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Keeping up with the news over here has been difficult. Front page headlines read something like: 'Mother, if only I had known" and a sordid tale follows. To find out what is going on in the US we have to glean the second section which is usually old news. We trust there have been no more horrendous incidents.
On a lighter note, I wish I had superior photos of amazing sights we saw today but I had problems securing a good position on the outer deck of the TranzAlpine train. The attached pix was taken on an alpine trail walk when we got off the train at "Arthur's Pass" at the continental divide.
Speaking of alpine, the only alpine parrot in the world lives in New Zealand's mountains. This is some bird. It is the size of a raven with dark green feathers highlighted by red under its wings. Extremely intelligent and just as curious, it has a fatal attraction to cars. It will playfully destroy your tires, your hubcaps, your windshield wipers, and your front and rear lights when you're not looking. These birds work in pairs, usually partners who have mated for life and can figure out a way around even the most ingenious of traps. They're not really thugs; more like wayward teens out for a good time. Very amusing but you don't want them hanging around you're garbage cans.
Flora and fauna. Most of us think of the kiwi as a green fruit, which it is, but kiwi is also the name of an endangered bird that, although it dwells in the general vicinity, is nothing like the alpine parrot. The Kiwi is shy, nocturnal, and flightless. Our tour guide asked us if we wanted to see one in the wild. He said it slyly. I asked what it would entail. He said 'answering the questions correctly' which meant how important was this to us. I knew we were on dangerous grounds. The reality : kiwi watching with a trained guide takes place from 8-11pm. It's a 30 minute hike into the bush (with no flashlight - "your eyes will adjust to the dark") and you're not allowed to make a sound. When you get to the place where kiwis dwell, you wait in silence until you get the signal (I was uncertain as to what that was) that a kiwi was grubbing around. A infa-red light is then shown and voila! but it was pouring rain today. We opted out and instead went to Kiwi World, the wild life centre that claims to give you and the bird a similar experience without the hassle.
But wow - the tickets we $30 for adults; $20 for seniors. Naturally I asked for two seniors and the young woman behind the desk frowned and asked to see ID. I couldn't produce one and just smiled and paid in full, but here is what I want: a fake ID. I understand the compulsion of teenagers who will do anything to obtain one. Why isn't someone helping those of us at the other end of the age spectrum with this dilemma?
Anyway, the kiwi is an endangered species and we felt out money had ultimately been well spent, even if the centre occasionally fed them cat food along with the usual worms and grubs. We were directed to remain silent as we entered their nocturnal sanctuary - which was dimly lit with infa- red. But we could see them! Rooting happily around in their well-designed enclosures, munching away at whatever was beneath the soil. In silence we marveled and followed their movements. And then I have to cough. Couldn't squelch it. Out it came. And the kiwi came running to the sound, scratching at the glass as if they were attracted to this unaccustomed interruption of silence. Yikes. We exited the sanctuary. But I have a new fondness and appreciation for this fluffy, flightless bird.
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