h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Oh I'm such a cynic. Nice to hear you're not, Rod

Yeah, I heard that one of those pilots was doing it voluntarily. The Express facebook page has a bank account number for finanical contributions, which is wonderful

I reckon that photo is real. People reported alot of dust immediately after the quake.

The gondola

http://www.newzealandreservations.co.nz/property/Christchurch_Gondola_289.asp

Why amn't I cynical? Pedantry is a major speciality, why not this too?

One couple had to be rescued from one of the cabins - chances are there were quite a few other tourists.

But I can certainly see it being real. The view is worth snapping - quite spectacular. I'll bet there are more than a few such pics.

Ms Stress will be doing some cooking
No1Son, too - gluten free, there are bound to be some coeliacs.

Donation just made via my bank (don't know if it's that particular one, but...).

Among the tourists were some Canadian tennis players
at a tournament in Chch. They survived the quake but
got scattered about by well intentioned rescue services
who put them into a variety of shelter areas leaving
them out of contact with each other. Thru the help of
your local radio stations they have all now managed to
regroup in Wellington.

From the same article:
"It was New Zealand's most deadly natural disaster for 80 years.
New Zealand sits between the Pacific and Indo-Australian tectonic
plates and records on average more than 14,000 earthquakes a year,
of which about 20 would normally top magnitude 5.0."

14,000 quakes a year?
Twenty a year over 5.0?
And I thought Californians were crazy.


~jwf~

Yes, but we feel only none to a few a year normally (with the current exception of Canterbury) (I'm surprised by the 20 5.0 or above. Most of those must be deep, because we don't feel them).

The main fault line runs through the Southern Alps and up through our capital, Wellington. The 'Big One' is expected to happen when that fault shifts from built-up pressure of the two plates. We really haven't seen anything yet so are in a similar situation as the Californians - denial isn't just a river in Africa. Crazy certainly, and Chch will have many people rethinking (hopefully).

This google maps link (satellite view) clearly shows the
seam that runs beneath the Pacific and New Zealand:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=New+Zealand&aq=&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=34.587666,79.013672&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=New+Zealand&ll=-44.840291,167.695313&spn=61.517588,158.027344&t=h&z=3


~jwf~

Just remembered about the Pink and White Terraces recently re-found after the 1886 volcanic eruption by Lake Rotomahana.
Here's an intro (google Pink & White Terraces for more pics & info)

Just had a little wall-rattler here in Wellington: http://www.geonet.org.nz/earthquake/quakes/3472164g.html

Nothing to write home about, really...but I've written home (OK, posted on my blog) anyway!

RF

Glad you're ok - 4.5 ain't so small.


Join the club - jealous, were you?

Have you felt many quakes since you've been here RF?

Here's a series of before and after aerial photos of parts of Chch:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/infographics/christchurch-quake/beforeafter.htm

Hover over the image and scroll to see the change.

Just had a look at your blog and see it was your first one! Glad it wasn't a doozy.

Had to laugh at your restaurant review. Did you get warned about the NZ service industry culture?

Like many things, my first time was over almost before I knew it was happening! But the did move for me...

I forgot to do any of the things you're supposed to do, like drop cover hold.

OK, so maybe next time I'll be a bit more together, more of a hoopy frood, and actually know what's going on rather than asking rather dopily "was that what I think it was?"

RF