Arrival and Orientation

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Twenty-six hours on a plane can drive a man crazy, but anticipation for what was to come kept us alive albeit … “flowery”. The sweat still on our brows from lugging our precious belongings through customs, we loaded into an airport shuttle. Our shuttle driver pointed out highlights of the Garden City, and we mentally scribbled a list a “places to see and things to do”.

We arrived at Stonehurst Backpackers Hostel with a sigh of relief, but did not let the grass grow under our feet that day! We were already running on adrenaline, so we put it to our advantage and hopped on our bicycles. New to driving on the left, we rode our bikes cautiously at first, but soon realized that Christchurch is a very cyclist-friendly city. No worries!

We treated our first few days in New Zealand as a time of transition and holiday. Two of our first scenic stops were the Christchurch Art Museum and the Botanical Gardens - both fantastic. The modern Aussie-designed museum has an exceptional organic flow with glass panes designed to represent the woven waterways that frequent New Zealand. The building has become a significant landmark, and is filled with artwork that spans many centuries. We particularly enjoyed an exhibit on contemporary Korean depictions in which modern-day objects are transformed into surprising and spectacular works of art. Across the street, the Botanical Gardens held a different kind of beauty. Trees in the grounds were unlike anything we’ve seen before and the variety was astounding! Coming from Connecticut’s and New Hampshire's early winter, we relished the plush surroundings and vibrant colors. In fact, this garden is said to have undoubtedly the finest collection of exotic and indigeous plants to be found anywhere in New Zealand.

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Photos

Way Too Much Luggage!
We were labeled "Heavyweights" and "Oversized" with bags that weighed 28 kilos each and bike boxes that towered our bodies!

Christchurch Art Museum
Public art museums here are often free and provide child-oriented displays.

Wavy Trees
From big redwoods to small bonsais, the trees in the Botanical Gardens are most impressive.

Bumble Bee
Color and life are captivating in the Botanical Gardens!

Fish n Chips
Cod and Takahini – greasy and awesome!

Amazingly Huge Tree
This is only 1 of many unique and impressive trees.

Avon River
Plush city scenery, this river passes very near the city center known as Cathedral Square.

Comments

[Alan Roy]

A most excellent adventure
We are all living life large through your eyes, enjoying every minute of what you describe, we'll never get there but its fun to know someone who is there. Enjoy and come home safe....all our love The Roy Family

[Aunt Robin]

Awesome
Thanks for letting us share in your adventure. The pictures were beautiful. I can't wait to here more about what's going on with the 2 of you.

[Grampy and Doris]

Christmas in January
Dear Bryan and Mindy, Grampy has found a treasure trove! He is so excited about your wonderful Blog. He found it more interesting than anything in quite a while. It was very interesting and informative and so well written. We can't wait to see the new entries.Love Grampy and Doris