Two Minutes of Silence Across New Zealand at 12:51PM

Today was the one week anniversary of the Christchurch earthquake. All across NZ people gathered to mourn and show support for the people of Canterbury at exactly 12:51 pm, time of the devastating quake. I joined hundreds of people in front of All Saints Church on the town square in Palmerston North.

The other picture I took last week while walking a downtown street. Heard a statistic on our travels that sheep out number people here, 10 to 1, and I believe it.

The Earthquake Adventures of Marji and Freddie Barron

End of the story first---They made it safely back to Knoxville yesterday, thank God!

They arrived at their Christchurch boutique hotel, the Charlotte Jane, around noon on Tuesday. The Charlotte Jane is a two story, wood structure building. After checking into their 2nd floor room, they were preparing to leave it and walk the mile into the CBD (Central Business District) when the earth started shaking. Marji says it was very loud, very powerful and seemed like it lasted a long time though probably wasn't more than 20 seconds. They could not have walked if they wanted to and were thrown to the floor. Everything in their room was also thrown to the floor---the TV, lamps, end tables, etc---and they were rolling around trying to dodge them. When it stopped, they heard their hostess downstairs yelling for everyone to get out of the building. They rushed outside with the other guests and found their hotel's chimneys swaying, but otherwise looking okay structurally. The place was a mess inside with broken dishes, bottles, etc. They remained outside for the next 8 or 9 hours, returning to their room only for quick bathroom visits and flushing the toilet with pond water. There was no water or power, and a constant flow of stunned people moving up and down the streets. Initial impressions from the locals were that it had to have been a quake greater than 8.0 since it was so much worse than the 7.3 quake in September. (This one turned out to have caused greater damage because it was shallower and almost a bulls eye on Christchurch CBD). They also began to get reports from people who had been in the CBD as to the devastation there. Hotel staff couldn't get home and they couldn't reach loved ones on the phone either, so they took care of the guests. The Barrons and the others were fed a delicious meal of lamb shanks and some vegetables. Amazing.

They debated sleeping in their rental car for the night but decided to sleep in their room instead since the hotel looked pretty solid structurally. The power came on about 9:30 pm and the TV worked despite its fall to the floor. They slept fully dressed, with shoes on and the TV on. Actually didn't sleep very well as the aftershocks continued all night long and they were prepared to run for their lives again if necessary.

Marji and I were texting throughout that day and I was updating her on the news as it was reported on TV. We weren't sure of the conditions of the roads for them to drive out of Christchurch. I began trying to get them a flight on Air New Zealand out of Christchurch to anywhere, but the Air NZ website was overwhelmed and I couldn't get through on the phone lines either. Kept trying right up until bedtime. The next morning I had to be at the thrift shop to work (only one there that day so had to go) and Ralph had to be at work. The Barrons were getting ready to go camp at the airport early to try and get on a flight when their hostess was able to get onto the Air NZ site and find 2 seats left to Wellington at 10 am. She asked them if they wanted them and they did! They had to drive about 5 miles to the airport and found the road to have "moguls" in it that were not there the day before when they came in, but it was driveable. By the time I finished work at the thrift shop at noon and reached Marji by text, they were in a rental car from Wellington and driving to our house.

Updating re Freddie and Marji Barron

They were able to get on a plane yesterday (Wednesday morning, NZ time) at 10:00 am to Wellington. Upon arrival there they could not get a flight to Auckland, BUT they saw that they could get on one today out of Palmerston North, which is our town. They rented a car and drove the 2 hours to us where we were thrilled to see them alive and well and host them another night! As I type this, they are in Auckland and their flight to Los Angeles is scheduled to leave in over 3 hours.

The Barrons have a lot of stories to tell of their terrifying experience, but they were extremely impressed with the Kiwi people through it all. People stayed calm and orderly and helped each other out. The airport was full of employees doing their job and keeping things smooth. Leadership here is amazing. We watch the press conferences of all the people involved from the prime minister to the mayor of Christchurch to the police chief and on and on, and they all invoke confidence, control, authority, calm and a feeling that everything that could be done is being done in the right way.

This is a small country of 4 million people and Christchurch is one of its larger cities of about 300,000 and certainly the largest town on the South Island. This is a major blow and affects everyone. And the tremors continue.... Please pray for the folks here.

Picture is of Christchurch Cathedral that we took the week of Christmas. It's the centerpiece of the city and Cathedral Square the heart of town. It lies in ruins now, with over 20 people dead within it that they haven't been able to reach yet. Another 25 or so were pulled alive out of it the first day.

Christchurch Earthquake and Us

Thanks for all the e-mails of concern. We are fine! Christchurch is about 350 miles from us, as the crow flies. We passed through that airport Saturday on our way home from traveling with Freddie and Marji. They continued on for another week of vacation in NZ. Unfortunately, they arrived in Christchurch by rental car yesterday maybe an hour before the quake. Really rotten luck for them. They are supposed to fly home Thursday to Knoxville from Christchurch. They are also fine. They are in a small boutique hotel a few blocks out of the city center. We have been texting with them and trying to help them get out of Christchurch. Phone calls don't go through, plus the officials ask people to text rather than call. They were without power but it was restored last night. The Christchurch airport was closed yesterday but they have announced reopening at 8:00 am this morning (It's 7:41 am as I type this, Wednesday morning). Freddie and Marji plan to camp out there and get on a flight to anywhere, eventually making their way to Auckland for their flight to LAX. Driving out of town in their rental car to another city is a possibility, but roads are heavily damaged so don't know if they could get anywhere.

