It’s Bloody Cold in Christchurch!
Two days ago I wore a tank top, shorts, and sandals.
Today I wore wool socks, sneakers, thermal pants, travel pants, a t-shirt, a micro-fleece and a fleece jacket.
DID YOU READ WHAT I JUST WROTE???
It’s not chilly, it is COLD here!!
So yesterday we took the 4-hour flight to Auckland then spent the night in a cruddy place by the airport since our flight to Christchurch was 6am the next morning.
It was there that I had the most disgusting dinner. I ordered what I thought would be a healthy option: a crepe with asparagus, chicken and some kind of sauce. It came looking like an omelet–the asparagus was cut so small you couldn’t see it, and it was FULL of a gross, thick, greasy, gelatinous sauce, AND covered with cheese. UGH!
So we got to Christchurch and our first task was to GET SOME CLOTHES FOR THE WEATHER! First we went to a K-Mart like store and I got a turtleneck and wool socks. Jim pretty much scoffed at the whole thing. Then we went to the Kathmandu store (a very good outdoors store) and there was a huge sale. Jim was like a teenage girl at the mall or something. He wanted to buy everything. Even though it was deeply discounted it was still VERY expensive since it is high quality stuff. He was right that if this store at home had those prices, it would be amazing. However, we are traveling and we can’t carry this stuff around!! He didn’t care though, and bought a neck warmer, thermal shirt, and stupidly expensive gloves (I don’t know why they cost so much, they were just fleece!). Later we went back again and got me a raincoat from the kid’s section (cheaper) and I plan to wear it over my cheap fleece jacket that I already have, making a warm and waterproof coat.
I also got some hiking boots but I’m not sure if they fit.
Yeah, I got a lot of stuff too, but it was stuff I *needed.* He wanted to get unnecessary stuff and he didn’t even end up getting what he needed, like boots.
But he did show me a balakava (??) thing which is like a piece of fabric that covers your head and neck and only leaves a circle open for your face. It reminds me of this old cruddy hunter-yellow chunky knit one we had when I was a little kid. Although I think that one ONLY had holes for the eyes and mouth. I loved to wear it when I played in the snow and I didn’t care that it was totally horrendous looking. So I bought the only today and I don’t think Jim expected me to wear it all the time, but I plan to. Ha ha. He should know better.
Then we had a cheap lunch at a Cambodian place and it was delicious!
So anyway, there was some rugby game going on here today and Jim wanted to go. I didn’t really feel like going so he went with some guys he met at the hostel. I got time to relax and go thru the 100s of brochures and booklets about NZ and Christchurch and transportation choices and attractions and I pulled out coupons and gathered info.
Then I came out for a walk wearing all my cold weather gear. It is pretty quiet, chilly, and there aren’t that many people. Christchurch is a very English-looking city, just like it said in the guidebook. It is so nice to walk around and just look at things. It feels really safe here, too. I went into a souvenir shop for fun and there’s lots of stuffed kiwi birds, tons of wool, wool sweaters with sheep on them even, and opals and jade and stuff like that. It’s interesting to see what each country has as their “souvenirs.”
To be honest, I don’t feel like I am in a different country at all, aside from the weather. I actually forget we are in a new country!!
It’s funny because there is a big TV right in front of me and I think it is showing the rugby game that Jim is at! Ha! That’s neat.
So anyway, not much exciting to report. I can’t even tell the different between an Aussie and Kiwi accent. Although the guy at the airport said, “We have the best tints!” and afterwards I realized he was saying tents. So maybe that’s it? I dunno. Later!
Tags: New Zealand
Kelly
Yep, the Kiwis pronounce “i” funny. Fush instead of fish, sex instead of six. hehe. Aussies make fun of it 😉