Lyttleton/Christchurch

This was the ice and wing day.

We started traveling from the port at Lyttleton this morning and headed to the New Zealand Air Force Museum in the suburbs of Christ Church. I thought it was a wonderful museum but doesn’t compare to some in the states. It did have a Douglas Dakota that was converted from a military transport plane to a VIP plane after WWII and was Used By Queen Elizabeth during her stay in the 1950s.

Next was one of the highlights of the trip thus far. Several countries, including the U.S., came together in 1959 to establish an agreement that the Antarctic would never become a part of any one nation. It would be used for scientific research. The International Antarctic Centre was established, with the U.S. as a major supporter, in Christ Church to help with research. After we arrived at the Centre, we rode an Antarctic rover across simulated terrain. We then entered a room that controlled the reduction in temperature from around 70 degrees to -20 degrees that included a windchill factor. Finally, we watched a 3D film that helped solidify my understanding of how beautiful and challenging the environment of that continent is.