So Many Penguins!

So it seems that this part of my trip is all about penguins! Which is just fine with me since I love them so much!

I've left Christchurch now and am a few hours south in a town called Oamaru. I'm stopping here because they have two colonies of penguins that naturally live and nest off the coast, right near the town - the Little Blue Penguins and the Yellow Eyed Penguin. They are the two smallest species of penguins (about a foot tall), and the Yellow Eyed Penguin is pretty rare as well. So I'm hoping to go see them tonight, since they're most active at dusk and dawn, but it's kind of cloudy and drizzly here so I might have to wait until tomorrow. I did see some Little Blue Penguins while I was in Christchurch, but it was in an exhibit at the Antarctic Center, so not nearly as cool as seeing them in the wild.




Also at the Antarctic Center, they had this room where you could go in and experience an arctic storm. You had to put on big jackets, and they were warning everyone that it gets really cold, and to make sure to come out if it's too much for you. PFFFT! I had worse weather walking to school in Kamloops. People were freezing cold and leaving the room and I'm just standing there in the blowing wind thinking this is nothing! The coldest it got in the room was -8 C, and -19 C with wind chill. I think the coldest I knew of when I was at school was -23 C plus wind chill, so this was nothing. I just thought it was pretty funny, but I guess not everyone is *blessed* enough to experience a Canadian winter!


See, that's not that bad!

I really enjoyed my time in Christchurch. Staying with my friend Gwennie was great, because it was a very welcome change from the constant hostel life. Having my own room, free laundry and internet, and just some people to relax and hang out with was just what I needed after almost two months of travelling. The city is very beautiful as well, with over 180 parks, and lots of brick and castle-like buildings. The Art Gallery and Museum were amazing, and the Botanic Gardens in the center of the city were very beautiful, and huge! I found a rose in the gardens that I like to think of as mine... it was called Valentine's Heart. :P

My rose!


The Botanic Gardens



Triceratops skull in the museum


Mostly I just took it easy, and tried not to fit too much into one day, which I have been doing a lot so far on my trip. I took the time to look through a bunch of outdoor markets, and got some good deals on some souvenirs. I was also able to sit in on a Choir performance at the Cathedral in the center of Christchurch, through luck and good timing. They were really good, especially for an all men's choir.


The Cathedral and a the city's Millenium sculpture in Cathedral Square.

There's not much else to say really, since the past week has been pretty laid back. I did actually run into Farley on the street in Christchurch, which is the second time I've bumped into him since we separated. We're basically heading in the same route so I guess it's not that odd, but it's still funny.

So I'll leave you with some pictures I took, in an attempt to outshine my brother's new fancy dancy photography. (Shameless plug - www.ryanharringtonphotography.com) I hate how it looks like I'm copying everything he's doing - eg, travelling, liking photography... but ask mom and dad, I had an interest in photography a long time ago! Remember I wanted to learn how to use gramma's camera mom? :P





I like to call this last one 'Summer Love' Say it with me now - Awwwwww.

And I had one more but it seems I forgot to upload it. Darn. Anyway, that's all for now. Miss you all!