Back to Christchurch and "Bath with a View"

Trip Start Mar 23, 2009
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Trip End Jun 03, 2009


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Where I stayed
Mike and Julia's
(Auckland hotels)

Flag of New Zealand  , South Island,
Saturday, April 11, 2009

I boarded the InterCity bus at 8 a.m. in Queenstown for the ride up the South Island to Christchurch. It was a full-day drive with stops on the way - which worked out for me as I got to see a spot I had to sacrifice on the itinerary, Lake Tekapo. It had snowed with the cold and wet weather we had in Queenstown, but by this day it was warm and sunny and the snow provided an even better photo opportunity.
I arrived in Christchurch at about 4:30 and had been invited to stay another night at my friend Caroline's parents home. Her father Mike picked me up at the bus stop and her mother Julia invited me to use their spa bath when I got to their home, which overlooks Pegasus Bay - it felt like the Ritz Carlton! It was great to have another evening at a friend's home after staying at various hostels and before heading to another country.
The next morning, Julia, the family dog Otter, and I went for a great walk along the hillsides of their home in Sumner. Their house overlooks Pegasus Bay on one side and the other side has a walk that leads down to Taylor's Mistake Bay. It was much warmer in Christchurch than the other parts of South Island I visited, and it was a great morning for a walk (although with the steep grades up and down the hills, I would call it a hike!). We cleaned up and then started heading to the airport for my early afternoon flight. We stopped for brunch on the way to the airport and I was able to see more of the downtown Christchurch area.
I had a great time in New Zealand, and as much as I could have stayed longer, I was ready to keep on the itinerary and was on my 1:30 flight bound for Melbourne.
Till next time, from Australia!
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