Civil Defence yesterday afternoon downgraded the threat to the country but warned that Lyttelton Harbour and the long bays of Banks Peninsula could continue to experience tsunamis and that people should stay away from the coast and river mouths.
It would take a while for the Pacific Ocean and Canterbury waters to recover from the Chile earthquake, Kirk said. "What happens with something as big as that is you get excited water motions on the continental shelf, so it is a bit like water slopping around in the bathtub – once they're going it takes time to get them to die out."
A "hell of a lucky" low tide saved Christchurch from damage after tsunami surges triggered by a massive earthquake in Chile hit yesterday, scientists say.
New Zealand was on high alert yesterday as oceanographers and Civil Defence watched waves move across the Pacific from South America after Saturday's magnitude 8.8 quake left more than 300 people dead.
Three large surges struck the Canterbury coast yesterday with one breaching the shores of Lyttelton Harbour, flooding paddocks, submerging jetties, washing across a road and filling the car park of a country hotel.
Ports including Lyttelton and Auckland closed for the day and evacuated ships out to sea.
The Marsden Point Oil Refinery was briefly put in an emergency shutdown and events nationwide such as a fishing competition at the Rakaia River mouth were called off.
Residents in some low-lying areas of the Banks Peninsula coast were advised to be ready to evacuate and campers were moved to higher ground.
Civil Defence warned that people should stay away from the coast and river mouths for the next few days.
The first surge in Canterbury, between midday and 1pm, was "a big one" that raised the sea level in the harbour 2.2 metres in less than an hour, coastal geographer Bob Kirk said.
Fortunately, it was low tide when the wave arrived, averting major damage.
Two further surges were recorded an hour either side of the 5pm high tide.
A reported one-metre wave hit the Chatham Islands about 8am yesterday. About 11am water dramatically sucked out from several Canterbury beaches. Yachts were left grounded when the water disappeared from Cass Bay on Banks Peninsula. Similar dramatic surges were seen at beaches in Northland, East Cape, Otago and Chatham Islands.
Lyttelton Harbour tidal gauges showed a surge raising the sea level 2.2 metres in the hour between 11.45am and 12.45.
Press reporter Martin van Beynen was almost caught by the returning surge at Purau Bay on Banks Peninsula when he went onto the beach to investigate fish stranded by the earlier outflow.
The 4pm surge submerged the jetty at Governors Bay and caused a stream beside the Wheatsheaf Tavern in Teddington to burst its banks.
Patrons at the tavern, which was flooded in the 1960 tsunami, rushed outside as water started flowing through the car park.
All the vehicles escaped serious damage. The surging tide carried on past the pub to flood a paddock.
Farmed salt marshland on the east side of the Teddington road was also flooded.
Wheatsheaf owner Susan Hamilton said she was at an outside table when the car park started filling with water.
"We weren't shocked. It was more, `Wow, we are going to see something'," she said. "The water gushed in and then went out again before coming back." Civil Defence yesterday afternoon downgraded the threat to the country but warned that Lyttelton Harbour and the long bays of Banks Peninsula could continue to experience tsunamis and that people should stay away from the coast and river mouths.
It would take a while for the Pacific Ocean and Canterbury waters to recover from the Chile earthquake, Kirk said. "What happens with something as big as that is you get excited water motions on the continental shelf, so it is a bit like water slopping around in the bathtub – once they're going it takes time to get them to die out."
Monday, February 22, 2010
February 22, 2010
It would be a shame to visit the other end of the world without seeing it when you got there. When I was planning to move to New Zealand, I was determined to see or experience something new every week. This past weekend, however, we were sick (are sick). Still, we managed to get out and see one of the places we’ve wanted to visit; the small town of Lyttleton just south of Christchurch. Christchurch proper doesn’t really have a harbor, being primarily located on exposed coastline (New Brighton Beach). Lyttleton is located on a narrow bay eroded into the volcanic headlands that form the Port Hills and the Banks Peninsula. To reach it, one can drive either through a 4km long tunnel bored under the Port Hills, or over the Port Hills via Sumner or Dyers Pass. We opted for the tunnel, which deposits cars and their passengers directly in ‘downtown’ Lyttleton. The town seems almost entirely composed of (a) expensive homes perched on the hillside, (b) a restaurant / pub / bar / gallery district, and (c) a working port. We walked around the town for an hour or two, ate steak and cheese pies, went to a gallery, and visited the farmer’s market. Probably as much fun as you can have in Lyttleton with two children in tow.
