Trying to Escape Christchurch

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I am busy with work at FAR and have taken a job at the local pub to start the get out of Christchurch fund. Any and all donations to the fund will be appreciated;-) I am getting very itchy feet as a result of staying in the same place for so long so I am trying to make the most of my time off to stop me just running for it now!!

I have been to see some of the buskers at the international busking festival that was here a couple of weeks ago. Some where amazing, there were some acrobatic acts on the aerial rig in the park that you would play to see and others that where really bad who you would pay to make go away!!

I have also been trying to do a bit of walking as I have been getting really unfit. Last weekend I went to the pudding hill reserve which is at the base of Mount Hutt and then did the scenic drive back to Christchurch over the Rakaia River.

This weekend I had an extra day off for Waitangi day so on the Sunday I got the TransAlpine train which goes from Christchurch to Greymouth via Arthur’s Pass. The weather wasn’t fantastic (it rained most of the day) but the scenery was still stunning. The train journey over was made all the more entertaining by the comments being said over the intercom by a very grumpy old kiwi! I only had an hour in Greymouth before I had to do the return journey so just enough time for some lunch and a glass of wine, it’s a hard life! The return journey was made exciting by the train breaking down in a tunnel and having to be pulled out by a coal train. Again the commentator was the man keeping everyone entertained by telling us all about the paperwork involved in getting a tow. The bonus of spending a good hour in the tunnel was the sun was shining as we got out.

On Monday I went for a walk in Victoria Park which is part of the Port hills south of Christchurch. The walk was good with some great views over Governors Bay and Lyttleton Harbour. I then drove along Summit Road which runs along the top of the Port Hills with views both north to Christchurch and south towards Lyttleton and then looped back to Christchurch along the coastal road through Lyttleton to Governors which has great views of the Banks Peninsula.

I hope you are all well at home and winter isn’t treating you too badly. Keep in touch.
xx

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Photos

Port Hills
View Governors Bay over to Banks Peninsula

Port Hills
View of Lyttleton Harbour

Port Hills
View of Christchurch