Christchurch, New Zealand

CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND

DAY 3:   A much deserved breakfast in bed. NZ$30 oh, my!

We head out to the CDC (Clothing Distribution Center NOT Center for Disease Control people!)

We receive our ECW (Extreme Cold Weather) gear. We try it on, exchange for appropriate quantity and sizes and are briefed on flight protocol for the C17 military cargo jet we're scheduled AS cargo on the next day... kind of.

Here I am above -  not in full gear, but a good portion of the way there. I'm pointing to my name tag on the jacket. This jacket - or coat rather, is known as Big Red. I can tell you so far - I am in love my Big Red. It's amazing... uses discovered thus far: a cushion and headrest on the cargo jet seat, a comfortable place to pass out if for some reason you should find yourself sleeping on the floor... and of course staying insanely warm in the insanely cold (SNL fans - do a Suze Orman voice on that last part - it goes well).

Name tags are imperative. When you are out with a crew of people in full gear - it's nearly impossible to tell one person from the next. You may be covered from head to toe and this form of identification is much welcomed.

See below: the crew in the men's changing room.

Left to right: Isaac "Sock" Sleadd, Marissa Lee International, Dan "Hatsunami" Hassumani

Below: All of our luggage including the issued ECW gear - much of it required to be transported in the provided military edition bags - I found one that belongs to me.

Below: getting glammed up for a quick little tour of part of Christchurch, a run to the store for last minute gear and perhaps dinner.

Waiting for the taxi below: Brad and Dan as well as Sock.

Wilkie (Surname Wilkins) our 83 year old driver... I think it was a bad hair day for that ID. He was actually pretty wonderful and his hair was in good order. Right side drivers!!!

Isaac makes an impulse purchase...

Dinner with the Seal Team - Italian - in Christchurch.