After leaving Lyttleton, we went downtown. I have probably been to downtown ChCh as often in the first month as I went to downtown Vancouver in my first year there. There’s a lot to see and do downtown, especially if you love the arts (which I do). We went to COCA (the Center of Contemporary Art), and were impressed by the caliber of local artists. Aya and Rowan loved the acoustics. They kept hooting to hear their echoing voices. There was a exhibit of cast glass pieces that I really liked. Shelley thought they looked too much like giant gummy bears. We had traveled downtown to go to Ballantynes (hmmm… think Eatons, or an upscale Hudson’s Bay Company), because I am need of new pants for an upcoming interview. It was swarming with people, however, because of some long-awaited sale. I didn’t buy any pants, but I did buy a straw hat. I have asked around, and straw hats are not cool here. Floppy cotton hats seem to be semi-acceptable, but not straw hats. I’m a bit surprised, because broad-brimmed straw hats always seem to say “world-traveller-surfer-adventurerer” to me. But not to New Zealanders. Apparently, they say “working-in-your-garden” here.
Fortunately, I purchased plants for my garden today, and was able to use my straw hat in a proper Cantabrian fashion. The flower beds and gardens of our new house are in dire need of a saviour. They have been neglected, it appears, for several years. I bought some ornamental grasses, some hebes, two ferns, and a rosemary bush. All but the rosemary are native. There are many interesting native plants here, and many make good ornamentals.
Last weekend we (finally!) went to Castle Hill. The Castle Hill basin is in the interior of the South Island, and features uplifted limestone substrata that has been heavily weathered into free-standing blocks and shapes. The resulting boulder fields look like collections of sculpture – walking through them is an amazing experience. The ground among the boulders is covered with short turf (the product, I suspect, of a century of sheep grazing), and looks like lawn grass. For me – whose interests are largely comprised of climbing, the natural world, and the fine arts – it represents an idealized landscape. We did some climbing, but mostly wandered amongst the boulders. I took lots of pictures. It was very sunny. There were many young German climbers there – they were very tanned compared to the New Zealanders we’ve seen. Aya was very keen to climb and hang out with the other climbers. Castle Hill is only about an hour drive from our house, so we’re hoping to visit there very often. Very often.
We also went to New Brighton Beach last weekend. New Brighton is a mystery to us. In the minds of Cantabrians, New Brighton is an economically downtrodden area, populated by ne’er-do-wells and ramshackle houses. However, it seemed to us to be a charming seaside area – albeit a little rundown – with sand dunes and miles of beautiful beaches. It reminded me of the few remaining working towns in coastal California (incidentally, I’ve just read Steinbeck’s ‘Cannery Row’, it is a great book). In Vancouver, New Brighton would be flooded with thousands of beachgoers on the weekend. But here, all the stylish young people flood to Sumner. I guess in ChCh (and NZ in general), people can be choosy about the beaches they visit.
Next, Shelley and I are hoping to visit Akaroa and possibly the West Coast. There’s lot left to see!
Today’s random thoughts about life in New Zealand:
1) New Zealanders do not eat a lot of spicy food. It is very difficult to buy spicy things, or even to buy chili peppers.
2) Young New Zealand males drink a lot of beer. A lot. At the grocery store, they always seem to be buying beer. But maybe it is simply because I live in the University area and the semester is beginning.
3) Cafes close in the late afternoon, around 4 or 5pm. New Zealanders enjoy coffee, but are not as fanatical about it as Vancouverites (although probably moreso than Edmontonians). I do miss the ubiquitous coffee shops of Vancouver, though. Cappuccino is very good here, but DO NOT buy a flat white (aka cappuccino with very little foam) at a McCafe. Ugh. I repeat – DO NOT buy a flat white at a McCafe.
