Feb 3 late afternoon

(Chunlin's photo above)

Up the tame Buller Gorge to the swingbridge. Metal suspension bridge for pedestrians. Quite bouncy.

Nature walk past an earthquake fault line. A fifteen-foot drop from a 1920s quake still has bare vertical dirt showing in places. ... Oh, and the sandflies!

(a stranger's photo above)

(a stranger's photo above)

(a stranger's photo above)

(a stranger's photo above)

On our way back across the river, instead of the bridge, we took the zip line. Enjoyable, great view. I was still holding on for dear life, though. Especially when we approached the far side at top speed. Both of us started yelling out.

Chunlin is driving for the first time this trip. Very odd in the left seat. She's getting the hang of it, more or less. Faster road than what I adjusted on. ... I think I overestimated the drive time for today. My butt's still sore from sitting, though. ... 6:30 , we're checked into our hotel for the next two nights. Our room has four beds, zero chairs, zero tables. And there's no good parking lot. ... And Chunlin got a ticket for crossing the double-yellow line on a corner. $150. "Damn it." ... The cop showed us photographs he took while tailing us down the steep hill. Is that safe? Taking photos on a very curvy road?

We can see the North Island, just across the water. ... Wait a mo. That's still part of the South Island. We're facing east, not north.

Lots of families with small kids here in Kaiteriteri. It's the last weekend before school starts.