Having
decided to add
the inland
loop via
Pukaki &
Tekapo for a
last sight of
the mountains
it was
disapointing
that the
clouds didn't
lift for us.
This Lupin
stocked river
border was at
a sandwich
stop.
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A
couple of
impressive
Hydroelectric
damns on
route.
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Milky
water from a
tributary
colouring the
lake.
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We
stopped for a
good walk to
climb Mount St
John. An
obervatory on
top of the
hill takes
advantage of
the clear air
with low light
polution.
Cloudless
skies can't
however be
guaranteed.
Our lunch stop
was shared
with a Wallaby
that stood and
looked at us
for a while
before hopping
off into the
bush.
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This
fellow strikes
a good pose
overlooking
Lake Tekapo.
On a clear day
Mount Cook
would have
been visible
in the
distance.
We reached
Timaru in time
for a wander
round the
unremarkable
town before
finding our
bnb -this one
a good sized
garage
conversion.
Timaru is
where my
grandma was
born and grew
up. My mum had
visited some
years before
us but had
lost touch
with the last
of her
cousins. We
thought we
would try and
find my great
grandparents
grave.
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Thinking
that the
museum would
be the place
to have
records we
found it shut
but spotting
the very smart
modern library
was open we
asked a
helpful
librarian if
they keep
death records.
Better than
that she
turned up a
plan of the
Cemetry with
every grave
logged and
named. My mum
had given us
the name-
Mathias and
approximate
dates. We
weren't sure
if the grave
she found was
theirs however
as the dates
were a little
out but Mum
later verified
that Edith
& Lewis
were indeed
her
grandparents,
and Helen one
of her Mums
sisters who
had died
young. It was
a large family
(9 children?)
so I had a
search for
current
Mathias' still
in Timaru and
turned up one
possible
contact but
unfortunately
didn't manage
to speak to
anyone.
Googling
turned up a
Mathias now
living up in
Russell near
the boat and
also another
lady who is a
celebrity
chef. I made
contact with
the Russell
Mathias via
Linkedin- he
didn't think
he was related
to us although
he is a cousin
of the chef.
After finding
the grave we
drove along
Fairview Rd
which was the
address of
Edith &
Lewis. It is a
long country
road with some
sheep farms
but which was
theirs we
couldn't tell.
The drive on
to
Christchurch
was along a
very straight
road across
the Canterbury
flats. Not
very inspiring
after our
prior surfit
of amazing
scenery.
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We
had a look
round the
museum in
Christchurch
before finding
Mike and
Margo's house
perched on a
cliff edge
having just
about survived
the
earthquake.
Mike is a
university
friend of
Diana's so it
was strange
for her to
catch up with
him after
nearly 50
years. They
had had lots
of problems
sorting out
damage after
the earthquake
with dodgy
builders and
difficult
insurance
claims. The
house looks
fine now but
amazing that
it didn't
slide down the
hill. The
garden is on
the extreme
limit of
manageability-
Mike has done
an amazing job
of landscaping
with loads of
rather wonky
retaining
walls. They
would quite
like to move
now but want
to stay in the
Mountpleasant
area.
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Enjoyed
a nice meal in
an italian
restaurant and
a poignent
walk round the
centre to see
the still
damaged
cathedral and
open spaces
where
buildings once
stood, yet to
be replaced.We
drove up to
the top of the
hill on which
they live for
a twilight
view over
Christchurch
and the
harbour on the
other side.
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