Thursday, December 20, 2007

An earthquake back home in New Zealand

I had just received a parcel from the postman downstairs ... a Christmas parcel from truly lovely people back home in New Zealand, when a kiwi friend living here in Belgium phoned me.

He was calling with news of a big earthquake back home, one that would have shaken the lives of our gift-giving friends, although it seems they are probably far enough from the epicenter to have only been shaken.

The quake appears to have done more damage than I've seen in a while but listening to the news story, you might see why this kiwi is a little edgy about things like elevators and tunnels ...

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Those earthquakes shaped your island nation, so they shake it up now and then to make the kiwis remember that they live on nature's turf, and not the other way around. I hope no one died or got seriously injured, but just remember: the mountains have ears.

furiousBall said...

I saw this in my headlines this morning and thought about you. Earthquakes are something I've never experienced... amazingly Flight of the Conchords came on my iPod right as your blog loaded, it's like a NZ trifecta

Di Mackey said...

We never forget, our civil defence people are superb and I remember when I was working on the climber interviews, they showed me the ropes they kept at the climber magazine office, just in case they had to go out a window. Wellington is a bit of a glass canyon downtown and they're expecting a huge earthquake one day soon.

I've been in more than a few big earthquakes and then just missed the big one in San Francisco by two weeks ... a millisecond in geological time eh wot.

Flight of the Conchords ... shamefully, I have to admit, I don't know them yet.

A New Zealand trifecta indeed :)

Veronica said...

Did the kiwi friends send L & P? You need it!

Di Mackey said...

No L&P ... they're Christmas gifts but you know, I'm not sure it would travel, it's very fizzy.