Christchurch, New Zealand

A new day, a new country! Sadly it's raining and cold in New Zealand, but I shall not let that hinder my enjoyment of the country. Saying goodbye to Australia was hard, but I know now that I'm going to enjoy New Zealand...

Christchurch is supposed to resemble an English city, situated as it is on the Canterbury plains. One guidebook says something like "Christchurch's system of parallel roads running east to west and north to south from the cathedral mimics English towns." Uh... right. I can't think of any English town that has any parallel roads at all, let alone radiating from a large Cathedral Square! (I'm excluding Milton Keynes, obviously.)

So maybe the city is more wistful than realistic about its roots, but that doesn't mean it isn't a nice place. I've got just 2 days here now before I set off on my tour of the South Island of New Zealand, which I've just spent the best part of an hour coming up with from the aid of doodles, maps and scrawled calendars to let me see how it could pan out. Unfortunately, checking on the route networks of the bus and train companies, one of the legs I've chosen to do doesn't actually exist, and I don't fancy climbing New Zealand's tallest mountain with my new heavier bag.

That's right! I've finally worn a different pair of trousers and a pair of real shoes, for the first time since leaving the fair shores of England six weeks ago. I had noble intentions of shopping around, sniffing out bargains wherever they may be found, but in the end I spent just over £100 in Foot Locker, a sports shop like JJB Sports on English high streets. "Oh hi... I'm looking for some shoes - those will do; and I'll need some socks to go with them - like those; and a pair of warmer trousers wouldn't go amiss - such as those; while I'm here... how much is that jumper?" Perhaps I was a bit too rushed, as I neglected to notice the hooded top I'd bought doesn't have any pockets. No pockets! Where am I supposed to put all my stuff?! Hopefully I can return that tomorrow and buy another somewhere else, along with a pac-a-mac, some nail clippers (it may interest you to know that I haven't cut my toenails since before I left) and a razor, having had to throw the previous one away before flying. The disadvantage of travelling light! Hopefully all my stuff will still fit in my bag, as I will post the shoebox home with lots of useless stuff in it now that summer is over - for three months at least...

Oh yes, the title. New Zealanders have a curious accent, and one of their favourite meals is "fush and chups" - or so Australians will tell you. We shall see...