Kia Ora, Christchurch and the first of many lakes
I arrived in Australia, possibly unwisely, wearing flip-flops, shorts and a faded t-shirt emblazoned with SLACKER. Not the best choice I admit. Still this beats my arrival in New Zealand, where after a late night in Kings Cross, 2 hours sleep and an uncomfotable flight across the Tasman, I arrived in Christchurch …
I think I am bound to be perenially disappointed with every airline after the last few flights with Singapore. Or maybe Air New Zealand, or Zeal320 as they mysteriously branded that flight, aren’t very good? Either way, they dished out the sort of thing that a school kitchen might have done if it had attempted a toasted italian sandwich, complete in a cardboard tray with a cup of tea in a polystyrene mug, grey plane, grey staff uniforms! Lovely. That and they charged me A$50 at the airport to revalidate my tickets. It was free to change the dates, but I’m not allowed to use them until they were revalidated, which doesn’t even involve reprinting them, but attaching handwritten sticky labels over the top with the new flights on them!! Though the view as we flew over the Southern Alps was spectacular, and it only took 15 minutes to get from coast to coast which gives an idea how small the island is.
Immigtration was a nightmare, we arrived behind a Korean jumbo jet so it took a couple of hours. In the above described state, I realised in the queue I had no idea where I was going, which they always ask you.
“Where will you visit?”
{ pause}
“Christchurch”
Yes, you’re here. Where else?”
{pause}
“Well I’m flying out Auckland…”
“And?”
this went on sometime, then she scrutinised every visa stamp in detail, including my dodgier ones. Then there was a queue for quarantine, which was even stricter than their neighbours.
Christchurch was nice, sunny, and very English looking, and I went to a hill looking over the lakes and the sea, and the Antarctic centre. I spent longer here than I intended because of the cold I picked up sitting all day in the park in the cool air on New Years Eve.
I spent a few days at Lae Tekapo (population 350) where I broke myself into the passtime of tramping, or hiking, with a few nice day walks.
After a couple of days here, the weather broke as we arrived at Mt Cook.
Tags: Travel
Nick