4) Aya and I found a very large spider in our house. Very large. Aya was a little scared. We put it outside. We also found a big snail when we were gardening. Aya and the snail got along famously.
5) Shelley and I now own two couches. When you come to visit, you will be able to sit down. We also bought a TV for $10.
6) It is easy to buy enormous bars of decent-quality chocolate in the grocery stores here (Joshua, take note). Also, you can purchase all kinds of cordials and soft drinks here that stray from the North American fold (Lemon and Bitters – Jonas, take note). They also have meat-flavored potato chips. ‘Tomato Sauce’ is far more popular than ‘Ketchup’ (‘Tomato Sauce’ tastes like ketchup with a dollop of HP Sauce stirred in, quite good, actually).
7) In New Zealand, you have to open windows (rain or shine) to air your house out, or things start to mildew. I suspect that things will be cold in winter.
Today, we especially miss our good friend Enid, who is currently traveling through Europe, attending the opera as often as she can. Selfishly, we wish she were here in NZ (Enid, the wine is plentiful and local (and apparently very good), but I’m not sure they even have opera here).
Until next time,
Trent.
After leaving Lyttleton, we went downtown. I have probably been to downtown ChCh as often in the first month as I went to downtown Vancouver in my first year there. There’s a lot to see and do downtown, especially if you love the arts (which I do). We went to COCA (the Center of Contemporary Art), and were impressed by the caliber of local artists. Aya and Rowan loved the acoustics. They kept hooting to hear their echoing voices. There was a exhibit of cast glass pieces that I really liked. Shelley thought they looked too much like giant gummy bears. We had traveled downtown to go to Ballantynes (hmmm… think Eatons, or an upscale Hudson’s Bay Company), because I am need of new pants for an upcoming interview. It was swarming with people, however, because of some long-awaited sale. I didn’t buy any pants, but I did buy a straw hat. I have asked around, and straw hats are not cool here. Floppy cotton hats seem to be semi-acceptable, but not straw hats. I’m a bit surprised, because broad-brimmed straw hats always seem to say “world-traveller-surfer-adventurerer” to me. But not to New Zealanders. Apparently, they say “working-in-your-garden” here.
Fortunately, I purchased plants for my garden today, and was able to use my straw hat in a proper Cantabrian fashion. The flower beds and gardens of our new house are in dire need of a saviour. They have been neglected, it appears, for several years. I bought some ornamental grasses, some hebes, two ferns, and a rosemary bush. All but the rosemary are native. There are many interesting native plants here, and many make good ornamentals.
Last weekend we (finally!) went to Castle Hill. The Castle Hill basin is in the interior of the South Island, and features uplifted limestone substrata that has been heavily weathered into free-standing blocks and shapes. The resulting boulder fields look like collections of sculpture – walking through them is an amazing experience. The ground among the boulders is covered with short turf (the product, I suspect, of a century of sheep grazing), and looks like lawn grass. For me – whose interests are largely comprised of climbing, the natural world, and the fine arts – it represents an idealized landscape. We did some climbing, but mostly wandered amongst the boulders. I took lots of pictures. It was very sunny. There were many young German climbers there – they were very tanned compared to the New Zealanders we’ve seen. Aya was very keen to climb and hang out with the other climbers. Castle Hill is only about an hour drive from our house, so we’re hoping to visit there very often. Very often.
We also went to New Brighton Beach last weekend. New Brighton is a mystery to us. In the minds of Cantabrians, New Brighton is an economically downtrodden area, populated by ne’er-do-wells and ramshackle houses. However, it seemed to us to be a charming seaside area – albeit a little rundown – with sand dunes and miles of beautiful beaches. It reminded me of the few remaining working towns in coastal California (incidentally, I’ve just read Steinbeck’s ‘Cannery Row’, it is a great book). In Vancouver, New Brighton would be flooded with thousands of beachgoers on the weekend. But here, all the stylish young people flood to Sumner. I guess in ChCh (and NZ in general), people can be choosy about the beaches they visit.
