I don't start actually working in Winton until January 19. So we are going to do some traveling around New Zealand before that. I have my interview with the representative of the New Zealand Medical Council in Christchurch on January 6, and then I've reserved a campervan for the next 10 days. When we've traveled other places, we've followed a philosophy of picking one area, and learning about it in depth, rather than hopping all over the map. I like this approach, and some of the best travel memories we have are of the little places not found in travel guides. New Zealand is a large country, so we've decided to focus only on South Island, and not go to the North. So far I am trying to resist the urge to plan every moment down to the tiniest detail. However, I did give in to making a "booking", as they call a reservervation, to swim with the dolphins in Kaikoura.
I read about this in the book "Kiwi Tracks", and the advice to "sing to the dolphins" through the snorkel just sounded like a lot of fun.
However, I got to thinking about snorkeling, and realized that withouit my glasses, I might sing to them but never see them. This led to a bit of web research about low vision in divers. Turns out you can order specially made diving masks that have corrective lenses. These are, understandably, pricey. There are some "stick on" inserts you can order to put into a mask, but they only go up to 3 diopters, and I need 7. However, one site suggested getting some disposable contact lenses. So I called my optometrist, Dr. Kimberly Cruise who was just wonderful, and has provided me with some trial disposable lenses. I will need to put them in and try them out before the trip, since I've not worn contacts for about 10 years. So we should be all set, providing the weather is not too bad, and the dolphins show up.
The plans after that are to NOT have a plan, but to creatively wander around the north part of South Island and talk to people, and follow any leads. Vaguely we might go to the beach in the north, and visit the glaciers on the West Coast. We will save Southland for day trips on weekends later in the summer and fall.
The next thing to do is finish up the To Do list and start packing. I did find a cool site, for a Universal Packing List, that is going to help us get organized, I hope...
