Diary 1

Kia ora koutou,

You were reminded that winter is just around the corner as southerly winds and hail hit overnight. You woke to fresh snow on the hills, but at least the sun was shining. The airport is over 50 kilometres away from where I live on the north coast of Dunedin, but I could see on my phone that with current traffic conditions the journey was only going to take about 45 minutes. Technology like this certainly helps us get to where we need to be. You can find out more by reading the background pages.

The perfect way to spend Techweek

This week is Techweek so it is the perfect time to be taking part in the Land, Sky and Space field trip. You will start your techie trip in Ōtautahi/Christchurch with a ride in a self-driving car. Then you will fly to Invercargill on a plane which uses GPS and radar technology to safely navigate. While in the deep south you will visit a satellite ground station, launch a drone and see how satellite-based technology is helping the forestry industry. You’ll complete your techie trip back in Dunedin with a look at how more accurate maps of rural areas can be created. It’s going to be a busy week!

Flight NZ5746 to Christchurch

It was a brilliant day to be flying with clear blue skies and snow-clad mountains. You were seated on the righthand side of the plane so enjoyed spectacular views over Otago Peninsula. Further north all you could see was ocean. A strong southerly left the sea streaked with waves and I was thankful that I was flying rather than sailing my way to Christchurch. As you approached the Garden City you could see the foothills of Ka Tiritiri-o-te-Moana/the Southern Alps covered in fresh snow. The Waimakariri River ran brown after the heavy rain overnight.

Finding your way

Despite the brisk temperature the sun made it very pleasant to be out exploring. The ambassadors were impressed with how easily I navigated my way around the city, but I did have my phone to help guide me. It’s hard to imagine life with out GPS. This technology allows us to know exactly where we are and certainly makes it a lot less stressful to find your way around different cities. You made the most of the sunshine by heading up on to the Port Hills for a walk. You were rewarded with fantastic views out over Lyttelton Harbour and you could look back over all of Christchurch.

A new city

The ambassadors were keen to head back into the centre of the city to see how it has changed since the 2011 earthquakes. It was incredible to see the mix of old and new buildings. Some damaged buildings remain but with so many new developments it’s hard to believe that over a thousand buildings have been demolished. Location-based technology has made the re-build of Christchurch possible. This week you will see how this technology is being used to transform not only cities, but also transport networks and even our environment.

After exploring the city you headed back to your hotel to rest and get organised for the busy week ahead. Make sure you get a good night’s sleep and we’ll see you in the morning.

Mā te wā,

Shelley, the LEARNZ field trip teacher.