Millennium Christchurch

Our second cruise, long awaited after our first cruise to Alaska in 2004 (this photo is the Millennium docked in Sydney). There are day by day blogs as well as some comments on the Millennium itself, and details of who we used for shore excursions. Photos ...

... trees and shrubs. Boarding the coach we headed for the city centre and our overnight hotel, the Millennium on Cathedral Square, immediately behind the Christchurch Cathedral.  On checking in, our first impressions were that this was a superior ...

... ‘Chalice’.  This is a permanent sculpture that was created to celebrate the new millennium and the 150th Anniversary of the founding of Christchurch and Canterbury by the Canterbury Association.  It is a steel structure contains has ...

... booked it earlier on my own.     Another little thing I was a bit annoyed by was that although we arrived into Christchurch over an hour early (around 1:20), the itinerary said we would go into the city the scenic way over the Port Hills to ...

... not so onerous, although the car still lacks a certain will to power. Taking advantage of the sun, we visited the Christchurch cathedral, which had some quite beautiful tilework wall inlays. They're very careful to talk about the "fylfot" style cross ...

Friday 21 November, 11.57am, Merivale McCafe (just outside Christchurch) While driving to my new hotel this morning, I drove past this McCafe (all the McDonalds out here seem to be McCafes instead) and scoffed audibly. An hour or so later, ...

... many plants forms found here.   This city also contains an Avon river, complete with weeping willows and punting, the Christchurch College of Canterbury, Victoria Square, and a Tram that goes on a circular route through downtown .  The city ...

... - before everything had to go over the mountains.  We stopped at the 'Sign of the Takahe' which is a lookout overlooking Christchurch and the Canterbury Plains.  The area is quite built up but there are very few skyscrapers.  Nearly ...

... plains and then the horizon was undulated with snow capped mountains - a vivid contrast to the flat farm lands before them. Christchurch itself is often described at the 'most English' of cities with the River winding its way through and lots of European ...

... when we departed the country.  We are looking forward to some laid back sightseeing in New Zealand.  Arrived in Christchurch at 2pm.  After going through customs, which was easier than Brisbane, we took the Super Shuttle to the Millennium ...

... like an English city. You can even go punting on the river Avon. This is Cathedral Square were Christchurch Cathedral and the Millennium Monument stand. Hanmer Springs was our next destination. This is an example of the scenery along the ...

... of living in flip flops! However, some beautiful NZ / KIWI socks were required to avoid frostbite! With only 1 day in Christchurch, we decided to priorotise and make plans for the day over BREAKFAST - yum! We wandered to the central square and ...

... of the South Island. We’d seen dolphins, seals, penguins and more sheep than people! We enjoyed our campervan – The Millennium Falcon’ particularly the fact that we hadn’t had to pack and unpack during the 6 weeks, which is the ...

... the cars fault but really what is with the key and you‘d think the hiring people might have mentioned it!  Tomorrow we are off to Christchurch and risk the only real getting lost possibility so I’ll keep you posted on our progress.  ...

... was also there. St. Paul's bells are the oldest in NZ, installed in 1880. They also rang the first peal of the millennium in 2000. It was here that the early atomic scientist Edmund Rutherford was married. They claim his ghost haunts the tower. Very ...

... teary eyed having watched the then newly-released "Marley and Me" or “Revolutionary Road” during the flight. Christchurch and the Canterbury region are just as picturesque as Queenstown. We stayed at the Copthorne Hotel Christchurch Central ...