Where has all the time gone?

Eeek! I'm already half way through my trip around NZ and time is slipping quickly past... Am currently trying to extend my time here as there is so much to see and it's an amazing place. A quick catch up....

Well, I arrived in Christchurch on the 26th Jan after an agonising flight - rather than my fears being slowly diminished through 'exposure' to my fear of flying, quite the opposite has been happening where the last flight from Sydney saw me gripping the seats and fighting back the tears for approximately two and a half hours. I visited a doctor - they gave me drugs for my next flights. Hurrah! Don't you love modern medicine?

Christchurch, what little I sawof it, was very, well, pleasant. It amazed me how few people there were and the streets felt almost empty - this was all in the centre of town on a weekend too. More importantly, it was when the 'World Busking Festival' was occurring, surely giving good reason for a few more souls to be about? Nope; still felt empty. However, what the Festival did mean was there was plenty of entertainment about for next to nothing (or free if you skulked off just before the end of a show - naughty, but hey, I'm on a budget).

Lady in a pink tutu

Met an Irish girl called Kat who seemed suitably at a loss for things to do too, and so we skulked around together, briefly visiting Brighton beach and also getting sun burnt watching a woman in a pink tutu throwing sharp objects around (Busker's remember). This also helped alleviate the void being felt at Jon's absence - yes, I was missing him terribly.

Tram in Christchurch

Also went to a 'Mouri Experience' type thing. Yes, it was very touristy, but the way they did was impressive and I've never felt quite so intimadated by someone at a tourist attraction before (one of the 'warriors' challenged the group). The Haka has to been seen in person too - very powerful and you can see why the use it before a Rugby game! All in all I enjoyed it even if I did make a pratt out of myself whe encouraged to 'learn' (eh hem) one of the dances.

Following this, I had a brief tour around the nature trail and 'Kiwi Experience' (also a project to help combat Kiwi extinction) - actually got to see one of the rare birds who was supposidly awake although it wasn't moving and looked suspiciously stuffed. I can see why cats like them so much - they have rather large backsides and can't fly away.

A Kea eating honey

On Monday morning I left Christchurch on the Tranzalpine train across the Southern Alps. A beautiful trip that gave me my first glimpse of some of the seriously oustanding scenery in NZ. A shame I fell asleep half way through the mountains!