Last Day, an eternity

Today is February 2, and will last for far longer than 24 hours.  I attempted to keep a record of times so I could calculate how many hours it took me to get from there to here, total.

Did not sleep well in Christchurch, as I had to be up really early and was afraid the alarm would not go off.  Finally got up at 0320, the taxi was here at 0350, and I was at the airport by 0410.  This was later than they told me to be there, but still way early.  We finally boarded at 0620 and took off for Sydney.  I am flying JetStar, which charges for EVERYTHING except water.  And I thought US airlines were cheap.  My luggage was checked through to LAX!

A grey day in Sydney

The flight to Sydney took 3hr 15min, but there is a 2 hour time change, so we actually were unloading at 0745, in the rain.  Long boring day in Sydney Airport...free WiFi so I got almost caught up on my blog.  Not looking good as the plane is not here at 1400 and we are supposed to leave at 1500.  My connection in LAX is getting iffy.

Finally loaded the plane and left close to 1700.  Now the next day after a miserable night, and I've been up and travelling for 29 hours with minimal sleep.  At least it is 0700 in the correct time zone, Pacific Standard Time, but it is still February 2 because we crossed the International Date Line (confused yet?)

We landed in LAX at about 1045, so we were only 1hr 10min late.  Oh USA entry, how do I love thee?  Getting off the Airbus A380 took a while, as there 525 passengers and only one exit.  Finally got into line for Immigration, where, when I got to the front of the line the officer knew where Yuba City and stamped my passport with no questions asked.  (33 hours and counting.)

Now the wait for the luggage.  Remember it was checked in in Christchurch Airport, so it had to wait in Sydney for the correct plane, and was probably on the first pallet loaded into the plane.  First in, last off?  Yes, both bags finally showed up.  A small favor, LAX has free luggage carts.  Now into line for Customs...two lines, both about 400 people long---I kid you not.  Time she is a passin'.  My flight for Sacramento leaves at 1220.  Surely the US can find a faster way to screen incoming passengers.  Got through Customs at 1235---yes, that 1235, 15 minutes past the time my flight took off.

As I started the long trek in LAX from the International Terminal to Terminal 1, I remembered that my big suitcase was too heavy for SWA, so I stopped inside Terminal 3 to put something into my carry-on.  Then I remembered that I had had a call on my cell while waiting in the Customs line. ( You are not allowed to take calls in the Customs Hall.)  It was SWA saying my 1220 flight had been changed to 1320---I could still make this flight as it was (only!!) 1245.

I hustled through Terminal 3, then past Terminal 2, then to SWA, which, of course, is the last airline in Terminal 1.  Short line, got to the counter, was told I was late to check in (like I didn't know it already).  Told her I had just gotten off an international flight and here I was!  Slapped "Late Baggage" on my bags, and off I was to turn them into TSA.  Now, up the stairs to--wait for it, wait for it---security check.  It is now a little after 1300.  Will I make it?  Short line for security...family of six ahead of me, with kids!!!  Forgot to take my phone out of my pocket, back through the scanner, now for a pat down.  Shoes on, bags picked up, phone back in pocket (I'm sweating by this time.), thank goodness, the gate is the first on on the right, and my boarding number has already been called, so I skip the B line and am finally on the plane.

Home at last, SMF

Am I done yet?  Not quite.  (Remember the Late Baggage?)  The plane is half empty, and I have three seats for myself.  I am so hungry by this time (Breakfast was at 0700, and I didn't feel like eating all of it.)  that I asked for extra peanuts.  We arrived at SMF and I was waiting in baggage at 1515 when Rob called.  Only one bag showed up... (Remember the Late Baggage?).  SWA baggage was so nice.  My "lost" bag would be on the next direct flight, supposedly.  Rob drove me home, where I arrived at about 1600.  This was a total of about 37 hours with minimal sleep the night before and lousy sleep on the plane.  Wow, wow indeed.

BTW, my bag did show up on the next flight and Rob picked it up for me.

Thanks to all of you who followed my adventures, and a special thanks to those who commented...chiefly my daughter Surani, but also quilting pals Claire and Jan, my swimming bud, Heidi, as well as my son Rob and his special friend Kat.

