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To my imaginary reader.
Whether in the head, whether in the subconscious, or in the soul, we
have images of the places we have visited. The requested image
suddenly emerges from its blur and oblivion into the brain, striking
with the diversity of thoughts, emotions and feelings that have
arisen. They can be described only in words, but, as Russian poet
Tutchev said: “A thought expressed is a lie.” However, there is
nothing to do, and I'm trying. Judge for yourself how it turned out.
In making a detailed presentation about traveling to New Zealand, I
tried to share as much practical information as possible about what
we saw and how we managed to organize it. Visit the site
https://www.amazzzingcards.com/travels/newzealand/newzealand.htm
In travel notes I am presenting we will follow the route indicated on the maps.
I would like to convey to you MY Images of New Zealand.
I ask you, my dear reader, not only to see New Zealand, but also to
put yourself in the place of my husband behind the wheel of a rented
car, 40 days driving me around the country in the southern
hemisphere, with left-hand driving. From the
driver's side - oncoming traffic and a rock, from my side - a steep
rocky slope descending by a cliff to the ocean. We were young? Of
course, 17 years ago we were only 67 and 68. A tent instead of a
hotel, routes without a guide, and cooking on a primus stove or а
fire place made us even younger, returning us to the tourist past.
We were rich? After the trip, everyone thought
that - yes! We just pretend to be poor immigrants who lost
everything during the Perestroika years and lived in Canada for 6.5
years without permanent resident status. In secret: following the
skills of the tourist past has reduced our material costs to a
minimum.
When describing each point of our route, in order not to repeat
myself, I will omit the phrase: "Everything that I see and feel
cannot be reality. I will wake up now and everything will
disappear." Read my memoirs and maybe New Zealand will also become
your dream. This is the most important thing, because "All dreams
come true, if you only want to." |
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Our
route:
1. Christchurch and Canterbury.
5 days.
2. By car: Christchurch - north of the South Island -
Cook Strait - North Island - Christchurch. 17 days.
3.New
Year's break. 3 days.
4.
By car: Christchurch - south of the South
Island - Christchurch. 12 days.
6. Christchurch. 3 days. |
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Section 1.
Canterbury
is a region in New Zealand with Christchurch as its
capital.
These are the first days of our journey.
A lot of thoughts, images, episodes and individual
minutes are crowding in my head, jumping out of the
darkness. Here:
-- Constellations... They are different!
- Well, yes, New Zealand, and what: a
cafe, like a cafe; city as a city; tram like tram, cars
like cars. Leо: "Which way to look, when crossing the
road?"
The home of our hospitable friends
in Christchurch".
Here we were 3 times: "Pre-flight training"; New Year
holidays; Rest after "Flights".
Conversations, disputes, memories. Wine, lobsters,
fireworks in our honor. Songs, poems. ...Everything, as
in our city Kharkov, Ukraine. |
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Historical Trips.
December 2005 - January 2006. |
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Part 1. |
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"The only worthwhile contribution to life is the
contribution of memories" -
Russian poet E. Yevtushenko. |
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Our trip to New Zealand
exceeded our wildest expectations. It was a dream
come true, a fairy tale, fireworks!
It was a victory over our age and life
circumstances! Having traveled 7500 km in a rented
car, we had the opportunity to stop at any place we
liked. Every minute of those 40 unforgettable
days brought us the joy of discoverers: turquoise
ocean and picturesque lakes; bizarre mountain
outlines and peaceful pastures; rivers and
waterfalls; volcanoes and volcanic valleys; caves
and modern cities; fjords; cruises; sunny days and
heavy rains and many, many things that will
undoubtedly be included in the treasury of our best
memories.
Before the trip,
in connection with my hobby "Famous ships and famous
captains", I had 3 names associated with New
Zealand: captains Scott, Fitzroy and Cook. I will
talk about the last two in other sections.
We have bowed to the
monument to Robert Scott in the city of Christchurch
as planned before the trip.
After his death the
monument was made by his widow Kathleen Scott, a
student of Rodin, and installed in 1917.
Barque Terra Nova sailed to Antarctica from the
coast of New Zealand on November 29, 2010. |
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Roses, roses, roses…. in the
garden of our friends. It's very beautiful,
believe me.
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Typical New Zealand landscape.
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Herring, of course, is herring
everywhere. But, Leo and his Kharkov
fellowworker Yura caught all these in a half an
hour, while Lena and I walked in the tropical
forest on the banks of the purest mountain
river.
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Botanical Garden. How do you like these
burdocks? The garden is located in the city
center. Arches, fences, alleys and thickets of
roses of all sizes and shades. Rhododendrons.
Clusters of inflorescences of various and
unknown flowers and shrubs. |
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V. Savelieva
To be continued. |
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