Day 12: Santa in the Park

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Day 12, Dec. 11, Santa in the Park

Today was sunny and warm, with highs in the 80's.
I woke up feeling wonderful -- still sick but definitely on the mend. I caught the free shuttle bus to a Countdown supermarket at the other end of town. Countdown seemed to be a nice mid-range chain, rather like Food Lion.

I bought four apples; I've had one so far and it was great. I also bought two racks of lamb and two steaks, and I'm now worrying that I've over-bought; I haven't been as hungry as usual lately and I only have two days to eat them all. I fixed one of the lamb racks for lunch, and set off the smoke detector.

Paper products and all pharmaceuticals seem to be ridiculously expensive here. Sunblock is $20 a bottle. Nevertheless I bought more; it's summer here and I really, really need it.

I got back from shopping by 11, and I should really have stayed inside till 2 or 3, but Jim had been delayed getting in to work by a partial shutdown of Route 19, and he hadn't been able to get an account on the guest wireless (by which he's been able to talk to me at work). So I wanted to go out so I could get back and talk to Jim at 2. I nearly got myself sunburned, so it was a stupid decision.

I was trying to finish my shopping by getting to a liquor store I had seen to pick up a trial-size bottle of whiskey. I found the store, but it was closed until further notice, as so many buildings still are here in Christchurch, even months after the earthquake.

I went to Victoria Park again and saw a teen in a Santa suit standing there. It turned out that a church was having a fair there to raise money for rebuilding. I paid a dollar for a Mystery Prize and then gave it back to them so they could sell it again. It really was a mystery; I don't have a clue what it was. Some sort of toy, I think. It was star-shaped with a long blue plastic tube or coil depending from it.

I really wanted to go to the Botanic Gardens, so I set out in that direction, but before I got there I realized I was tiring out and reaching my sun limit. So I headed back to Dorset House. I think the only way I will get to the Botanic Gardens will be to ride the Christchurch Tram, and I can't do that now till January (as the fare covers two days' travel, and I'll be leaving on Monday morning).

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Photos

Santa in the Park
In Victoria Park, fundraising for an earthquake-damaged church.

Dorset House
The front entrance

Cabbage Tree
Native vegetation.