The day after the Enduro ride we all got together, rented an 8 seater car, and went to visit Akaroa.
Alex in the back, Jesper, me, Viktoria and Bethany in the middle, and Kenta, Kim and Miriam in front. Location: click
And behind us:
Our 8 seater Toyota Estima:
And the designated driver:
I'm the only one over 25, so I get a discount as a driver.
It was about an hour and a half driving to get to Akaroa, and most of the time it was really nice. Only when we were getting close to the end people started getting car sick, the road was full of corners, like a mountain road.
Akaroa
We then had a hearty breakfast:
And we went for a boat ride. To try and see some seals and dolphins:
This is Murph, the dolphin detective. He starts barking when he starts hearing the dolphins, so we know when they are going to show up.
Murph
The weather wasn't that nice but we still had a nice time.
I was picked up at my apartment and then one drove for about one hour to an old farm (here):
In the morning we went to the place in the first picture and back. We has a 10 min stop to rest and take some pictures:
The person with red gear was our guide.
Then we came back to have lunch. On our way back we went through a very dense bush, behind me:
I had to keep dodging tree branches and went over a dozen fallen trees.
Lunch time:
Tea or coffee?
It was really sunny!
Coffee with milk, a sandwich and a blueberry muffin.
After lunch we went for a less technical ride, with more open spaces and water crossings:
I was riding the orange bike, a KTM 400 EXC
Happy but very tired
On our way back we stopped to take some action photos, like this one:
And soon after this last photo was taken, the youngest of the group went straight to a mud pool and got stuck, we laughed for about 5 min before doing anything to help =)
He didn't even fall, just stopped in the mud
We then made our way back to camp, and took a group photo (without the guide):
Willowbanks is a wildlife reserve, including several exhibitions (from their website):
1) Wild New Zealand
The story begins through 'Wild New Zealand'. It starts with the impact on a fragile country of introduced species such as deer, wallabies, and a host of other animals, birds and plants, many of whom have altered the landscape and biota drastically. These lessons may have been hard and costly, but it is important that we learn from them, and make the most of managing the resources that make up our new but rich environment.
2) Heritage New Zealand
The journey continues through 'Heritage New Zealand'. As a country our history has left us with a rich and diverse livestock heritage, many unique to the regions they have evolved in. For about two centuries, vessels have been placing a range of breeds such as pigs, rabbits, goats, sheep and cattle on the various islands that make up New Zealand. Evolving into their own distinct breeds, the conservation of their genetics is an important component of the Park's conservation work. The heritage of our farming systems is important, and the 'Farmyard' illustrates early farming, livestock and mthods.
A turkey with two heads!! just kidding, two turkeys
Auckland Island Pigs
3) Natural New Zealand
The final part of your journey will take you through 'Natural New Zealand'. This is the national heart of New Zealand, and illustrates some of the species that make up our totally unique native wildlife, our flora, and our culture. Here you will see some of our most endangered species and learn about the work being done to preserve them. You will have the opportunity to learn about the culture of our indigenous people the Maori, and our hopes for the future.
Tuatara - the living dinosaur
Kea Birds
And, lastly, a video:
My recommendation is to watch it on Youtube in HD. Sorry for non Portuguese speakers, but I do speak Portuguese in the video. Best part from 9 min 30 sec.
This is one of the biggest parks in the city, close to the centre. They have lots of parks covered in grass, with large trees and rugby goal posts =)
Hagley Park
And now it gets pretty cold as well:
Thermal clothing, gloves, some warm headgear, and a windproof jacket.
Temperatures go down to 1 or 2ºC soon after the sunset, so you need some warm clothes.
The rose garden, inside Hagley Park:
There's a river that goes through the city, called Avon river, and it also crosses my university's campus. I'll show you pictures of the campus another time.
Avon River
The water is so clear that it feels like you can drink from it, honestly.
I arrived really early at Sydney, so I had to wait for over an hour for the sunrise. So, I took the opportunity to watch the sunrise from the Opera House:
And you look to the left:
Afterwards I just went for walk around town. This is one of the gardens in central city:
This last picture was actually taken with my phone, cause my camera's batteries died =(
So I don't have that many pictures from Sydney, but I'll return there in December and take a few more.
