Susan's BIG Birthday (can you guess which one?) - New Zealand South Island - February 2008

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Kia Ora! We landed in Christchurch. not knowing what day it was, and took a walk in the Botanic Gardens	The beebalm was in full bloom....	...and so were the hydrangeas	And a jet lagged Susan with huge dahlias (must be the sheep poop)
The gardens has many tree species as well as flowers....	A rose garden in full bloom, in February!	Incredible variety of plants...	A kiwi bee
Ah, I can't believe we made it to NEW ZEALAND!!!	First day - warm up ride around the Banks peninsula	View from a hill overlooking Lyttleton Harbor- where the first white settlers came	End of the warmup ride
Wiggling our toes in the blue South Pacific!	Susan in her Frenz of the Enz t-shirt - and we're gonna miss the darn concert!	Leaving Christchurch, and on through the Canterbury Plains - wine and sheep country	Susan, suffering severe jet lag, fails to unclip quickly enough in front of the van..notice the driver!
And now for something completely different....	"uh, just a little off the top, mate,"	"hey, mate, I said....oh ... never mind."	Susan has a go ...
...not sure what the sheep thinks of this....	..."oh be gentle ... no nicks please!"	Mitch thinking "hmmm, maybe I'll do this when I'm retired..."	Historic lunch stop, and our first taste of Monteith's Ale - Yum!
Above Hanmer Springs, what a view!	That's where we're headed tomorrow- westward ho!	Hanmer Springs, where we had a nice relaxing soak	Getting ready for the next day's ride over Lewis Pass
Biking in the beautiful northern Southern Alps (Ka Tiritiri O Te Moana)	Reaching the flats after zipping down the mountain	Our guide, Brandon	Ah, this is sweet!
A swing bridge - a common way to walk across NZ's rivers	Phew- made it across! It's more bouncy than swingy!	Read the sign ... one Kiwi's view of gas prices ...	End of a hard day's ride..at the Hilton!
Notice it says "formerly the Hilton" - the big chain made them change their name, way out here in Blackball NZ	We loved the graphics on this sign - keep those wheels perpendicular to the rr tracks or watch out!	Shopping for a greenstone necklace	The tiny greenstone workshop and showroom
Mitch goes wandering with the camera and finds....monarch caterpillars on a piece of melon	Further wandering reveals a monarch pupae	Monarch caterpiller hanging out	The greenstone shopkeeper
Ah, the sheep poop at work again...beautiful flowers	A blue fly	Mitch discovering the micro setting on his camera...another Kiwi bee	Bright yellow aphids
Lilies	Wonderful dahlias

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