Easter Weekend!

April 6-10th  Easter Weekend!!!

We had a really awesome long Easter weekend.  We did several small day trips to Riverton and the western edge of the catlins.  I know we have mentioned it before, but the breadth of outdoor activities is amazing here.  The kids are in heaven.  We went to three different beaches, many walks, and some cool caves!

Tara and Brody on a Riverton walk.

Cool trees.  We went from thick forest to an open African savanna, 

it had all the leaves on the very top.

Cool growth of trees all over a giant boulder.

Tara plays tag with the ocean.  There was a fur seal just to her right.

The Riverton lookout!

The boys tramping to the ocean.

Tara and Gabe with some cool rocks.

The boys run with the waves.

Tara holds up a giant boulder, she is stronger than you would think.

The waves at this beach had serious undertow.

The boys throw rocks.

Easter cookies thanks to Mom!

Easter sheep!

Gabe got a giant dinosaur chocolate egg.

Cow on the road!

This walk to the Cathedral Caves was thick forest until it abruptly ended at the beach.

The boys race along the beach.

The kids and mom outside one of the caves.

Another cave entrance.

Mclean Falls.

1/April Oamaru, Elephant Rocks, "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe."

Sunday April 1st.

Today we watched the sun rise up over the Moeraki Boulders.  It was an awesome sight.  We headed to the yellow eyed penguins home to try and catch a glimpse of the adults heading out to go fishing, but we just saw the juveniles who wait all day for the parents to come back to feed them.  We were able to spot more NZ fur seals as well.

Sunrise over one of the boulders.

A baby yellow-eyed penguin.

Mom and Tara on the early morning trail.

After breakfast and a quick jump on the trampoline with the motel owners kids, we headed to the wonderful town of Oamaru.  It is known for its quaint Victorian buildings.  The kids were able to try Southland sushi-better known as a cheese roll!  We then headed over to check out the Elephant Rocks, Moari cave drawings, and the valley where they filmed the camp and battle scene for first Narnia movie: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

Beautiful downtown Oamaru!

A British tea shop in the background!

Oamaru harbor.

Standing by the dock of the bay, watching the tide roll away . . .

Tara and Mom on their way to the Maori cave drawings.

Explorer Gabe, ready to climb some Elephant rocks.

Gabe and Tara in a cave.

Duntroon Vanished World Museum.

The kids hunt for fossils.  The guy volunteering in museum was 

really great, he obviously loved to teach kids.

Tara at the sight of the filming of L, W & W.

Where Aslan's camp was for the movie.

The outside of Beavers house from the movie.

Brody points out a detail from the movie.