Christchurch: Day Eighty (7 January)

Our New Zealand adventure got properly underway today. We'd booked our hire car and the hotel in Christchurch from England but, apart from the date we are taking the ferry from New Zealand's South Island to the North, we are making the rest of our itinerary here up as we go.

We had breakfast at the Cathedral Cafe and checked our emails for free at Christchurch Library once last time before picking up the car. It was a Mazda which was handy because that's what Miss Robb's Mummy drives at home.

We decided to head for Akaroa, an historic French and British settlement on the coast. New Zealanders (or Kiwis, as they sometimes known), measure distances in kilometres rather than miles but we were used to that by now because the Australians (or Ozzies) do too. Akaroa is about 75 kilometres from Christchurch, probably longer if you take the scenic route like we did.

We stopped for lunch at a beautiful place called The Wine Stop. It is a vineyard but we opted to have a nice cup of tea instead. (How very English :-))!

Barnaby

Christchurch: Day Seventy-Nine (6 January)

Another lie-in. All our early starts to go on tours are catching up with us.

We found out where we need to collect our hire car tomorrow and discovered free Internet access in the library so sent lots of messages home.

In the evening we went to Contemporary Evensong in the Cathedral before having another walk around the lovely Botanic Gardens.

Barnaby

Christchurch: Day Seventy-Eight (5 January)

After a lie in, we went to get Miss Robb’s mummy’s camera fixed and then joined a walking tour.

Christchurch is said to be New Zealand’s most English-looking city and some of the buildings would not seem out of place in Oxford or Cambridge: you can even be taken for a punt on the river.

Our guide was very knowledgeable and funny. He pointed out the commemorative plaques showing the first four ships to arrive from England and the incomplete statue of Robert Falcon Scott, in memory of his doomed expedition to Antarctica. We also visited the cathedral and parliament buildings before finishing up at the Arts Centre for a cup of tea.

Afterwards we explored the adjacent Botanic Gardens where there were stunning roses. (Christchurch is known as the Garden City). We had dinner beside the river again.

Barnaby

Christchurch: Day Seventy-Seven (4 January)

The airport shuttle picked us up at 6.20am so there was no time for final sightseeing. Sydney airport was very busy but the time passed quickly – there was free Internet at the boarding gate.

The journey to New Zealand was the shortest international (i.e. between different countries) flight we made – only three hours. We could see Mount Cook poking through the clouds as we flew over it.

When we landed we had to put our watches forward by another two hours. We are now the furthest away from Britain we will be on our whole trip.

Our driver from the airport gave us a little tour of Christchurch before dropping us at our hotel, overlooking the cathedral. We explored a little and had dinner in a nice restaurant beside the River Avon before having an early night. We were very tired.

Barnaby