Day 7--Christchurch

Leaving Hanmer Springs
River Waiau

Got up today and went to the Hanmer Springs Spa, where I was treated to an hour massage. Feeling good, my shoulders are in great shape. After this we got into the car again, only about 180 km today, unlike the close to 300 km yesterday. Drove down to the Canterbury plain, largest flat area in NZ, unfortunately in the rain shadow of the Southern Alps. Lots of irrigation, with sheep (of course) cattle and vineyards.

On the way to Christchurch
Frog Rock

Arrived in Christchurch around 2 PM. In the outskirts its hard to tell that there's been any kind of earthquake, but then as you get closer to the CBD the boarded up windows and cracked buildings with danger tape start appearing. More about this later.

One of Randi's favorite things
feeding ducks

On the River Avon

We immediately went to the Botanic Gardens because Randi had booked a session in a punt on the small river, the Avon, that runs through town. The Avon is a shallow stream with a bazillion mallard cross ducks on it. Apparently the mallards they brought here for shoots in the 1860 are breeding the local ducks out of existence. Interesting that all the crosses, both male and female, look like female mallards, with none of the color that a male mallard shows.  We also saw Pied Comorants and the Paradise shelduck.

Black Teal or Scaup
Crosses with Mallard

Paradise shelduck female

My favorite flower

Botanic gardens--don't know
what it is, but bumblebees love it

After we checked into the hotel, Randi and I walked back to the Botanical Garden and spent a lot of time walking though it. Non-native trees do really well here, even the Giant Sequoia, but also saw English lime trees, which I always thought were some kind of citrus, but no, the lime refers to the leaf color.

Looking into the CBD

Art gallery with
steeple on ground

Christchurch Cathedral

We walked through the center of town on our way to supper. Cathedral Square is unbelievable...totally flattened in some sections, bare earth in others, barricades and danger tape everywhere. The bombing disaster. Pictures cannot convey how desolate the center of town is. I refuse to take pictures of individual people's homes boarded up, but did take some pictures of public places. What a mess, but Christchurch promises to come back from the ruins.

We ate at a beer pub/pizza place tonight. Interesting pizza. We had pear-blue cheese-bacon pizza, really good, and 3-cheese, thyme pizza, more traditional I guess.

Lunch
Steak and bacon pie---yum

Off to bed...I have to get up at an unconscionable hour tomorrow.

Day 6--Down South toward Christchurch

Kekerengu

Road work in NZ

Randi's finds

Left from Blenheim today on the way to Christchurch. We stopped for coffee in a place called Kekerengu, which seems to have nothing but a tea house and the ocean...ahh, the ocean. Its such a beautiful color. Randi and I went rock hounding for really smooth round white rocks. Lots of conglomerate type rocks here, and we did find some we like. Yes, I am          

Jim holding up a mountain
in the Kaikoura range

            bringing it home.

Next stop was Kaikoura, which is a real tourist destination...feels like Santa Cruz or Capitola. Bus tours from cruise ships too, but the real reason we stopped here was that in the right season there is a NZ fur seal colony here, but , alas, not a seal to be seen.

The dark hill is an exotic forest
aka Monterey Pine

One of many one-lane bridges
You wait for oncoming traffic.

Jim took the old inland road, heading for the number one tourist destination in NZ, Hanmer Springs. Can't say I ever heard of it, but if you aren't going to a city, this is where you go. What a road! Lots of rolling hills (NZ is one of the most up-and-down, and then up again, countries I have ever seen.) with turns where you're supposed to slow way down, then one lane bridges, then do it all over again, for 85 km. Randi did not get sick, but I think it was a close call.

Henmer Springs hot mineral baths

 Finally reached Hanmer Springs, where we checked into a boutique hotel, and then went to the hot mineral springs. Large choice of mineral, really hot, cooler, and hydro-therapy, which is a fancy way of saying huge jacuzzi. Stayed at the springs for a couple of hours, changed, and then went to a fantastic, small restaurant named Malabar. Indian run, with several kinds of Pacific Rim foods. Good curry, too.

For the tourists from left hand drive
countries