What a good sporting weekend

I'd just like to take a moment to congratulate the World Champion Kiwi league team on an outstanding performance in winning the 4 nations trophy. They should get a good bargain if they try to buy the Australian trophy cabinet - it is currently surplus to requirements.

Also to the All Blacks for their entertaining win against Scotland.
It must be remembered Scotland have recently beaten Australia (but then who hasn't) and Argentina twice in Argentina.

Also the NZ Cricket team for not embarrassing themselves so far against India.

And also I would like to thank Debs, Cam and Megan for letting me crash on their floor so I could watch the rugby (both codes) on sky on a decent screen - thanks guys.

OMG my feet hurt!!

On Saturday 13/11/2010 yours truly and 10 other intrepid souls went hiking to Mount Karetu, Canterbury 7472, New Zealand.

Who knew it existed, right?  Well anyway, it was a great walk.  only 28 C or maybe higher, no shade or shelter and bushflies everywhere.  Did I mention that it was a glorious clear sky with the sun streaming (read beating) down on us, and basically uphill from carpark to mountain top, then steep down with about 4km of sole biting gravel road?

The Christchurch Tramping Club blurb was :

Mt Keretu (about 970m) is nice social trampover open tops east from Okuku Pass to a tussock covered summit with views of the plains, Okuku headwaters and North Canterbury. There will be about 600-700m height gain.

AND IT WAS FUN.  But I was eager to finish the road walk and get back to the car.

I would rather walk the worst terrain than gravel road.

The walk up was about 3 hours, the return just over 2 1/2 hrs.

Sunday so it must be time for a beach visit!

And look what we found today.
Peter Donnelly is a local artist who makes these Sand Art sculptures almost every day.  I'm not sure if you can see it but at the base of the art work is the number 1074, so this is how many of these sculptures he has done.

I found a couple of other Youtube videos, but I asked him if he had a website and the answer is no.

Visit by my Sister, Valma.

So Val is in town for the week.  I took her out for a bit of a look around town and we wound up doing the walk up to the top of the cathedral tower.  164 steps in all, but stunning views over the area.