PHIL: Day
44/30 March
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| on approach to Christchurch, NZ |
QANTAS
to Christchurch Kalgoorlie
We
walk his 60-acre sheep farm in evening sun and swap aviation tales over a
bottle of Cactus schnapps we brought from Namibia
A plan is hatched to make
a balloon flight (the first in Andy’s two-year residence here) from the paddock
on Sunday morning
ALLIE: DAY 44: Friday, 30th of March
Across the sea to New
Zealand –country of my dreams
Early start at 6 am to get a cab to the international
airport. Flight QF 45 takes us with a delayed departure at 9.25 across the
Tasmanian sea into Christchurch the biggest city on the South Island.
The
flight takes only 2.09 hours to do the 2130km. We are lucky with the weather
and I can enjoy some great views over the mountains, a huge lake and then the
Canterbury plains with its thousands of square fields and horse racing tracks.
Andy Nichelson, Phils ballooning friend for 20 years greets
us at the airport and drives us back to his new house, or indeed sheep farm I
should say.
He earns his living as pilot for Air Catham flying in and out to
the outer small islands. But he is also a commercial balloon pilot flying the
odd rides for some of the operators around Christchurch. His longstanding dream
though was to raise cattle and sheep.
 |
| over New Zealand |
So two years ago he bought a sheep farm
20km outside of Christchurch with about 30 hectars of farm land nicely situated
at the end of a valley. A dream place for Rachel his wife.
The weather is
absolutely beautiful. It’s sunny and around 24 degrees and the leaves are
starting to turn red – it’s the beginning of autumn here! How strange to come
from spring in China to fall in New Zealand.
Andy shows us around his land. He owns the odd 100 sheep, 8
cows, two dogs, two cats and two balloons! The main worry in this country is
the ever so rapidly spreading gorse (a pest that was introduced from abroad in
the last century and overgrows about every native bush) and the possums that
climb up the roof at night, make noise and eat all the crop.
 |
| Enjoying the lovely views around Andy's farm! |
Andy would take
his rife and shoot the possum but he can’t shoot the gorse, so he uses some
pesticide that might ruin his health in 20 years he admits. But if it makes
life easier now – who gives a sh…, he says. (The f,-s,- and b,- words do rather
often occur here, but make the place very homely).
 |
| Rosco the ram |
We enjoy a wonderful view over all his land from the top a
little hill, then walk back to the shed where Andy would sheer his sheep just
before winter starts, that is in June/July.
And there is Rosco the ram! Rocso
has the honour to get all the females excited. Unfortunately he has to leave
the main pleasure to his mate since he for whatever reason is sterilized!
The
aim of the game is that all the lambs are to be born at roughly the same time.
Most of them are kept, some are sold, some are faced with a short life. Both
Rachel and Andy love their secluded life on this farm even though it means
hardly any free time or holidays away from home.
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| the lovely house of the Nicholsons |
A little walk with their daughter Amelie gives me insight in
a teenagers world. She wants to become a nurse, but maybe a school teacher but
maybe also a balloon pilot.
At the moment she is learning Chinese even in extra
sessions on a Sunday. Who knows for what it may be helpful. She knows a lot
about how to use a computer and helps me (stupid old lady!) to transfer music
from a CD onto my ipod (finally somebody who understands these things!).
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| At the barn viewing the sheep shearing equipment |
Robert
the 9 year old also seems to be more interested in his game boy then anything
else. But that’s probably the case anywhere now in the world.
We ‘oldies’ sit together after dinner and drink a couple of
nice New Zealand wines and taste our Namibian cactus schnapps.
A great start at the other end of the world!
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