Stormer999

Alright youv'e convinced me a run up to Kaikoura is on the books.....I had heard it is well worth the trip....

chippy64

In the car park in Kaikoura! The last one was opposite the car park.

shirl

Didn't realise that in my insular little world that all those things that we are in awe of here like the seals and dolphins and whales are actually to be found in the British Isles too, just have to know where to look for them! Was a great program on the other day - I can't recall the name of it now but I think it was somewhere out in the Hebrides! BTW those seals that you can see from the top road out of Kaikoura by the seal colony give off some stink don't they! I also came across one in the carpark who I got too close to and he reared up at me and made such a noise at me and started to charge, twas such a site to see me fall over in fright on my backside!!!:rofl: A nice young man helped me to my feet and told me I should not have gotten too close to them which was too late I already had!

chippy64

shirl

Yep all I could think of was that English comedy sketch which says something like

:"OOOO Young Man, at your age, at my age, young man"

Now who was that cause it drives me nuts, been here too long and can't remember!

chippy64

Harry Enfield I think? Sorry Shirl but still laughing .

shirl

Well thanks for that, yes I laugh about it a lot now especially when we take visitors there. It always replays in my memory like an old movie and I will never live it down! Talk about a comedy sketch! Best thing was OH was sat in his car talking on the mobile phone watching it all and didn't even come to my rescue! Says he didn't see me in distress but I am sure he would have! Men eh!

chippy64

Can recommend South of India in New Brighton for an Indian - eat in or takeaway. http://www.southofindia.co.nz/index.html

Snap Shot

One word of advice, if you go to the Antarcica International Centre, get a years pass. They may be $17 more but you get it for the year instead of paying $69 for one visit. It's ok I suppose, not a great deal to do there. The truck ride is fun, the cinema is ok, experiencing a freeze over was good. Oh and they do have little blue penguins but the experience is pointless. You'd be better travelling south to Akaroa and doing the Pohatu Penguin tour. That was a great experience[/QUOTE]

The Antarctica International Centre is where we went for my birthday last June. It was fantastic. Among other things the cinema screen footage of the frozen wasteland and under the clear blue water was amazing. So was the 3D cinema experience of being on a boat. Yeah, the Penguins were a bit disappointing, they've all got fun names though ! I've seen little blue penquins in their natural habitat in Omaru in the South Island. I've also see yellow eyed penguins in their natural habitat, i.e. coming in from the sea, walking over the sandy beach and heading to their nests at the bottom of a cliff. The public weren't allowed on the beach but I saw them from a view point anyway.

After the Antarctic Experience went for a meal, ribs and steak at the Running Bull in Riccarton - excellent. We were travelling by bus as we had given up the rental car 'cause we were broke ! It just meant we could both have a drink

Five days later my husband was offered the job that got us out of Christchurch

Mark Smith

Hi,
For those who enjoy two wheels try a ride upto Hamner Springs, we stayed in the top ten camp site, which was very cheap and had excellent facilities. Across the Lewis pass to Reefton and then through Buller gorge to Westport. Down the coast we stayed in a youth hostel on the beach at Punakaki. Finally heading back over Arthurs pass - stopping in Sheffield for a visit to the pie shop. I brought over my Yammy dragstar 650 from the UK and it ate up the miles brilliantly, but hated some of the hairpin corners!
Just to repeat what I posted earlier on another thread, I've just taken out a new contents insurance policy today for the house we rent out. It covers fire, theft and floods only - no earthquake cover. Expensive at $696 for the year, but at least covers $40,000 and new for old.

chippy64

A visit to Orana Park with the Lion Experience is well worth it! $25 to get in and an extra $30 to be in a cage on the back of a ute, then driven into lion enclosure for feeding time!

Persephone

We didn't do that but I loved feeding the giraffes, how gorgeous are they!
I also liked the eel feeding-never imagined it could be so fascinating and that they had such silky smooth skins

chippy64

We got there too late, so will be going back to feed the giraffe....and another go with the lions!

My mum sent money in two cards for my boys' birthdays...to the wrong address! They have moved twice since that one. Kevin went round there, to find they had put them back in the post. When we got home, message on the phone to say cards returned to them and they will forward them onto us! Good people!

chippy64

When travelling by bus, don't forget to thank the driver when you get off!

Stormer999

We always did that back in the UK but the wife says here the bus driver usually thanks her for travelling on his bus!