Mike Brown from Washington Dulles, C. Siddoway from Denver International Airport... we met up in LAX and embarked on the 12h 45 m trans-Pacific flight to Auckland. Three of us beakers wound up in sequential aisle seats: Mike Brown 25D, Christine Siddoway 26D, Doug Wiens 27D. Think of that -- at a slightly slower time of the season than late October when we ordinarily head down...
As expected, the Auckland airport did not disappoint in its ability to serve one mighty fine, foamy, fern-patterned Flat White.
The other MOST enjoyable experience at Auckland airport is the footpath between the international and domestic terminals. I am very fond of these trees. This is the first time have seen these 'old friends' in bloom, despite the fact that Metrosideros excelsa with its crimson flower is a beloved part of New Zealand's Christmas traditions!
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| Pohutukawa in bloom |
Here we are in the check-in line for the JetStar connection to CCh... happy to have a stopover en route to the Ice, but with a bit of trepidation wondering what we will find in dear Christchurch, the city so wracked with earthquakes during the past year!
One or two astrophysicists became evident to us once we caught our connection from Auckland to Christchurch, and then a few more at the baggage claim in the city.... an opportunity to become acquainted with such acronyms as BICEP, BLISS, CIBER and so on; and to get an update on the CMB and the latest best determination for age of the Universe, at 13.7 Ga.
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