Next, Shelley and I are hoping to visit Akaroa and possibly the West Coast. There’s lot left to see!
Today’s random thoughts about life in New Zealand:
1) New Zealanders do not eat a lot of spicy food. It is very difficult to buy spicy things, or even to buy chili peppers.
2) Young New Zealand males drink a lot of beer. A lot. At the grocery store, they always seem to be buying beer. But maybe it is simply because I live in the University area and the semester is beginning.
3) Cafes close in the late afternoon, around 4 or 5pm. New Zealanders enjoy coffee, but are not as fanatical about it as Vancouverites (although probably moreso than Edmontonians). I do miss the ubiquitous coffee shops of Vancouver, though. Cappuccino is very good here, but DO NOT buy a flat white (aka cappuccino with very little foam) at a McCafe. Ugh. I repeat – DO NOT buy a flat white at a McCafe.
4) Aya and I found a very large spider in our house. Very large. Aya was a little scared. We put it outside. We also found a big snail when we were gardening. Aya and the snail got along famously.
5) Shelley and I now own two couches. When you come to visit, you will be able to sit down. We also bought a TV for $10.
6) It is easy to buy enormous bars of decent-quality chocolate in the grocery stores here (Joshua, take note). Also, you can purchase all kinds of cordials and soft drinks here that stray from the North American fold (Lemon and Bitters – Jonas, take note). They also have meat-flavored potato chips. ‘Tomato Sauce’ is far more popular than ‘Ketchup’ (‘Tomato Sauce’ tastes like ketchup with a dollop of HP Sauce stirred in, quite good, actually).
7) In New Zealand, you have to open windows (rain or shine) to air your house out, or things start to mildew. I suspect that things will be cold in winter.
Today, we especially miss our good friend Enid, who is currently traveling through Europe, attending the opera as often as she can. Selfishly, we wish she were here in NZ (Enid, the wine is plentiful and local (and apparently very good), but I’m not sure they even have opera here).
Until next time,
Trent.
February 22, 2010
Photos from ChCh!
The Cicadas are still in full force here - I don't know what species this is, but they are everywhere and loud! Fun!
When you get house keys here, they really hand you a handful of metal
The other photos are of our house - including the guest bedroom (no furniture yet).
Trent.
Monday, February 15, 2010
4 great things about Christchurch / NZ
HI all - sorry we haven't posted photos and updates of our house and trip to castle hill. Hopefully we'll get those up soon. I am at work though, and didn't bring the camera in. Besides, I am meant to be working (a Kiwi-ism! Already!).
We suffered the online auction process again, and managed to purchase a table and chairs for the kitchen. Hopefully we will be able to pick them up tonight. We were outbid on a crummy old futon frame. I bid $10 - it sold for over $150. And we gave ours away for free...people are very thrift here. They even sell broken things that would be thrown out in Canada. We still need a fridge - we are working on that. The instructor in Astronomy who sold us the washer may be able to provide a fridge too. Knock on wood! Thank goodness for 'longlife' milk!
Anyway, here are my observations for the week:
4 things I love about NZ:
1. The staff "tea room" has a boiling water tap. this means that I can have tea in an instant. Whenever I want. Don't even have to wait for water to boil. Now if only I had a tea bag...
2. They put their boulders on a soft lawn. Isn't that nice of them? The sheep keep the grass short too.
3. You don't have to wear shoes. Even in restaurants.
4. There is lots and lots of ocean here. And penguins too, which I look forward to seeing.
We suffered the online auction process again, and managed to purchase a table and chairs for the kitchen. Hopefully we will be able to pick them up tonight. We were outbid on a crummy old futon frame. I bid $10 - it sold for over $150. And we gave ours away for free...people are very thrift here. They even sell broken things that would be thrown out in Canada. We still need a fridge - we are working on that. The instructor in Astronomy who sold us the washer may be able to provide a fridge too. Knock on wood! Thank goodness for 'longlife' milk!
