Day 1: Getting there

Today we finished off the cleaning and packing and went to Nelson to get on a plane! For Shakira and Theresa this was their first flight ever. We flew over Saxton oval where they were getting ready for the crickect, Nelson lakes, saw some snow on the peaks and landed in Christchurch.

All the shoes lined up to dry after being cleaned.

Goodbye Moutere!

View from the left of the plane

Nelson lakes

Snow on the peaks

In the Koru lounge at Christchurch we caught some lunch and watched some of the cricket world cup on the TV. We even saw our friends from school on the TV (doing loom bands at the cricket).

Cricket on the TV

We got on a 'big plane' to Brisbane, with TV's in the seats and it was all very exciting. After many "how long to go"'s we finally got there. The kids got to go in the cockpit when we landed. Shania's first comment when we got off the plane was 'why does it smell like wet dog?'. Clearly she's never smelt the humidity of Queensland. We're loving it.

In the cockpit

And speaking of the weather, cyclone Marcia is due to hit the coast tonight and bring with it 400mm of rain....looks like we won't be going to Australia Zoo tomorrow. The wet weather plan will be Underwater world aquarium and shopping.

We picked up our hire car and drove in the pouring rain to the Sunshine Coast to meet Uncle Tom and Auntie Courtney. On our way we passed the famous pub with no name that was previously named the "Ettamogah Pub" and Aussie World. Shakira and Theresa counted over 100 birds on the way, and Shakira noticed that the number plates here are maroon.

Aussie world and the rain

Tom and Courtney's house

no-longer-Ettamogah Pub

So now we're settling in for the night in a balmy 24C and 100% humidity with heavy rain and ceiling fans (which the kids have never seen before and are kinda scared of).