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Published: March 18th 2013
Christchurch and Akaroa
(I've decided to write the blog week-by-week in New Zealand, in an effort to make it more manageable.)
My standard method of booking accommodation online one or two days in advance had worked well thus far, but I found myself in danger of arriving in Christchurch with nowhere to stay, as everywhere seemed to be full. Thankfully, after a lengthy search across several websites, I got a bed at Avon City Backpackers a couple of miles east of the centre. On arrival, the reason for my difficulties became clear. The city centre was completely ruined in the earthquake of February 2011, with a large exclusion zone still in place. I was told that 5000 beds had been lost as a result.
The hostel seemed to be in a permanent state of disorder, as the creaky old bunk beds were sometimes double booked, the small garden was packed full of tents and there were far too many residents for the small kitchen. Despite this, and the ghost town-like feel of the centre, I found Christchurch a pleasant place to be after a tiring few days of travelling. Everyone I met was genuinely friendly and helpful, and
I found the large green spaces of Hagley Park and the Botanical Gardens very relaxing. During my stay, I managed trips to the coastal town of New Brighton and Pomeroy's Ale House, which had 17 beers on tap!
I decided to extend my stay by a couple of days (which meant sleeping on the sofa one night) to give me more time to plan my travels in New Zealand. This also meant I was in Christchurch on the second anniversary of the earthquake. I attended the commemorative service, which brought home the human side of the disaster, which, in addition to destroying many buildings, claimed 185 lives.
Christchurch is a sink of hire vehicles, which are dropped off the airport by tourists at the end of their holidays. To address this, some hire companies offer free relocation deals, in which you can drive to a place with a shortage of vehicles for no hiring fee. I took advantage of this by booking a car to the west coast town of Greymouth. As I had a couple of days to play with, I decided to explore the Banks Peninsula, just south of Christchurch, staying in the French inspired town
of Akaroa.
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Kate Birch
non-member comment
gorgeous!
This looks the place for me Graeme, fantastic-enjoy your stay and meeting up with th'old lad! Love kate and Keithxx