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To kick start this entry, I doubt this applies to many, but your patience has paid off waiting for some photos, as I've gone a little crazy and added over 30 of the little blighers to my previous blog. If you thus fancy seeing even more mountains, or a car-destroying parrot, just click that 'previous entry' buttom above. I figured, as this will be the last set of photos I can upload until I next put some on CD, I thought I'd treat you lucky lucky people.

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait

Simon Wadsworth
2006-09-04 17:28:55

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wonderful sight!

On the return journey, we also made a stop at the Albatross centre to try and gain a glimpse of the Royal Albatross gliding above us. Unfortunately, when we arrived, there was no wind, but after waiting a good 30minutes, it was as if God had sneezed as the winds came, and so did the glorious birds. They really are big buggers, with the largest wingspan of any bird species, up to 3.4m. Preferring to glide because their love of pies makes them too heavy to fly for long periods, they can travel up to an incredible 1000km/day, at speeds over 100kph. But what impressed me most was their extended holidays of up to 4-6years without touching land once! Spectacular birds.

As I mentioned before, Dunedin is the Gaelic word for Edinburgh, and also, a friend told me, where Aragorn's name Dunedain comes from too. Full of little facts today aren't I? Dunedin, NZ's first city due to the Gold Rush of the 1860s, is also home to the steepest street in the world, steeper than San Francisco's. This is because the crazy Scots designed the city back in Edinburgh, and then just decided to plonk it road perfect at its current location, ignoring all local topography in the process. You have to love those Scots ;) But alas, I didn't get to see it.

Back in Christchurch, my time in New Zealand had sadly come to an end, but not before one final experience - saving the best til last, naturally. However, it appeared my flying lesson was doomed to bad weather, as defying all weather reports, it still managed to rain when it was meant to be sunny. I think the Aero Club must have got pissed off with me by the end of the day, as I rang back for the 4th time asking "Can I fly yet? Can I, can I?" But my patience paid off as the cloubs eventually lifted and I got my wish.

It was a 2-seater Piper Tomohawk that I nervously sat in, complete with beefy headphones and mouthpiece, and it looked so fragile I daren't ...