Stop #3
I'm in Christchurch New Zealand right now. We've got a few hours before we have to report to the Christchurch Distribution Center (CDC) at the airport to get our cold weather gear and hear the plans for tomorrow. If all goes according to plan, I'll be on a Hercules C-130 (big, slow, military cargo plane), decked out in all of my cold weather gear, at 6 am tomorrow morning on my way to McMurdo. But the chances of that actually happening are pretty slim. I think that people usually experience an average of two cancellations before they get down there.
WE arrived in Christchurch at around 11 yesterday morning after a long, grueling day of traveling. Boston to LA to Auckland to Christchurch. All in all, over 20 hours on an airplane.
No terribly exciting stories so far. Yesterday we explored the city. It is beautiful here and the Kiwis are so hospitable and are generally nice people. We're staying at a little bed and breakfast hotel. There are tea rooms open 24 hours a day. I feel surprisingly comfortable - it doesn't really feel like a foreign country. People just drive on the wrong side of the road and talk funny. We spent the rest of the afternoon at a huge botanical garden a few blocks from our hotel. Some of the trees were unbelievable, like 25 feet across at the base. I have some great pictures and I'll try to throw some up here soon. They sure love their rugby here. Paraphernalia everywhere.
I'm having a great time with the team (Adam, Doug and Kate) so far. We are starting to get to know each other and are laughing a lot. Last night over dinner we discussed our idiosyncrasies and phobias. I disclosed my strange habit of eating frozen mixed vegetables, frozen. They agreed - that is strange.
Anyway, the clock is ticking in the internet cafe. I'll write again soon with updates.
I love you all.
-d
WE arrived in Christchurch at around 11 yesterday morning after a long, grueling day of traveling. Boston to LA to Auckland to Christchurch. All in all, over 20 hours on an airplane.
No terribly exciting stories so far. Yesterday we explored the city. It is beautiful here and the Kiwis are so hospitable and are generally nice people. We're staying at a little bed and breakfast hotel. There are tea rooms open 24 hours a day. I feel surprisingly comfortable - it doesn't really feel like a foreign country. People just drive on the wrong side of the road and talk funny. We spent the rest of the afternoon at a huge botanical garden a few blocks from our hotel. Some of the trees were unbelievable, like 25 feet across at the base. I have some great pictures and I'll try to throw some up here soon. They sure love their rugby here. Paraphernalia everywhere.
I'm having a great time with the team (Adam, Doug and Kate) so far. We are starting to get to know each other and are laughing a lot. Last night over dinner we discussed our idiosyncrasies and phobias. I disclosed my strange habit of eating frozen mixed vegetables, frozen. They agreed - that is strange.
Anyway, the clock is ticking in the internet cafe. I'll write again soon with updates.
I love you all.
-d
posted by LankyPoobah at 2:15 PM
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