Sunday 8th June.

We pushed it last night to get to Raikia Gorge, it was getting dark and there was still frost and ice on the road so with no where to pull off and stay safely we took our time and kept going, got to my cousins place in Christchurch 7 pm. Normally we will not drive after dark, one is because we don’t want to miss out on any scenery and other reason it’s not always the best thing to do. We sat chatting about where and what we had been up to and decided that we’ll go to the Orana Wildlife Park in the morning.

We woke up at 8 am did all our morning routine, got  lunch packed and took off, my cousin came with us. What a great day we all had. Gates open at 10.30 am and we left as they were shutting the gates at 4 pm, I think we were holding them up a wee bit. Weather was perfect. Cloudy and fine, great for photography. Just love the natural surrounds for the animals, hardly know the big animals are in enclosures, just big paddock and water moats instead of all fences. We got special permission to go with the guy that operates the winch for feeding the Cheetah’s so sitting up on the bank behind him we got straight on photos of the cheetah’s running, and we have since learnt that the main cheetah has since died, so our images of him are very special indeed. We had Chinese for tea and some of the other cousins joined us, what a fabulous day. After tea we all went down to the Brighton Pier, it’s magic at night heaps of colours and they keep changing.

This is the Brighton Pier at night.

Tiger at Orana Wild life Park. 

 This is a Sable Antelope at the Orana Wildlife Park.

 We are in the cage on the back of the truck and the Lions are free roaming, here a Lioness has jumped up onto the truck and is looking at us thru the perspec’s. Orana Wild life Park.