Last Good Pies: Safe Travels! – August 4th

Outside the dorms before heading off to the Lincoln Midwinter Market

Lincoln Midwinter Market

Last pies and flat whites at Hillyers

Our class left this afternoon for the long flights back to Florida with a few stopping off in other points in the Southern Hemisphere before making their way across the Pacific (but not before taking in the Lincoln Mid-Winter Market and some pies and flat whites at Hillyers, and some of them feeling their first atershock).  May all the journeys home be safe and not too tiring.  We miss you already!


Of note, the Gatorwaka (our 12-seater van) traversed 2,782 kilometers across the South Island of New Zealand.  This translates into 1,728 miles in just under five weeks before being returned.  Whew! Let is know that you got back to Florida safely! - m&m

The Gatorwaka

Last JCP pose at airport

The Journey Home and Beyond - August 3rd

Our Iwi

Kia Ora! Having been immersed in Kiwi and Maori culture for the past five weeks will make the journey back to American culture another adventure.  Our students will take with them lasting memories of the challenges and opportunities of what not only New Zealand faces, but what the rest of the world faces as well.  Preserving biological diversity, conserving resources, and maintaining a balance between natural and human built environments are key to a sustainable future.  And, it will take all of us with our diverse backgrounds to come together in many different ways to help make lasting change for a bright future.

Dear students, we hope that what you have experienced with us in New Zealand will help shape the decisions you make for our future in exciting and positive ways.  We thank you for giving of yourselves openly with your hearts and minds so that our time together could be such a special learning opportunity for us all.  We have really enjoyed being with all of you, touring the wop-wops, and sharing a daily cuppa. Sweet As!

From the land of the long white cloud, safe and happy travels!  See you in the land of the flowers (La Florida).  With a Hongi and hug to each of you, m&m

A time of celebration and good memories – August 3rd

While it was a free day, much of it was spent finishing course journals and the slide show and preparing for the last get together at night in nearby Prebbleton.  We gathered together the students, lecturers, and friends - all essential in making our adventures successful and fun!  With thanks, we celebrated our time together and enjoyed the slide show of our New Zealand experience.  Collectively, we probably took over 10,000 photos in the past few weeks.  Some of us took over 1,000 in just one day.  Needless to say, creating a slideshow that captured the essence of our special time together is daunting.  We chose to go with basics and a few good laughs sprinkled in.

Not wanting to think about going home, we relived memorable times together over the last five weeks.  Again, special thanks to our students for diving into our adventures with great enthusiasm, our guest lecturers for sharing their time and expertise, and our friends and families for their support. Our time together, will be cherished.

Cheers, Mark and Meryl

A Koha of Native Trees, A Mess of Paint, and Singing the Night Away - August 1st

Planting natives along the Avon River

Today was certainly an eclectic mix of activities.  We started out bright and early with a planting of natives along the Avon River just north of Hagley Park in Christchurch as a Koha (thank you gift) to Colin for his time and help with the course.

Getting on the gear for paintball

After lunch, it was the students' choice to take in an afternoon of paintball.

Singing the night away at the Famous Grouse

After dinner, we went to the Famous Grouse for Karaoke night where we cheered on our willing participants.

Cheers, Mark and Meryl

Morning above the clouds - July 27th

Sunrise above the clouds

Breaky at Ces Clark Hut

Group shot at hut before heading out

We woke up to a beautiful sunrise above clouds that filled the valley below us and poured over some of the adjacent mountains. We eased into the morning and set off again for our trip down. A group of us headed back down the way we came, and another headed on toward Barrytown, a slightly longer and more difficult 9.15 mile hike  across the mountain top and then down to the Tasman Sea. Along the longer hike, we saw spectacular views to the Tasman Sea, views of Mount Cook and Mount Tasman, weta, weka, wild goats, and we came within 50 feet of a calling kiwi!

We were all excited to check into a comfortable hotel that night and enjoy a good meal out.  