Anyway, here are my observations for the week:
4 things I love about NZ:
1. The staff "tea room" has a boiling water tap. this means that I can have tea in an instant. Whenever I want. Don't even have to wait for water to boil. Now if only I had a tea bag...
2. They put their boulders on a soft lawn. Isn't that nice of them? The sheep keep the grass short too.
3. You don't have to wear shoes. Even in restaurants.
4. There is lots and lots of ocean here. And penguins too, which I look forward to seeing.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
4 strange things about driving in New Zealand
1. They drive on the left
2. The steering wheel is on the right
3. The vehicle on the right - or turning right - has the right-of-way. This is the one that is the most confusing, actually. It means that even if you are just going around the corner (ie a North American right turn) you have to yield to the vehicle turning right across traffic (ie a North American left turn), who in turn has to wait until the traffic going straight has cleared. It also means that there are occasions in which the person turning right off the major street has to yield to a vehicle turning right off a minor road.
4. No left turns on red light
So far I have made Trent do all the driving, while I navigate, determine right-of-way, and keep him from turning into the wrong lane!
2. The steering wheel is on the right
3. The vehicle on the right - or turning right - has the right-of-way. This is the one that is the most confusing, actually. It means that even if you are just going around the corner (ie a North American right turn) you have to yield to the vehicle turning right across traffic (ie a North American left turn), who in turn has to wait until the traffic going straight has cleared. It also means that there are occasions in which the person turning right off the major street has to yield to a vehicle turning right off a minor road.
4. No left turns on red light
So far I have made Trent do all the driving, while I navigate, determine right-of-way, and keep him from turning into the wrong lane!
4 strange things about our bathroom:
1. It has no toilet
2. It has no vent/fan, only a window that can be opened
3. There is WALLPAPER around the bath
4. The sink is not under the mirror, which apparently makes it difficult for Trent to shave
2. It has no vent/fan, only a window that can be opened
3. There is WALLPAPER around the bath
4. The sink is not under the mirror, which apparently makes it difficult for Trent to shave
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Feb. 6, 2010
Hello! I only have time for a quick note - it's late, and I am currently cleaning up the house where we've stayed since arriving in New Zealand. We've moved to our 'new house' today, although without furniture it seems awfully big and empty.
We went for a drive in the country today in the Port Hills just south of Chch. Beautiful! We drove along the summit road (which essentially follows a ridge that is the rim of an ancient volcano that forms the Banks Peninsula), which was intense in spots - huge drop offs, NARROW lanes, and driving on the wrong side of the road can be a little intense. Amazing views of the ocean and the Canterbury plains, though, and we also checked out some of the climbing up there. I was excited to learn that there are well over 1000 routes in the Port Hills.
We ended up in Sumner (little beach town / suburb) at the end of the day. We bought fish and chips, and ate them at the beach. There is a bluff on the beach called 'Cave Rock' - which is riddled with caves and tunnels. Aya and Rowan had a LOT of fun! Aya wanted to go swimming, though.
Anyways, back to work!
Trent.
We went for a drive in the country today in the Port Hills just south of Chch. Beautiful! We drove along the summit road (which essentially follows a ridge that is the rim of an ancient volcano that forms the Banks Peninsula), which was intense in spots - huge drop offs, NARROW lanes, and driving on the wrong side of the road can be a little intense. Amazing views of the ocean and the Canterbury plains, though, and we also checked out some of the climbing up there. I was excited to learn that there are well over 1000 routes in the Port Hills.
We ended up in Sumner (little beach town / suburb) at the end of the day. We bought fish and chips, and ate them at the beach. There is a bluff on the beach called 'Cave Rock' - which is riddled with caves and tunnels. Aya and Rowan had a LOT of fun! Aya wanted to go swimming, though.
Anyways, back to work!
Trent.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Feb. 4, 2010
Whew!
Today, Shelley and I drove to do some shopping. We were primarily looking to buy pillows and other assorted bedding. A simple task. One we thought was perfectly suited to getting to used to driving in NZ (i.e. driving on the contrary side of the road). I was nervous, but it didn't go too badly - I only pulled into the wrong lane three times. Driving down the street is surprisingly straightforward, but it's the turns that get me. As long as there are cars parked along the road, I can tell which lane I am supposed to get into. If there are no cars, however...
