Bex Robinson, a close family friend who accompanied Parkes on the trip, said they wanted to give a “big thank you to everyone who got her here” including the zoo and Antarctic Centre which took them on a free, specialised tour of their facilities. “They offered a brilliant experience, and we’re grateful for everything they have done for us,” Robinson said. “We’ve covered every aspect of nature you possibly can: snow, land, sea. It was absolutely and utterly amazing. “We bought lots of souvenirs to support them.” Robinson said the highlights of the trip were being “so close” to the lions, feeding the giraffes and gorillas, and watching the dolphins “jump out of the water”.
JOHN BISSET/Stuff
The dying wish of Gaynor Park, centre, to take her family to Orana Wildlife Park in Christchurch has come true. Christine Lewis, left, Robert Parkes, and Jayden, 15, and Bex Robinson are accompanying her.
A terminally-ill Timaru grandmother whose dying wish was to take her family to the zoo can add feeding penguins and dolphin-spotting to her trip amid a wave of generosity. Gaynor Parkes and six of her closest friends and family headed up to Christchurch early Friday morning, kicking off what is expected to be an unforgettable Anzac Weekend with a free visit to the International Antarctic Centre.