Cheers, Mark and Meryl

Uphill, both ways, 5.5 hours - July 26th

Views to the south and north of the Tasman Sea

Chasing the good weather to the West Coast paid off.  We had to stage a car at the end of the Croesus Track in Barrytown on the coast and then travel all together around to the other side of the mountain in Blackball to start our overnight journey.  Along the way to Barrytown we enjoyed a brilliant morning with the sun glistining off the Tasman Sea and spectacular views of the coastline.

Swing Bridge

Ces Clark Hut just within reach

Our 8.3 mile hike up to the Cess Clark Hut took us across three swing bridges, along a beautiful clear river and eventually, at the top, out of the dense rainforest to tussock and spectacular views of the valley and south toward the Southern Alps.  Along the way we saw the New Zealand Robin, heard a Tui, and as the day wore on we heard what we were after - a Kiwi!

We got settled in at the hut, saw a Weka, and enjoyed our freeze dried dinners.  Some of us ventured out for an evening hike to hear more Kiwi. 

Cheers, Mark and Meryl

This is for the birds - July 25th

Hiking up the Kaikoura Peninsula to the Hutton's Shearwater Project area

In order to chase good weather for our big hike on the West Coast, we shortened our stay in Kaikoura, but not before taking in the views from the Kaikoura Peninsula and learning about the Hutton’s Shearwater conservation project. The only place in the world the Hutton’s Shearwater breeds is in the mountains above Kaikoura.  This one remaining colony is threatened by the presence of rats.  The Department of Conservation along with other researchers and the community decided to translocate some of the Huttons Sheerwater into a predator-proof fenced area on the peninsula.  They removed chicks from the mountain colony and raised them within the predator proof fence with the hopes that those raised in this new safe location will return as adults to the predator proof area to raise their own chicks.  The translocation has been a success as three years out several adults have returned and they hope in the very near future chicks will be raised there.

Checking out the "Elfin Forest" on the St. James Walkway in Lewis Pass

We then made our way down and across Lewis Pass toward Greymouth on the West Coast.  Along the way we walked a short hike on the St. James Walkway through an “elfin forest” and stopped in Reefton, first city in  New Zealand and the Southern Hemisphere with electricity, for our afternoon tea time.  

Making lunch and gathering breaky supplies for the Croesus Track hike

After dinner in Greymouth, we readied all our supplies for our big hike on the Croesus Track.  

Cheers, Mark and Meryl

From Seals to the Rainbow God - Exploring the East Coast, July 24th

After days of nice weather, we were greeted by a cold and wet morning. We ate a quick breakfast at the sleeper cars and then we set of for the town of Kaikora on the East coast. We didn’t make it very far before our obligatory tea break at the Two Rivers café and art gallery. Besides the usual café fare, there was lots of beautiful artwork of many different styles by many different local artists. A few of us picked up some souvenirs. We drove for another hour, past Kaikora to Ohau point, where we observed the resident fur seal population. The beach was covered in seals.

 We then went on a short hike up the Ohau River to a waterfall. To everyone’s surprise, there were about 30 seal pups in the pool at the base of the waterfall, one was exceptionally friendly. During this time of the year, the mother seals take their young up the river while they feed at sea to protect them from the much larger male seals hanging out on the beach. It’s kind of like seal daycare. After staying at the falls for a few days they reunite with their mothers. After everyone got their fill of seal watching, we headed into Kaikora for lunch and some more shopping. 

We reconvened at 4 and headed to Takahanga Marae where we spent the night. A marae is a traditional Maori meeting house that is used for religious meetings, funerals, marriages, and all other manner of serious meetings. After going through the traditional acceptance and welcoming process with our Maori friends Bret and Karen. We were given a brief history lesson before we sat down to dinner and were officially accepted into the marae. After dinner we learned more about the Maori culture from Brad and were taught a non-threatening haka. The inside of the marae was adorned from floor to ceiling with beautiful and colorful wood carvings, paintings, and weavings of traditional Maori designs and figures. The pictures and carvings told stories about the local Maori tribes, the creation of New Zealand, and paid tribute to many of their gods.  Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take pictures inside of the marae but I can assure you that it was a beautiful place and a great time was had by all.

- Kevin