Australia and New Zealand

Check out the cool see-through window in New Zealand currency.

The ice people (sounds like we are a tribe – which may not be far from the truth by the time the season is over) are really fantastic. I’ve been taveling en masse with a group of about fifty or sixty, and I have noticed several sociological differences. First of all, there isn't the usual human organizing behavior – you know, the initial awkward silences , the exclusive clique formations, the awkward eating alone at meals – that sort of thing. Newbies (fingies in this case) like me are treated with a surprising amount of respect, kindness, and patience...so far.

I've been making use of mnemonic devices for names because it is so hard to remember the twenty or more people I've been meeting every day. You should hear the voices in my head: Corey - i wear my sunglasses at night, wish E could meet, hazardous waste dude, Dean - older guy with grandpa golfing hat, opposite of james dean, Sean Cornish - corn doesn't grow in Haines, Alaska, where he's from, Arnita - mmm, carnitas!, Glenn - reminds me of my uncle except only this Glenn has all his fingers. That sort of thing. Hey, it works!

We as a group also have a definite fashion flair compared to other travelers with our carhart pants, long john tops, and Timberland boots (I’m still sporting sneaks). In customs in New Zealand last night, the woman agent said to me “you are the rose among the thorns” but I think it was only because she felt a little sorry for this exhausted forty-plus woman with blood-shot eyes, hair wisping out of her braid, serious bags under her eyes, surrounded by a bunch of bearded men in polypropylene. Like I said before, men outnumber women by quite a bit. Somebody from the group came up to me today and told me that I have the look of an Easterner (as in VT, NH, ME). Weird.

Yeah, I got to hang out in Australia for six hours!

There was a very long delay leaving Los Angeles, so we had to stay in Sydney for a day. I didn’t mind a bit. Quantas put us up in a fancy hotel and we were fed prawns, Monk fish, parsley and tomato salad, and a small fruit with a thick white rind and tadpole-looking fleshy globules in the middle. Delicious! Not having enough time to see the sights downtown, I walked along a river for over an hour and oggled the local birds. I took several pictures and the Aussies must have been snickering a bit as I snapped pictures of a Kiwi-looking bird with a curved bill, which apparently is as common as a pigeon in the U.S. It reminds me of the time my friend, Pilar (from Spain) chased squirrels around with her camera when she came to visit us in Maine and Montana (hola Pilar! Ardillas son muy monas, no? ).

A black and white speckled bird scolded me from a branch, sounding just like a rusty swingset. I overheard some young kids on their bikes talking about the most fascinating topic at that age: “die-a-ray-a.” I love the accent, mate! No worries.

We found out that 450 ice folks have been delayed in Christchurch, New Zealand, because of bad weather in Antarctica, costing Raytheon $85,000/day. I thought this meant our group would have a little paid vacation here in New Zealand too, but instead they have doubled up on flights and the backlog is disappearing. I am on the manifest for tomorrow! Yikes. At least I don't go out on the 2 a.m. flight like the group before me!

Today we were all at the CDC (Clothing Distribution Center) to get our ECW (Extreme Cold Weather gear). On the military plane tomorrow, I will be wearing that a giant red parka, bunny boots, brand new rigid black insulated carhart overalls, a balaclava, huge gloves, a hat, wool socks, etc. I’ll try to get a picture to put it in the next post.

The food on this whole trip has been remarkably good, even on the planes (that is, once you leave the states). In my B&B here in Christchurch, I was served eggs, baked beans, creamed corn, tomatoes, fruit salad, bacon, spaghetti, and toast with vegemite for breakfast. Yes, I did say spaghetti. Check out this jobbie that has nuts, olives, and beans, along with the asparagus in it!

I can’t quite figure out prices here. I’ve seen a car lot where mitzubishi wagons are being sold brand new for $7000 (American dollar equivalent), while dinner out seems to cost at least $30 at the cheaper places, and hiking socks can cost $40! Oh, and they have animal ambulances here! Also, you can find “coreless” toilet paper (see below). It’s the little things that thrill me when I travel :)

I can’t believe I’m going to show this picture, but like in my Argentina blog, I once again make the disclaimer that it is almost impossible to get Ben to bother to read these things, so I have to thrown in a few enticements for him. Yep, it's a beer keg of some sort. Check out the worried eye -I am terrible at snapping my own picture. Elizabeth has it down to an art.

Some pictures of Christchurch:

I think this saint is having a private laugh over what happened to me in the next picture.
Yep, that's a bird dropping on my cheek. Look at my oblivious expression. I didn't notice it until I caught a glance of myself in the mirror some time later. Wonder what the locals thought of this American taking a picture of herself with bird crap on her cheek. Crikey.
One of my Australian professors from my MA degree talked about how Australians like to "cut down the tall poppies" as a figure of speech meaning that generally people make sure no one gets away with thinking they are better than everyone else. Well, there was only one tall tulip in the botanical gardens, but hey, this is New Zealand, so I guess they are allowed. These next two pictures are also of the botanical gardens in Christchurch.

Yay, no bird poop on my face!
This statue was labeled "wrestling." In Montana, we might call it "the rut."

These are bone carvings that they sell at the crafters market downtown. They are wonderfully tactile - smooth and cold.


New Zealand currency:

I shared some fish (Monkfish - my favorite!) and chips this evening with this cat named Tiger at a cafe.