New Zealand - Christchurch

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Christchurch is a very English city with spires, private schools and punting on the tranquil river. It is also a city which was nearly destroyed in a series of horrific earthquakes. I had no idea the quakes were so bad. The first in Sept 2010 caused significant damage and the second in Feb 2011 further damaged imany unstable buildings and killed 185. Most died in the Canterbury Television Building which completely collapsed.

The effected area of the city is now sealed off - approximately 0.7km sq. I took a tour bus through the area wondering how appropriate it is to be a tourist in such a space. It is like a city after a terrorist attack or a war. Shops, churches, pubs, restaurants, the cathedral, bus stations, tram stations all closed. Some offices still have furniture and paperwork inside the building. Dead pot plants are on the window sills. (Although in the streets plants and flowers flourish). Other buildings - mainly shops - have been methodically cleared.

Windows still have the codes of the search and rescue teams, codes denoting who has checked the building, when and whether it is clear. Some buildings were too dangerous to search initially and had to be stablised before they could be searched and then demolished in a controlled manner. A 26-storey hotel was leaning so badly that it had to be stabilised almost immediately. The workers had to fill up the basement with cement, floor by floor, including the car park, still full of cars. 40,000 cars were abandoned across the city with no way to drive across the rubble. I could see that many windows had been smashed. I thought this was kids throwing bricks (it probably is in many cases) but mostly it was the rescue services smashing windows to rescue people. The majority of multi-storey buildings did not immediately fall but many staircases did, and people had no way out but to abseil or leave by platform crane.

People converged in green spaces - parks and botanical gardens. Lost tourists missing their passports and luggage, office workers covered in dust and trying to find a way home. The Civil Defense Authority set up in the City Art Gallery. People from every walk of life volunteered to assist.

The thing about Christchurch though is that it has a brilliant creative sprit in its recovery. As the city lost most of its churches many temporary ones are being built. As it lost nighclubs, temporary ones are built in empty lots. A glitterball is suspended over a remodelled washing machine - you plug in your MP3, put in $2 and you get 30 mins of play on the speakers. The only rule is that if others look keen to dance you have to let them join. As the library was lost, old refridgerators are in the street, remodelled as book exchanges. Shops and cafes are in brightly coloured ship containers. It may well take a generation but I think Christchurch will soon be a world class city. It was a fascinating visit.

In other news I visited the lovely Kaikoura and got overly excited looking in rock pools. If only I had brought a pencil and an I-Spy book. The shells are the best! I also went on the Whale Watch cruise and lost my breakfast several times over. I have never experienced sea sickness like it. Of the 40 passengers at least 10 were chucking up within 15 minutes. Seriously. I suppose it was all quite comical once it was over. One crew member was designated specifically to collect full sick bags, hand out tissues and be sympathetic. I have also just come back from an overnight cruise on Doubtful Sounds which was definitely lovely. A gorgeous place with seal, dolphin and penguins. I went kayaking and swimming (note swimming actually means jumping in and getting straight out because it was so bloody cold). There was also incredible food which more than made up for the loss of breakfast several days previously....

Take care all,

Kxx

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