Christchurch Pictures

This is the bed and breakfast where I stayed in Christchurch...really great breakfast! With the exchange rate it was only about $25/night!

The red phone booths of Christchurch demonstrate the British influence.

There's all kinds of trees and flowers in the Botanic Gardens.

The River Avon carries boat passengers through the gardens.

There is a statue honoring Antarctic explorer Robert Falcon Scott near the center of the town.

Me enjoying the green and warmth.

On the trip out to the whitewater-rafting river I got to see some of the New Zealand countryside.

Enjoying the scenery after rafting. (Sorry, I didn't take the camera rafting!)

The International Antarctic Centre is one of the first places USAP participants go. Inside are the USAP offices, a gift shop, an Antarctic museum, and the Clothing Distribution Center.

A front view. As you can see, it is spring in New Zealand.

The CDC staff show us the clothing we will receive.

Everyone's gear is already packed up for him or her in these orange bags. Most people got two. I had three full ones.

That's me all geared up and ready to go. Of all that I'm taking to Antarctica, most of it is the issued ECW (Extreme Cold Weather) gear!