Christchurch is the Beginning

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While on the Regent South American cruise last year we met a marvelous couple from New Zealand, Vicky and Oliver Newbegin, who got stuck with us in Mucho Picchu. On our arrival in their home city of Christchurch Vicky escorted us on a walking tour of center city and shared her love of her native land (5th generation). Going out to dinner with them we learned more about this wonderful place and its energetic people.
All over the city you can see the results of last year’s 7.1 Richter scale earthquake. Brick and masonry buildings were the hardest hit with chimneys falling through roofs. Even though it occurred at 4:30 AM the casualties were amazingly low and the citizens have turned to the reconstructive process with enthusiasm. The Anglican Cathedral displays memorial plaques with the nation’s heritage noting the influence of various families including Rhodes and noting the importance of Captain Cook and the voyages of the Endeavor. Gardens, parks and flowers are omnipresent along with other English styles, buses, restaurants, etc. Today they took us on an auto tour of Akaroa, a seaside village on the Banks Peninsula, passing through Lyttelton Harbour, where we’ll revisit when we join the MS Voyager later this month. Our lunch of fish and chips was informally wonderful, finger food served wrapped in paper. There we met some of their friends including a colleague of Sir Edmund Hillary (Mt Everest climber) who has climbed most mountains in NZ and is about to complete a horseback ride around the South Island taking a month. Our evening meal was a pub visit with all the trappings. Tomorrow we board the train across the spine of the island.

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Comments

[Buster & Joy]

We are watching you...
Sounds like you are truely getting first class treatment! A perfect trip! Are you using your glove?