Our prayers are with the people of Christchurch. It's on the TV nonstop here and looks as if the city (at least the downtown area) is destroyed. Reminds me of New Orleans and Katrina.

more pics from last week - sorry can't stop

Play match the caption:

From our window at Hawke's Bay

Art Deco week kids at play

Bus driver in Fjordland stops for Kea (South Island Parrot)

Gannet chick asks for supper

In Fjordland, Milford Sound a 150 meter waterfall in background with 9 storey cruise ship in foreground

Further pics for Friends, Feasting, and Fjords

These pics were meant to have accompanied the Rotarua, Hawke's Bay etc narrative but were limited because of picture size. Do try to click on the pics in the prior post, Mary and I are in the back row of the jet boat.

Wishing you were here.

ralph

Friends, Feasting and Fjords

For the last week we have seen, reseen, and explored more of New Zealand. And in this we have not been alone. Marji and Freddie Barron joined us in our most recent adventures. Together we explored the thermal features of Rotarua, the viticulture of Hawke's Bay and checked on the progress of the Gannett colony, then flew to beautiful Queenstown for jetboating, then bussed to Fjordland National Park a World Heritage Center. All in a somewhat adventuresome week.

Our first time to Rotarua. The thermal features are similar to Yellowstone in the USA but much younger. There are pictures in one of the valleys where we walked of a before and after eruption from only 60 or so years ago where villages were covered and new steam vents created as well as old ones blown to pieces. The steam, the colors, the mineral formations all an interesting and beautiful variation to the mountains and streams. While in Rotorua, I experienced the Hangi - traditional Mauri feast similar to the Hawaiian Lua. There was a village and food cooked in the ground as well as traditional dancing and village demonstrations. And on the edge of town we went to a farm - to be educated re: sheep with personal introductions to 19 varieties and a sheering demonstration. Then we were taken around the farm where we met traditional farm animals Angus cattle, pigs etc as well as Alpaca, Ostrich, deer and elk - all of which have been at various times given roles on Kiwi farms. (You may also find a picture of Mary with a Kiwi fruit on vine.)

Then we drove to Hawke's Bay and arrived as they were getting ready to celebrate Art Deco week with cars and folks dressed all bout town as though it were the 1930's. We however ate and dined as if there were no tomorrow: Our guide took us to Vidal's for appetizers, to a Te Mata Peak Park for scenic overlook and sparkling Sav Blanc, then to Craggy Range's Terroir Restaurant (recently graded in the top 20 winery restaurants worldwide) for main courses (the lamb was gooood), ending with dessert this particular evening at The Mission founded by monks and the oldest winery in New Zealand. Classic conspicuous consumption - a time and place for all things. Next day in Hawkes Bay we revisited an earlier experience with the Gannett Colony (see earlier post). But the colony was in a totally different stage as we watched chicks try to spread their wings and parents feed their young chicks. Awesome still.

Next we flew from Hawke's Bay to Queenstown by propeller jet arriving just in time to make our scheduled trip downriver on Shotover Jetboat with several 360 spins and a bit of cool wetness. Then the next day was our longest touring day of all our New Zealand adventures. Leaving at 7:30 am returning at 8:30 pm we traveled, on an unusual almost 4 wheel drive touring bus with overhead windows to see above us, to Fjordland National Park and then cruised around Milford Sound on a small cruising boat for about 2 hours. Mountains, glaciers, waterfalls, fur seals, and dolphins drafting on the boat's wake. (The preceding is not a complete sentence but it made a very complete afternoon.) The Barrons continued on and the Kensells returned to Palmy. Before we left Freddie said, "We'll have to do this again when you return to NZ next year." I laughed and Mary sent me a "don't even kid about it look." For now, the adventure continues.

We returned to Palmy for about 9 loads of laundry - with a slight further delay since half of our luggage went on adventures we did not.

Sweet as......

Love some of these Kiwi expressions---"sweet as" and "right as" are not followed by another word. And then there's "good on ya" which translates to "way to go".

I've been making some new Kiwi friends, primarily from the church we've been attending and volunteering in the thrift shop run by the church. Tomorrow I've been invited to the home of one of them for lunch after. These ladies have been so warm and welcoming to me and I'm going to miss them.

The Super Bowl here started at noon on Monday. Ralph had to work but I was invited to the home of the new American doctor in the emergency department to watch the game and have lunch. Leonard and Sharon are here for a year and brought their two young granddaughters along with them for the cross cultural experience. Had a great time with them.

Our friends Marji and Freddie from Knoxville are coming Saturday for a week. They've been cruising in the South Pacific for the last 10 days or so. We will travel with them about NZ for a week---going to Rotorua and Hawkes Bay (North Island), then flying to Queenstown and a side trip to Milford Sound (South Island). Really excited about their visit!

I've said too many times that we'd probably just be figuring out how to live here and getting to know people when it would be time to go home, and I think that's going to come true. We are returning to the States almost two weeks ahead of originally planned. Found out that the tax consequences in NZ are just plain awful if you stay over 183 days, which we would hit on March 28th. So....we're flying back the 26th and 27th. This has been a fun and unique experience, but we're also looking forward to being home again. I might be one of those folks who kisses the tarmac.....:)

Cheers!