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Noy's 4th Walkabout
Now back in Dunedin with Gary and Gail Williams, parked on their drive on the edge of Dunedin. We've made a train trip up the famous Taieri Gorge Railway and been onto the Taiaroa Head to see the Royal Albatross We arrived here on Wednesday and were booked onto the afternoon train up the Taieri Gorge (a "must do") - Richard even got a footplate ride (see photos). Then, Thursday, Gary took us to Taiaroa Head, on the Otago Peninsula, where we visited the only mainland albatross colony IN THE WORLD. It is rare, at this time of the year, to see anything but chicks. We saw one chick during our tour but then, as we were leaving, we were treated to probably the only (sighting in our life time) of a young albatross who had returned after trying out his new wings for a couple of years (yes, YEARS!). It was quite emotional and there's only one photo because we were at the bottom of the head when he turned up and the sun was full on to us as he circled about four times before disappearing from view.
We went to the biannual "Warbirds over Wanaka" yesterday, an event which is a real boy's treat (Gail and Jill went off to do more appropriate girlie things - like spending money! The photos don't do the event justice, more aircraft in the air than you could poke a stick, many of them veterans of both world wars AND of flight itself. The finale was a mock WWII air battle which would NOT be allowed anywhere else in the world for safety reasons. Afterwards all the aircraft lined up for a special "Memorial Flypast", a tribute to all those who gave their lives as pilots to give the Western world its freedom. It was done to "The Last Post" and was very moving. Richard cooked tea last night for our generous hosts and it was a shame to leave the litte home and head back to Dunedin.
Before we went home we met up with Frank and Margaret Aspinall who we've been keeping in touch with on their way round NZ. They are another pair of good friends from the bus industry in the UK. The grand reunion took place in Cromwell on Easter Sunday and the photo shows MAN operators from the North and Southern hemispheres with their "common denominators" (R & J). Lots of love from Jill & Richard, Mum and Dad or Grandma and Granddad, depending on who you are! xx
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