{"id":123,"date":"2010-04-18T07:51:00","date_gmt":"2010-04-18T07:51:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hodson.ca\/NewZealand\/?p=112"},"modified":"2017-09-23T00:03:13","modified_gmt":"2017-09-23T04:03:13","slug":"day-15b-franz-josef-to-christchurch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.hodson.ca\/Travel\/?p=123","title":{"rendered":"Day 15B \u2013 Franz Josef to Christchurch"},"content":{"rendered":"

Part 2 of 2<\/strong><\/p>\n

UPDATED:\u00a0 A video of the Kea has been added to this post<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Christchurch\"<\/p>\n

After finishing our helicopter flight, we had lunch and began the drive to Christchurch.\u00a0 The drive is just under 400km, and would take us about six hours including breaks and photo stops.<\/p>\n

The drive continues up the west coast of to the Hokitika area, at which point we turn east through the mountains, wind our way across Arthur\u2019s Pass, and eventually into Christchurch on the east coast.<\/p>\n

Driving up the west coast, we\u2019re still in the rainforest, and the vegetation is very green and lush.<\/p>\n

\"P4182964\"<\/p>\n

\"P4182994\"<\/p>\n

Beginning the drive east into the mountains, the cloud cover continued, with some breaks of clear sky.<\/p>\n

\"P4183007\"<\/p>\n

The drive across the mountains was stunning.<\/p>\n

\"P4183021\"<\/p>\n

Driving through the Otira Gorge.<\/p>\n

\"P4183050\"<\/p>\n

\"P4183051\"<\/p>\n

\"P4183056\"<\/p>\n

At every photo stop through this area, we had to contend with the Kea, which is the alpine parrot native to this part of the South Island.\u00a0 They are said to be the world\u2019s smartest bird.\u00a0 They can be a pain, because you cannot leave your vehicle unattended, or they will literally eat it.\u00a0 As you\u2019re dealing with one Kea, it\u2019s friends will be behind your back eating the rubber trim off of your windows and windshield wipers!<\/p>\n

\"P4183048\"<\/p>\n

Here is a Kea trying to eat our roof rack after I finished getting him away from the radio antenna.<\/p>\n

\"P4183067\"\u00a0<\/p>\n

After we got in the car to get back on the road, we had difficulty getting rid of one of the Kea.\u00a0 Here’s a short video of the event.<\/p>\n