Christchurch...Gondola & Gardens

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Arrived in Christchurch at around 4pm on Sunday evening (sunny and approx 21') - just in time to see the final performances of the World Buskers Festival in Victoria Park. Amazing acrobats, magicians and entertainers - and the NZ team won. Brilliant.

The city is much smaller than we expected - but to put into perspective it has approximately 400,000 residents (and only a total of 1million residents on the whole of the South Island). Everything is really well sign-posted - totally geared up for the novice tourists like us. Leaflets, information centre, and guides everywhere you look.

Monday - started the day with breakfast at a local cafe - Bean Scene on Victoria Square (highly recommend it!) - Fruit & Yogurt (huge portion), bagel with cream cheese and pesto, with two teas came to $22 (less than 10 UK pounds)

Then we caught the bus out of the city ($2.60 return for both of us) to the Gondola. Well worth the trip - for fantastic views across the City, the Port Hills, the coast and even inland to the Southern Alps. Looking South down the coast into Lyttleton Harbour - the views were breathtaking. The sea is a vivid turquoise and the harbour is naturally formed from a volcano crater.

In the afternoon we headed back to the city to Hagley Park (which is huge) - and in particular, the Botanic Gardens. Really impressive area - and a great mix of trees, rose gardens & greenhouses - an ideal passtime when the jet-lag is hanging over you!

First impressions of NZ - atmosphere very relaxed (particularly for a City), locals very friendly, pedestrians get right of way, and everyone looks so healthy and happy!

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