Thursday, April 4, 2013

April 4 - 6:35 pm

Well, I'm here. Back on the south side. Yesterday morning Winston picked me up from my hostel and drove me to the airport. And being the nicest person in the world, we stopped at Dunkin' Donuts on the way and got donuts, and then stopped at Subway and he bought me a footlong sub to take with me for lunch! Nicest! I am so glad I was able to meet him here and hang out with him and Claire. So anyway, I made it on my plane just fine and landed in Christchurch to much gloomier weather. It was overcast and raining a tiny bit, and definitely felt like fall. I was able to take a city bus into downtown Christchurch, and from there I walked to my hostel. The city centre isn't really at all how I pictured it in my head before I got here. I'd heard from people that it was really desolate and kind of ghost town-like, or post-apocalyptic, since the earthquake in 2011 left it pretty messed up. And that part is absolutely true. I thought you'd be able to walk around the whole city and see the destruction, but I thought there would be a lot reopened or rebuilt, and that the whole city wouldn't feel like a war zone. But it did. The actual city centre, about 8 or so square blocks are all fenced off and parts of it are under constant reconstruction. Walking around the perimeter you see glimpses of what used to be there, the shops and businesses, all demolished, or just abandoned. Cathedral square was something I was looking forward to seeing, and you can walk up pretty close to what's left of the cathedral, but it's not accessible at all. So many old buildings here that have all fallen apart. It's really sad. And it didn't seem like anyone was out on the streets.. It was just eerie. And maybe it was the weather that kept the people inside. I don't know. But I thought to myself- wow, this is bonkers. I'm glad I could see this. But I don't really want to stay here too long. Two nights will be fine.. So I grabbed as many informational pamphlets about the surrounding areas as I could from the i-Site as I could and went to the library for the free wifi. I spent all night planning and mapping and calculating my next three weeks. Finally came up with a good plan and called it a night.

So today, I woke up and partook of the delicious homemade bread the hostel puts out for breakfast. I showered and got ready and set out to see more of this broken city. Really, if I hadn't taken a bus into town from the airport and seen the suburbs so alive and healthy, I'd think this place was a lost cause, but I saw a lot today too that gives me hope for them here. I walked around more of the residential areas of the town, got lost a few times.. The maps and street signs here are so confusing! But I made it to the museum and spent some time there. There was a really fascinating exhibit on Antarctica and some of the expeditions there. I don't know why I liked it so much! Maybe the South Pole will be my next adventure?? Hmm.. So yeah, that was cool. I walked around the botanic gardens a little bit. Then went to the Re:Start mall, which is a small outdoor mall made of shipping containers. They've been turned into stores, and it's really really cool. Great little shops. Some big brands, other local New Zealand stuff, cafes, etc. and then there are the food trucks all parked there too. Street buskers, free wifi, arts and craft booths. Really fun. I did some shopping, hung out in the sunshine for a while, and then I realized that the people here are doing alright, and the city will continue to get better.
I headed over to the library again for more computer time. I booked all my hostels, buses, trains, and shuttles for the next 7 days! So take that! I think I've put in enough time to be considered an official travel agent. Maybe that's my calling in life. I'd say I've done a pretty good job for myself so far! But then again, it's been a huge pain. So that's why it's so nice that I got so much done today! That being said, I head to Akaroa tomorrow. Then I have Arthur's Pass, Mt. Cook, Dunedin, and Queenstown in my future. Time now for some cereal for dinner.

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