Arrival in NZ

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Landed in Christchurch

We left Sydney early on the morning of the 3rd for what was to be a short hop in an aeroplane compared to recent flights. After a mere 3 hours we were flying over the west coast of New Zealand and entering what seemed like a pretty rapid descent into Christchurch, complete with slightly unsettling turbulence!

We were met at the airport (after further scrutineering by equally-zealous NZ customs!) by Sian, Billy and Lucy who would be our hosts for the duration of our stay in Christchurch. For the first time on this trip we would also be independently mobile: we picked up our car from the depot and were soon being led to Prebbleton, where we would be staying.

Upon arrival we met Adrian (Sian's husband) and before long we were enjoying drinks in the evening sunshine in the welcoming back garden of their home. I nearly forgot, Charlie the spaniel was actually the last member of the family that we met - he was never too far away!

On our first full day in NZ Cath and I headed over to Akaroa, a French settlement just on the Banks Peninsula which is east of Christchurch. The weather was slightly overcast so we took a gentle stroll along the promenade, where many of the streets spurring away from the waterfront had names which hinted at its French foundings. Primarily a fishing village, we decided we'd have to sample its cuisine by having the fish of the day for lunch. Gurnard doesn't sound like a particularly pretty fish, but it tasted damn good with a bit of tartare sauce! The seagulls were queueing up for a piece but they were left with empty beaks and rumbling stomachs!

Dinner in the evening was our first southern-hemisphere barbie! A milestone! Complete with toasted marshmallows at the end. Apparently you've got to cook them right in the flames!

The next day we spent the morning taking a look around Christchurch before making for a place known as Sign Of The Kiwi, where we circled a summit that gave wonderful views over stunning lakes and mountains and also back over Christchurch itself. The weather was perfect and plenty of photos were taken!

Speaking of which, there won't be any photos with this entry as we are currently not equipped with the necessary peripherals for uploading. We'll make up for it next time!

Our intinerary was now taking us to Lake Tekapo, closer to the centre of the south island. Departure was delayed with some characteristic Alex Humphreys faffing, which focussed on one misplaced camera charger, which turned out to be languishing in the Sydney Hilton lost-property box.

John and Mair - if you're reading this and plotting my untimely demise, then I would like to assure you that international efforts have been made to ensure the safe return of this item. You will also be pleased to know that you will now be equipped with appropriate charging equipment should you and your camera ever decided to visit Oz or NZ. That was a NZ$100 expense that hadn't been accounted for. You can refund me when I get back.

So that's the first few days in NZ. Next entries (hopefully with photos) will cover Lake Tekapo and Queenstown.

Hope all is well!

Alex and Cath

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