Day 11: The Life of a Kiwi

*The NZ Wood Pigeon is the largest pigeon in the world. Wouldn't Fat Boogas love to get her paws on one of these.

After a nice cereal breakfast in the motel, we headed across town to the Kiwi & Bird Life Park. It was really cool. We saw a lot of native birds including the Tui (which we now have a painting of), the Wood Pigeon (which is the 2nd largest pigeon in the world - boy wouldn't Boogas like one of those) and the Kiwi bird! Kiwi birds are nocturnal so we went in a dark building and their enclosure was lit with red lights. They are really big! Like a basketball and their beaks are about 6 inches long. One of them was being hyper and running around, it was so awesome. We also saw the conservation show and then a Maori dance including the war chant the Haka. I think I should learn the poi.
We then went up the skyline gondola which actually goes up a really steep incline. At the top we watched someone do the Sky swing which is like a bungy jump but you sort of sit in a harnass and they release you and you swing. I told Chris I would do that since it is not upside but I decided I can find a better way to spend 100NZDs. - And I did! We road the luge at the top which are those sleds on the concrete path. It was steeper than any of the others I have been on and fun.We went back to the motel and ate lunch of leftover Indian food and peanut butter. Then, we had a power nap.
We have come back into Queenstown and done some shopping. I got a Kathmandu fleece and bought Chris one for his birthday. I also went to another NZ store and got some shirts. We just finished shopping and decided to pop in an internet shop and get everyone caught up. We have activities booked the next few days and then will be driving so this will probably be the last post until we get back to Auckland. I will backtrack and add pictures to all these posts then.

Day 3: I finally went shopping!

Hope dropped us at the Auckland Museum after lunch.
It is a big impressive building but Hope and Chris both agreed the only part that is special and worth seeing is the Maori bit. I am having fun sharing all these wikipedia links. Do you feel educated?








Chris says this pictures proves I was in New Zealand. This a totem in the Maori meeting house. The place is so cool. The whole thing is carved, the whole building.

I also think I found the inspiration for tribal bellydance.
1. The Maori war thing is to stick their tongue out and they hiss when they do it.
2. In the museum they had traditional costumes and one was a string skirt with different colored tassles.
3. They have a lot of tattoos.
4. They make these costume disks that make me think of the tribal medallions.
Also - I saw the real Poi. They are short. Only about a foot and there is a ball on both ends. Also, it is never on fire.




This pictures was supposed to show in the background that it was a $5NZ donation to get in to the museum. Chris only had a twenty and we felt bad asking for change from a donation. Then I remembered that Laura gave me two NZ 5 dollar bills. I had to take a picture before I spent them. Unfortunately the sign didn't come out.


After the museum we walked over to the New Market area to do a little shopping. We foolishly came without a backpack so we bought one. Chris bought me a t-shirt. Hope bought Chris a new outfit of short and a t-shirt for his birthday. I bought Chris and I both sweaters made out of New Zealand merino wool and some childrens books for my nieces. And I spent $22 on face soap at The Body Shop!!! I think the exchange is 1 NZD = .75 cents USD, so we get a little break but everything over here is much more expensive. I hope you all aren't counting on too many presents when I get back. Actually, I am having a hard time finding presents. I keep thinking that I will know it when I see it for each person on my list.
Who wants a life size sheep made out of real wool?