Also, NZ has a really strange traffic law that give right turns the right of way over people turning left. Weird. This has the effect of making me even more nervous.
We also bought car insurance for the year. $261. And that's with ALL the bells and whistles, too. Somehow I think Canadian car insurance is doing something wrong, something terribly wrong.
At any rate, the drive the giant-store-which-sells-everything went well. We did indeed buy duvets and pillows. Now we need to buy beds to sleep in by the weekend. At the aforementioned store one can also purchase wetsuits and surfboards. Good times! We also bought Aya some acrylics and a couple of canvases. She's been getting a bit antsy to resume her painting.
We stopped for Fish and Chips on the way home. The F&C here are VERY good, and cheaper than McDonalds. These delicious F&C are undoubtedly bad for me. I am counterbalancing the increased fat intake by running. My running has been going well, despite my ongoing problems with some kind of lower leg - stabiliser muscle thing in my right leg. Suzie (at UBC) has been giving me advice (Suzie - it's the muscle that controls the lowering of my foot after I heel strike...).
Anyways, we're getting of the city this weekend! At last! Maybe even to the ocean. We're driving to Rangiora (about 20 minutes) to buy a washing machine.
Anyways, we miss all our friends and colleagues (mostly in Canada). Today we especially miss all our Dorward friends. Especially Colin, who we haven't seen in a long (!) time. And I miss talking with my StARR lab colleagues.
More later,
Trent
Today, Shelley and I drove to do some shopping. We were primarily looking to buy pillows and other assorted bedding. A simple task. One we thought was perfectly suited to getting to used to driving in NZ (i.e. driving on the contrary side of the road). I was nervous, but it didn't go too badly - I only pulled into the wrong lane three times. Driving down the street is surprisingly straightforward, but it's the turns that get me. As long as there are cars parked along the road, I can tell which lane I am supposed to get into. If there are no cars, however...
Also, NZ has a really strange traffic law that give right turns the right of way over people turning left. Weird. This has the effect of making me even more nervous.
We also bought car insurance for the year. $261. And that's with ALL the bells and whistles, too. Somehow I think Canadian car insurance is doing something wrong, something terribly wrong.
At any rate, the drive the giant-store-which-sells-everything went well. We did indeed buy duvets and pillows. Now we need to buy beds to sleep in by the weekend. At the aforementioned store one can also purchase wetsuits and surfboards. Good times! We also bought Aya some acrylics and a couple of canvases. She's been getting a bit antsy to resume her painting.
We stopped for Fish and Chips on the way home. The F&C here are VERY good, and cheaper than McDonalds. These delicious F&C are undoubtedly bad for me. I am counterbalancing the increased fat intake by running. My running has been going well, despite my ongoing problems with some kind of lower leg - stabiliser muscle thing in my right leg. Suzie (at UBC) has been giving me advice (Suzie - it's the muscle that controls the lowering of my foot after I heel strike...).
Anyways, we're getting of the city this weekend! At last! Maybe even to the ocean. We're driving to Rangiora (about 20 minutes) to buy a washing machine.
Anyways, we miss all our friends and colleagues (mostly in Canada). Today we especially miss all our Dorward friends. Especially Colin, who we haven't seen in a long (!) time. And I miss talking with my StARR lab colleagues.
More later,
Trent
Monday, February 1, 2010
February 1, 2010
Another week has passed here in Christchurch. The weather has generally been sunny and windy, with a few showers. We continue to try to get our NZ lives in order. In the last week, though, we have overcome two of our major hurdles.
