Day 45 Return to Christchurch

It seems like everytime I am surrounding by amazing people at a hostel we all end up leaving on the same day, which is good, in a way, but it also means there’s a weird feeling of finality in the air as none of us will likely be coming back to the hostel and so the amazing time we had there with each other is over… its very strange. And so it was with reluctance and a good deal of goodbyes and promises of keeping in touch that I got on the bus to Christchurch, leaving Hanmer Springs behind me.

I’m not sure I’ve moaned the bus situation before but basically theres no direct bus from Hanmer to Kaikoura (even though they’re both big toursist destinations and it's an hours drive…) instead you have to do a 4hr detour through to Christchurch and then wait around in Christchurch for another 3 hours. I was tempted to hitchhike (don’t kill me mum, I didn’t) because everyone does it, but I’ve barely got any time left on the South Island and I didn’t want to waste any of the few precious days I have left stood at the side of a road. Instead I whiled away my time in the botanical gardens, having an impromptu picnic while the ducks edged ever closer!

This particular was determined to get my sandwich!

I managed to find the YHA (why they decide some YHAs need different names I’ve no idea, it just makes it confusing…) and figure out the locker system so I could pop my little polka dot suitcase in there and therefore get around much easier. It’s only a little suitcase but I don’t really want to take it into shops with me..

Long story short I had a lovely afternoon in Christchurch, until it came to getting to my bus stop. I know I’ve rambled about the state of things in Christchurch before but the I-Site has pretty decent maps of the area that they regualarly update with which roads are closed off so and hour before my bus was due I picked my route to the bus stop (the entire thing was only meant to take 20 minutes but you know me, I much prefer being early). So I set off and I'd only gone 5 minutes when a road was blocked off, not a problem, Christchurch is arranged in a Grid pattern so I can just take the next street, but then that one was blocked off too, still not a problem - I had plenty of time... but then every road I needed to turn down was blocked off. 

Basically I ended up having to run. I'm not exagerating here, this wasn't super speedwalking or a little jog when your bus is going to pull away, no this was a full on sprint to get to the bus (this was the one and only bus to kaikoura that day so i needed to catch it). On the plus side, I did make it (just) and to all those who weren't running like a crazy person I'm sure it was hilarious, particularly as my suitcase constantly fell into the ditches on the pavements... 

Beautiful Kaikoura Beach

But I did catch the bus and I did get to Kaikoura. The only other bump on the road was when I got off the bus and found out the hostel (which Cara, Axel and George all raved about) was on the other side of town… Oh and it started raining just as I started my hours walk to the hostel. It’s a good thing I had such a relaxed afternoon, oh and the fact the hostel has a free sauna, pool and hot tub stopped the rain hindering my good mood too!

P.S people back home keep mentioning how close Christmas is and it’s so strange – I don’t feel remotely Christmassy. I’m blaming the weather as it just doesn’t feel like Christmas! I’m hoping I’ll feel more Christmassy when I get home!

P.P.S I popped into a department store while dawdling some hours in christchuch and I think I can now officially call myself tanned after stopping at some make up counters and finding out I've gone up several shades - I'm no longer the palest shade!

Day 42 – Breakfast Bubbles

Last night was fun. First off since Axel left the two guys who I shared a room started talking to me, which is all good and lovely, except they’re both completely crazy. Seriously. Utterly crazy. But you know, I’m English, I’m used to crazy, no big deal. Well that was before I tried to sleep

As far as snoring goes, it doesn’t bother me too much. Honestly after a month and a half of sleeping in hostels where there is always, always, someone snoring I’m not sure how I’m going to sleep when no one is snoring. But last night was just ridiculous.. I don’t know how that guy was breathing but it wasn’t right. And as if the crazy guy’s snoring wasn’t enough, crazy guy number 2 talks in his sleep. Wonderful. Just wonderful.

And since I had some time to kill before catching my bus to Hanmer I read a little in the hostel lounge where I promptly got volunteered to help pick up, move and then clean a sofa… not quite sure what made the lady think I was better suited to that than the big bloke stood behind her whose job it was to clean… needless to say I didn’t pick up, move, or clean the couch. 

Getting to the bus stop was a bit of a pain as it was the other side of Christchurch so I had to lug my little suitcase other lots of broken roads... all in all the walk wasn’t too bad as the sun was shining so it was a lovely day!

