We’re winding up our 10 days in Christchurch, and it’s been nice to not have to pack up and hit the road each morning. The house we’re renting is in a quiet neighborhood, and we can walk (about 1 mile) to restaurants. And we can save a few bucks by eating in. Going to the market after a month of travels seemed a bit less routine than what I’m used to, especially in another country. Then deciding what to cook without having the basics in the fridge and pantry took some thought. Pasta was easy and chicken with a salad. We also did some “take away” which is “to go” in this country. There’s a variety of restaurants so choosing is easy.

We’re also close to Hagley Park South for a nicer walk, except for dodging the bicyclists. We returned our rental car today in anticipation of Beth and Jim arriving tomorrow. After dropping off the car, we rode a shuttle to the airport and then took a bus back to Addington. Eight dollars versus $30 for an uber. The bus driver was very helpful, guiding us to the right stop.

While we’ve been here, we’ve driven to Lyttleton and Akaroa (a beautify drive on very windy roads), rode on the gondola and the tram, punted on the Avon River, visited the Antarctic International Centre and walked around the city. Did you know that Christchurch is the gateway to Antarctica? It’s only an 8 hour plane ride. At the Centre, we met some huskies and learned more about this breed. We experienced an arctic storm and in that five minutes, I kept asking myself – why??? It was freezing.

We went to the casino, where I left $8 richer lol. We’ve sat on our little patio drinking wine and playing games. We drove to New Brighton and soaked in what they call hot pools. The first two we waded into felt warm at first but we soon became acclimated to the temperature. Then we found the one that’s more like a large hot tub and that felt really good. We followed that soak with a three mile walk through a wetlands preserve, wondering why we didn’t reverse the order. All in all it’s been relaxing and interesting.

When Beth and Jim arrive, we’re heading south to explore this beautiful island.

https://www.newzealand.com/nz/akaroa/
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https://photos.app.goo.gl/hBEeBEF7fcbY1vEz8
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