We're off on our 18 day boat trip to the sub-Antarctic islands, halfway between New Zealand and Antarctica.
Anna drove me to the airport in her car which I had not been in before. I loved being driven by my daughter, and it is a cute car. We had good chats and sushi (Anna’s favourite) just before she dropped me at the airport. I purchased some more memory cards for my camera at The Warehouse.
We flew Auckland - Christchurch, had a 2 hour stop-over, and then flew on to Invercargill.
We only just made the gate. The guy called out for one remaining passenger to board just after we got our boarding passes. He caught up with us just as we were getting on the plane.
“So we just made the flight and have no excuse, do you have one?” I questioned him. He replied he had come from Constance, which is 400 km south of London, on the bottom tip of England. First his train had been delayed to get to the airport. Then he just made his flight, and the next one and now this one. He had come straight through.
I suddenly had a thought. "You are not going on the Birding Down Under trip to Sub Antarctic Islands are you?"
“Yes,” he replied, “ I am the doctor!”
'Dr John' became a good friend of ours on the trip.
We took our seats and headed for Invercargill.
On the way out of Christchurch Bill spotted Addington Raceway, where Blossom Lady, a horse we were part owners in the early 1990’s, won the New Zealand Trotting Cup.
In Invercargill we made our way to the Ascot Park Hotel, checked in and then went for dinner in one of the rooms with 46 others who we were going on this adventure with.
Heritage Expeditions owner Nathan Russ welcomed us, and gave us the run down for Day 2. He is the son of Rodney who founded the company 40 odd years ago. He said he wanted to come with us, but couldn’t this time. He had got his father's love for the sub-antarctic, and he gave permission for us to fall in love with them too, and discover their magic.
When we went back to our room, Bill said "Sorry, I didn't do my homework on this." We didn't realise it was such a birding expedition, and most of the people on it were mad keen birders. "I guess it being called 'Birding Down Under' was a hint" he said. It looks like we are going to be the odd ones out! Oh well, we'll have fun anyway!