Disappointed But Not So After All

Upon arriving at Christchurch International Airport in the morning and having picked up our rented vehicles (one 12-seater van and a sedan car), we left for Antarctic Centre which is located only a short distance away from the airport.

While we did have some fun at the centre, I have to say I was kind of disappointed. Having read all about it on the Centre’s website, I was looking forward to a ‘huge’ centre with some real exciting time and experience, but it did not turn out to be exactly so.

Our first overnight stop was Kaikoura, a seaside town which is 183km north of Christchurch.

After the initial disappointment at the Antarctic Centre, we were delighted to be ‘treated’ with beautiful scenery on the way. Traffic was not heavy and initially the road was flat and straight while at later part, certain stretches were steep and winding. The hills were blanketed in beautiful yellow flowers. We arrived in Kaikoura well passed seven and we had our first of the many ‘home-cooked’ dinners of rice, omelette, fried vegetable with chicken meat, and fried sausages.

Antarctic Centre

On the Hagglund ride – actual
amphibious vehicles used in the Antarctic.

Penguin encounter

Feeding time

Simulated Antarctic storm

Experiencing the Antarctic storm.
Jackets and over-shoes provided by the centre.

On the way to Kaikoura (above and below)


Hills blanketed with beautiful yellow flowers

We were in the country where sheep outnumbers people