[adamsat]

Hi All,

They're bit late but I thought I'd post a couple of pictures I took while in Christchurch. Unfortunately (or not depending on your opinion) I seem to have lost most of those containing other forum members.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y62/adamsat/DSCF0946.jpg
Only one I have containing other people is of Mandy & Andy in Rangiora (so that's Andy, Mandy and Andy in the picture). I spent a very pleasant few hours in Rangiora and didn't hear a banjo once. ;)

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y62/adamsat/DSCF0925.jpg
This one is of the beach at New Brighton taken from the pier. The beach was very busy that day.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y62/adamsat/DSCF0982.jpg
This is Akaroa which is only about an hours drive south of Christchurch. Absolutely fantasic scenery, very like the west coast of Scotland only on this day at least 20 degrees warmer.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y62/adamsat/DSCF1028.jpg

This is looking down away from Christchurch towards Cass Bay? from the top of the hills south of Christchurch (I thought they were mountains but apparently not :laugh )

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y62/adamsat/DSCF1027.jpg

This one is taken from the same place, but looking towards Christchurch.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y62/adamsat/DSCF1054.jpg

One looking down in the square from the top of the Cathedral.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y62/adamsat/DSCF1058.jpg

and finally one of the Cathedral from the square.


I hope others find these interesting. If you do I have another 1237 that I can deliver as a personal presentation with running commentry. :P

[Marie P]

Fantastic photo's

thanks for sharing :nice1

Marie x

[veronica]

""This is looking down away from Christchurch towards Cass Bay? from the top of the hills south of Christchurch (I thought they were mountains but apparently not ) ""

Can tell you come from Essex too. :laugh

[wilson182]

""This is looking down away from Christchurch towards Cass Bay? from the top of the hills south of Christchurch (I thought they were mountains but apparently not ) ""

Can tell you come from Essex too. :laugh

I made the same mistake :laugh

[Hannah-NL]

Grrreat pics Andy, wonderful! and yes I would love to see the other 1237 as well :P

[xanctus]

nice collections...thank's for sharing.

[shagen]

Great pics Andy! :nice1

[jan]

Absolutely fantastic pickies!!

Stunning Thanks for posting these

Jan xx :nice1

[Kim39]

Thanks for sharing. :nice1 Makes you even more determined to be part of this emigration process.

Kim

[Jo and Andy]

Does look wonderful, hope to see it all for myself soon.

Must post that ITA this week then.

[kiwidollie]

Great pics.

I personally can't get enough of photo's like these. Until we get to see it all in the flesh they're are definitely the next best thing.

Thanks for sharing. :cheers

[Tate6]

Love the pictures!! THanks so much for sharing!! These are my favorite posts!

Don't you love Akaroa?? I have only seen it in pics so far, but I am in love with it!

And, yes, I would LOVE to see the other photos with the commentary!!

Post away...........

Terry

[Rob K]

I am interested in reading what it is that people like about Akaora. We have visited the village and seen the Banks Peninsula area and although it does have some charm, I can't help noticing that it is an area that has gone through a giant clearcut. I personally prefer the West Coast where most of the native forest has been preserved.

I do come from Europe but having spent 10 years of my life in British Columbia in Canada, I can't help noticing the giant green or yellow desert that is NZ.

Sandrine

[veronica]

Don't think that this side of the country was ever so heavily wooded in the first place, its a lot more arid than the west. The west side of the country has masses more rain which accounts for all the lush greenery, while its nice to look at what with the wet and the sandflies I wouldn't want to live there. We really like Akaroa ourselves mainly for the coastal views, but the village itself has a certain seaside charm too.

[Rob K]

We were wondering about whether or not the Banks Peninsula (Akaroa etc) was naturally treeless (like a prairie etc). However, I have been told by at least one kiwi that this area was indeed forested (big totara trees, for example), and that very little of this forest remains.

Ourselves, we have seen much of the rest of NZ over the past month (over 6000 km on both main islands!), and have actually decided that Chch is the best place to be for us, right now. No question, for example, about the beautiful beaches in the city - which rival or surpass even wilderness beaches elsewhere (just went for a nice, long walk from Southshore halfway up to the pier and back: warm breeze, steady surf, and as mentioned - no sandflies such as will punish you severely on the west coast).

However, I think it's fair game to say that much (most, probably) of NZ is a green (or brown) desert of sorts. Except for reserves, national parks, and other officially protected areas, the land has been razed of most trees. Bald mountains such as you see around Akaroa would horrify many people from Canada (explaining our reaction), because most clearing of land is done in areas well away from places that are supposed to attract tourists.

In total fairness: Canada is probably in no way a better steward of forests than NZ. It's just that Canada is about 100 times the size of NZ, and so it is so easy to keep the areas of forestry, farming, mining, etc, separated from the tourist spots. You will not see a landscape as stark as around Akaroa anywhere near the Rocky Mountain Parks - not even outside the park boundaries. Here in NZ, where land is at a premium, you can easily tell the park boundaries: it's where the trees end and the pasture begins, 99% of the time.

I guess that Europeans such as the many Brits on this site, are more used to land that is similarly crowded - or much more so even - than in NZ. So, I'm guessing that much of the UK is totally cleared like France (where Sandrine is from and where I've seen much of this green/brown desert myself).

Regarding the west coast:

We just came back from a 2nd trip there, and ironically both times we experienced cracker days of sunny, warm weather. Though, we know well about the legendary rain - as evidenced by the deep green, rich forests there. Interestingly, though, was a comment made by a woman in Hokitika who's lived there for 14 years since growing up in Chch. While she admitted missing her hometown on the east coast, she said that the rains on the west coast actually didn't bother her much, and that she had only used her umbrella a half-dozen times or so in all her time there. She described the rain there as a warmer rain that dried up quicker - compared to the colder rains in Chch that got right through to your bones.

The sandflies are wicked, though, that's for sure. I understand that "sandfly" is just a kiwi term for blackflies - which are small but leave bites that will drive you crazy for days. Pretty bad all over the west side of the South Island, all the way around to the Nelson Bays.

Cheers,

Rob

[adamsat]

I guess that Europeans such as the many Brits on this site, are more used to land that is similarly crowded

I would agree, which is probably why Akaroa looked perfectly natural to me. Most of the trees were cleared from the part of the UK where I live a few thousand years ago so natural woodland (let alone forests) are limited.[/quote]

[adamsat]

As these were so well received :mrgreen: I've posted the rest on photobucket. Anyone who is interested can look here (http://photobucket.com/albums/y62/adamsat/)

[Timbo]

Great stuff Andy, thanks. You sure seem to like heights.
Can some one tell me how to do the active text thingy? It is soo much neater looking than a full link.

[Hannah-NL]

We found your link last night Andy and have spent a lot of time drooling over them all.
Me on here and hubby on his laptop
"Oh look at this" "Did you see this one yet?" "Ohhhh" "Ahhhh" was all that was to be heard :laugh
Thanks for sharing them! :nice1