The shuttle from Christchurch to Hanmer is a private company that only seems to just break even most of the time, and today there was just me and the driver in the shuttle (apparently they need to average 6 to make a profit). Anyway I had a lovely chat to the driver, who owns the company, for two hours and it turns out he used to own the hostel I’m staying at in Hanmer and the owner of it now works for him as a driver.. basically everyone knows everyone in Hanmer is the jist of it.

Considering I haven’t done a great deal I’m so tired, so once I got to Hanmer I just walked around the ‘town centre’, browsed in a few of the little shops and then decided to treat myself at Powerhouse Café. 

And yes, it was probably an unacceptable time to be drinking in the early afternoon but I figured why not, it was called 'Breakfast Bubbles' after all... although since I’ve not really drank the past month it went straight to my head and I had to try and stumble my way back to the hostel!

The owners are lovely, and they have free goodies most days, today it was cinnamon cookies Tristan, the owner, baked! 

Day 41 Christchurch

This time it wasn’t some sheep, or crazy people getting up at five, nor my alarm that woke me, this time the blame falls squarely on Axel. He’s heading off to Kaikoura meaning he has to check before 10 and for some silly reason that meant I had to be woken up early. After groggily saying goodbye I headed into the centre of Christchurch.

Everyone has told me plenty of times the Christchurch was severely damaged by the earthquakes that shook it a few years ago, and just as many have told me it remains a shell of itself. I still wasn’t prepared for the immense amount of damage that remains. The CBD is none existent. Half the roads remain closed. Empty sites are common and boarded up buildings even more so.

 one of the lovely paintings that decorate the crumbling buildings 

Of course areas are beginning to redevelop themselves but I can’t get over how slowly the process is moving. A lot of blame is being placed on the insurance companies who are taking their time going through cases and taking even longer to get surveyors out to the damaged buildings. But the fact I saw a lot of builders stood around doing very little while they were meant to be working probably isn’t helping matters… regardless of why, there wasn’t a single road that hasn’t been damaged in the city centre, with every corner baring scars of the earthquakes.

I stopped by the re:Start shopping mall. This series of shops made from shipping crates is being branded as the kiwi spirit making-do and improving Christchurch while being creative. I certainly think that’s true to an extent but I found it interesting how much money had been spent in this tiny corner of the city when 50 meters down the road the street was lined with collapsing buildings… What I really liked was the various paintings that dot the city sporadically, they’re inexpensive but add a certain beauty and interest to areas.

My main stop of the day was the Botanical Gardens, as re:Start is actually very small, which remains predominantly unspoiled by the earthquake and was truly beautiful.

 The biggest tree in the garden - it was ridiculously huge!

 The beautiful rose gardens 

 My favourite folklore rose

  

 The peacock fountain 

 The rock garden and the heather garden

My favorite stop was actually the rose gardens, where I scored a bench and sat reading, surrounded by roses, in the warm sun!

 The sealed art museum

 The remembrance bridge

A lovely gallery I stumbled across

To finish off I headed to the Cathedral, or as everyone here seems to phrase it ‘what’s left of the Cathedral’.

Christchurch was interesting. I’ve never been somewhere where there’s so much damage and destruction. And after walking though the city to re:Start I was feeling pretty cynical, as the tiny shopping centre has been majorly overhyped into represent something it doesn’t. Carrying on walking around the city made me hope though as the city was certainly attempting to rejuvenate itself. I can’t help but agree with everyone who blames the slow progress of terrible mismanagement though. 

Day 40 The Hobbit

Rain was forecast all over the peninsula today and for once the weatherman was right - luckily our plans were relatively minimal. After lots of goodbyes to everyone at the hostel me and Axel set off Christchurch. We got to Christchurch pretty quickly but then we had to attempt to locate the hostel.. and that didn't go so smoothly. I’m not sure why, as the layout of the city on various maps looks very clear, but Christchurch is a labyrinth! A labyrinth I tell you! We were going in circles for ages, and I’ve no idea why as it was supposed to be so easy…

We did eventually get to the hostel and check in, we didn’t stop for too long as vagabond’s though as we drove to the Palms, a sort of shopping centre, where we picked up our tickets for the night and whiled away our time in a coffee shop (where else?) and they sold the zingy-est homemade lemonade I’ve ever tried. After a quick dinner we headed back to the hostel where we both fell soundly asleep. The idea was to get a nap in before the film, but both of us underestimated how tired we were and slept for much longer than planned!

Anyway, we went to see the midnight premier of the Hobbit! I’ve never gone to the midnight viewing of anything before and we both wanted to be some of the first people to see the film, and to see it in NZ so… 1 minute past midnight on the 12^th it was!

After the film I just about made it into bed before I fell asleep!