First, we have rented a house. It’s on Ilam Road, very near the University. It’s on a relatively major road, and the rent is more than we’d like to be paying, but it’s a really nice house with a nice yard. It has three bedrooms and a living room (actually, I think it is supposed to be two bedrooms, a lounge, and a dining room with a sun area), with hardwood floors, in-floor heat (which I’m hoping is reasonably efficient), and LOTS of windows – a big change from our basement suite in East Vancouver which only got direct natural light through one window for a very brief period each day. Our new house has fruit trees in the yard (one lemon, one peach). I’ll post pictures when we get moved in (which is happening later this week). We would throw a house-warming party, but we don’t actually know anyone here…
Second, we have purchased a car, a 1996 Subaru Legacy with fairly low mileage. Again, we paid more than we’d like, but after looking a several cars, this one seemed fairly decent, well cared for, and was a not-outrageous price. We bought it on Trade Me (a NZ website which is like Ebay mashed together with Craigslist). It seems as though virtually all used cars here (especially older ones) get sold on Trade Me. Trade Me functions like an online auction, so it was a little intense buying a car… Whew! I really prefer Craigslist, but it hasn’t caught on here for some reason. With a car, we will finally be able to see more of NZ than the University area and downtown! We will finally be able to see the ocean! Woo-hoo! And FINALLY make it to Castle Hill! At last!
We walked downtown again on the weekend. To get there, we walk across Hagley Park, a massive park in the middle of the city. It’s very pretty, very idyllic, and very British. Huge lawns, lots of trees (ALL kinds, from English oaks to Sequioa), a little lake with ducks, a winding river with punts (yes, each punt is poled along by a man with a round straw hat, a vest and a bow tie). It’s like Wind in the Willows – it makes me very jealous of Ratty, indeed (I wish I had a little rowboat and a picnic basket with cold chicken and cordial). There are lots of ducks in the river, but we also saw BIG eels (arm-sized) and big trout of some kind (probably a Brown trout). The cicadas are also out everywhere, buzzing their staccato music up in the trees. They’ve left their nymphal exoskeletons (exuviae) all over the bases of the trees, and with a bit of patience, you can see the adults higher on the trunks.
Downtown Chch is like Mini-Europe. A big central square, a big cathedral, art galleries, outdoor cafes. The difference, of course, is that it’s thronging with New Zealanders and tourists from Australia, with a few Americans, Europeans, and Asians thrown in for good measure. New Zealanders generally dress like Canadians, except they wear flipflops on their feet (or, in many cases, are barefooted).
We wandered though the Arts Centre again - it’s a fascinating place. It was the original University of Canterbury campus, complete with hidden courtyards, mysterious passageways, stone staircases, turrets, and oak trees. Now, tucked into every nook and cranny are galleries, workshops, theatres, and cafes. We went to some of the galleries and craftstores, including one that sold knitting (wool is taken fairly seriously here, and it shows).
The Buskers / Street Performers Festival is on right now, so we watched one of the shows. It was fun, but soon we were off again, exploring the city… The last time we were downtown we went to the Cathedral – very impressive! Photogenic! You can see it when you come visit!
We were walking through the campus tonight, and were poking around in one of the two streams that run through campus. Aya was leaning over, looking at something in the water… and plop! She fell in! She was shocked, maybe even a little scared. I pulled her out of the thankfully shallow water, and Shelley stripped her out of her wet clothes. I wrapped her in my jacket, and we headed home much to her chagrin (she wanted to stay a play in the stream).
This week’s ChCh vs. Vancouver comparisons… ChCh has a wayyy better downtown. Vancouver has wayyy better sushi. ChCh less rain. Vancouver less UV. ChCh NO CHEAP BREAKFASTS (this one is a killer). Beautiful women abound in both cities, but ChCh has wayyy more redheads. ChCh has fun streams IN the city (complete with EELS!!! Yay!). ChCh has free plums. Vancouver has free blackberries. People are MUCH friendlier here in ChCh.
Three final comments; (1) I’d like to Thank Amanda and Hamish for all their insight into life in Chch, (2) what exactly does “Sweet As!” mean?, and (3) I sunburned my nose (in NZ they turn the UV dial to ‘12’). I am getting TANNED here…
More soon! This week’s “We Miss You” goes out to our East Van neighbors Drew and Zoe and Violet, and Anna and Ben. We always really appreciated our fun neighbors on our tree-lined street in East Van!
Trent.
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