Before I add a picture that goes with my last post, I am going to backtrack a bit. The fight to Auckland from Los Angeles seemed short. The airplane had screens on the back of each seat so every passenger could watch what they wanted. They served dinner, and then the movies started. After I watched a movie, I tried sleeping. It didn't feel like I slept that well, but miraculously 6 hours passed by without my noticing. We arrived to clouds and rain in Auckland, causing quite a bumpy ride upon descent.

I met a nice older fellow in Auckland who used to have over 100 acres with thousands of sheep. Now he is down to only about 1000, which he said really wasn't a farm. I think I have heard those called "hobby" farms, but in the USA, a hobby farm might have 100 sheep instead of 1000! He invited me to visit his farm with my husband, Dan, when he arrives in December.

The flight to Christchurch was very smooth and above the clouds, so there was not much to see. The clouds started to break as we approached the South Island and here is my first glimpse of it.

 

I could see mountains from outside the window, but the clouds around them made it difficult to take a good photo. (I think Mount Cook was on the other side of the plane). Here is a photo of the lower mountains just before approaching Christchurch.

 

The water looked very blue and the beaches white. I can't wait to check this out upon returning to NZ after my Antarctic trip. It is green everywhere. I truly feel like I am approaching someplace unusual and foreign, even though I have been here before.

 

There was a lot of moisture in the air and as we made our finally approach, I could see the air being compressed between the gap between the wing edge and the raised ailerons. I had to take a picture, mostly for Dan, plus it looked really neat.



By the way, there are a lot of golf courses in Christchurch!